Sometimes, a “quick trip to the wine shop” turns into a long journey through miles of aisles as you ponder the endless options. And if we’re being honest, it often boils down to the labels that catch your eye the most.
But if you’d rather spend less time selecting wine and more time enjoying it, Gabriel Geller has a short and sweet (but not too sweet) list of suggestions. The wine blogger, critic, and Royal Wine Corporation executive recently alerted his readers to two wines that are especially wonderful for winter.
Château Larcis Jaumat, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 2015 (SRP $29.99, not mevushal*) Geller says 2015 is an outstanding vintage for Bordeaux, “but for most of us mere mortals, these wines will be either just dreams or reserved for very special occasions.” The good news is, even the entry and mid-level wines are good to excellent.
Château Larcis Jaumat is moderately priced because it’s not from a famous, classified estate, even though it’s made with the same grapes by the same process. And while most great Bordeaux typically need 5—10 years in the cellar to develop and mellow, Larcis Jaumat is great to drink now and will keep adding layers of flavors and aromas over the coming decade.
This elegant, medium-bodied wine carries notes of ripe black currants and raspberries with hints of smoke and forest floor. It features layers of flavors, velvety tannins, and well-balanced acidity as well as a long, earthy finish. Grab it now, urges Geller!
Tabor, Tannat, Shifon Vineyard, 2013 (SRP $39.99, not mevushal*) Geller calls this unique Israeli wine a must-try. This first release from Tabor comes from the Shifon vineyard, 950 meters above sea level in the Golan Heights. “It is one of only two kosher Tannat that I know of,” he says.
Different than most Israeli red wines, Tabor is full-bodied yet neither too fruity nor too oaky. The aroma and flavor showcase notes of thyme, peppermint, and eucalyptus with juicy red fruits (strawberries, currants, plums).
Fans of high acidity and bold tannins will savor this refreshing, masterfully crafted novelty. Geller is watching this wine with interest to see how it will change with time.
*Mevushal: Some kosher wines are processed as mevushal, which means “cooked” in Hebrew. Some wineries produce their mevushal wines by heating the must (grape juice) via a flash-pasteurization or flash-détente process prior to fermentation, while others apply that procedure on the final product, prior to bottling.
About The Royal
Wine Corporation
Founded in 1848, Royal Wine Corp. has been owned and operated in the United States by the Herzog family, whose winemaking roots date back eight generations to 19th-century Czechoslovakia.
Today, Royal Wine Corp is the leading producer, importer, and distributor of kosher wines and spirits. Headquartered in Bayonne, NJ, it offers more than 300 brands in its portfolio including Bartenura Moscato, the best-selling Italian Moscato in America (kosher or not), which they own.
Their portfolio of domestic and international wines hail from nearly every significant wine-producing region in the world, including California, France, Italy, and Spain, as well as Israel, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Additionally, Royal Wine Corp. imports, produces, and distributes a growing portfolio of spirit and liqueurs, which includes many sought-after scotches, bourbons, tequilas, and vodkas as well as hard-to-find specialty items such as flavored brandies and liqueurs.
The company owns and operates the Kedem Winery in upstate New York, with a tasting room and gift shop, as well as Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, California, a state-of-the-art-facility featuring guided wine tours, a fully staffed modern tasting room, gift shop, and catering facilities. Additionally, the Oxnard winery houses the award-winning restaurant Tierra Sur, serving the finest Mediterranean-inspired contemporary California cuisine.
Follow Royal Wine on Facebook.com/RoyalWineCorp/, instagram.com/royalwinecorp/, and twitter.com/royalwinecorp.
