Vineyard: Galil Mountain
Wine: Merlot 2000
Type: Dry Red

This wine is exactly like its counterpart, the Galil Mountain cabernet.

The Galil Mountain Merlot is produced from 100% merlot grapes grown in the upper Galilee. Unlike the tradition here in Israel, it is not blended with a little Cabernet. This time, however, I think the wine would have benefited from the addition of some cabernet grapes to help round out some of the sharpness in the taste.

The color of this wine is a deep purple, almost plum. The aroma is very fragrant. Despite the sharpness, the first taste is very smooth and there is a delightful aftertaste that lingers pleasantly on the palate.

The alcohol content of this Merlot is 14%. That was somewhat surprising to me, because the wine is not very dry.

This is a very good yet inexpensive wine. It is simple and perfect for any meal.

I welcome the competition that this new vineyard venture brings to the Israeli wine market.

Rated: 7++