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Winery
Gamla
Vintage: 2009
Despite less than ideal climatic conditions, featuring storms which threatened an otherwise perfect year, most parts of California had an excellent year for viticulture. Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs were picked at optimum ripeness, and Californian white wine was just about as good as it could be. Surprises and overcoming difficulties summed up much of the United States' wine industry in 2009, and many of the results from Oregon, Washington State and all over California speak for themselves, with the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon grapes having developed healthy, thick skins and thus plenty of character and distinction. Elsewhere in the New World, South Africa had a very good year in 2009, and wineries across the cape of the African continent are proclaiming it a truly great vintage.
In most of Europe, fine weather and punctual ripening periods produced some excellent wines, with many of the best coming out of France's Bordeaux and the surrounding regions. Merlot had an exceptionally good year in France, and wineries are proclaiming that the 2009 Merlot harvest was one of the best in living memory. Indeed, across most of France, ripening was relatively even, and red wine grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Syrah and others were reportedly highly characterful, with plenty of the required tannin levels with which to make high quality wines. Italy, too, had a very good 2009. Piedmont reported extremely favorable conditions throughout 2009, and their signature Nebbiolo grapes were more or less perfect when harvested, having benefited from the slight drop in temperature at the end of their ripening period. Veneto, too, had an enviable year, producing superb Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay wines in 2009.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
There is little doubt about the fact that the most familiar red wine grape varietal in the world is the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, seen listed on bottles from more or less every single wine producing country across the globe. Part of the reason for this is the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon is a particularly hardy grape, resistant to both frost and rot, and can grow well in a number of climatic conditions so long as it receives enough sunlight and water. Of course, this is only half the story – we cannot ignore the fact that wines made from the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal are prized not only for their strong acidic fruit flavors, spicy and earthy notes and high tannin content, but also for the fact that they age beautifully in oak, resulting in wines which are on another level from those made from lesser grapes. Aged wines made using primarily Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are widely recognized to be the finest in the world. The aging process rounds out the tannins, softens the acidity and allows a wide range of fascinating and complex flavors and aromas to come through, making them an unquestioned highlight of the red wine world.
Region: Galilee
There are few regions in the world which are as renowned for their historical and cultural importance as Galilee. However, as a wine region, this area of Israel remains relatively undiscovered by much of the western world. As one might expect, Galilee is an important producer of kosher wines, with the vast majority of the produce made there carefully overseen by religious specialists ensuring that purity laws are observed. The result of this is a reasonably large industry focusing on Jewish communities around the world, who wish to enjoy classic, Old World style wines packed full of fascinating flavors and aromas. Galilee's mineral rich and volcanic soils allow vintners in the area to experiment with a wide range of grape varietals, and dozens of popular imported French varietals flourish well there.
Country: Israel
The vineyards of Israel have long been associated with high quality wines, and the wineries which operate within the country use the fantastic Mediterranean climate and mineral rich soils to grow fine French grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc all over the country. Israel has five major wine regions; Galil, The Judean Hills, Shimshon, The Negev, and the Sharon Plain, with many of the most successful vineyards being located at high altitudes to benefit from the cooler temperatures and stronger breezes the vines need to produce better yields. Today, Israeli wineries are proving to be highly successful with audiences around the world, and the fact that the vast majority of Israeli wines are made to kosher requirements mean they are often in high demand amongst the worldwide Jewish population, although they are also highly popular with people of all backgrounds.