We all know that red wines have compounds that can be quite healthful, in moderation. The health benefits of red wines have been touted for decades. Yet, these health benefits do not exist in white wines — except for the Israeli winemaker Binyamina’s wines.
According to this report:
A white wine with the same health benefits as red has been developed by scientists.
The wine, from Israel, has boosted levels of plant chemicals which are thought to combat heart disease.
Red wine is naturally fortified with the polyphenol compounds, which are concentrated in grape skins. Fermenting the skins of grapes along with their juice gives red wine its colour, and antioxidant properties.
White wine is not made with grape skins and therefore lacks health-giving polyphenols.
But researchers at Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology, have developed a way to boost white wine polyphenols six-fold.
The technique involves incubating squeezed grapes in the presence of alcohol for 18 hours before removing their skins.
The polyphenol-charged wine looks and tastes the same as regular white wine but has the same antioxidant activity as red wine.
Israeli wine manufacturer Binyamina has now started using the recipe to manufacture the healthier white wine. It is expected to be on sale in the US by the end of the year.
Following is Daniel Rogov’s latest review in Ha’aretz. This week he reviews the Bustan Winery and Saslove. I admit that I haven’t had either, but I plan on tasting some at some upcoming wine festivals over the next month. Bustan is available in North America (imported by Royal) and Saslove is available in Canada, as its winemaker Barry Saslove is originally from Canada but has lived in Israel for several decades.
Wine and Spirits / Small but special
By Daniel Rogov
Founded in 1994 and set on Moshav Sha’arei Tikva in the Shomron region, the Bustan Winery has earned a good name for its distinctly French-style wines. Even though this tiny winery produces only about 2,000 bottles annually, the wines are sought after by many, as they have been not only consistently excellent but interesting.
Perhaps no less important, the vast majority of the Bustan wines have earned scores of 90 or above. The winery has just released three new wines, and those are available at branches of Derekh HaYain in Tel Aviv and Gush Dan, as well as at Avi Ben and Shachar in Jerusalem.
The following is a guest post from Ezra Butler, a fellow evangelist of Israeli wine. It was originally printed on Jewneric. I love his call to “be an Israeli wine evangelist.”
Maybe it’s just me, but everywhere I turn in Jerusalem, I am sucked into a conversation about wine. People who know me professionally lament to me, asking “Why doesn’t Israel market itself through its wines?” My friends will either tell me about their favorite wine store (and physically take me there), or have a nice bottle with me (lately, its been on my porch, with perfect Jerusalem summer weather). And many of the wine professionals here give me new things to taste, to expand my palette. Even the younger brother of my best friend has started reading Rogov’s book, and asking me my thoughts on certain grapes and varieties. A good friend of mine has started a blog Israel Wine that aggregates news about Israeli wines (and of course, the prerequisite associated Facebook Group.
Don’t get me wrong. I love it. Finally the tides are changing. Israeli wines are good. Really good.
Carmel is no longer “oh that brand”, it has really come into its own. It even just released a Brut (a sparkling “champagne-like” wine) with an extremely reasonable price point, with excellent reviews from trusted sources. I’m excited to taste that.
Change your attitude towards wine: It’s not just for Shabbat or Purim. Wine is meant to be enjoyed. There is nothing better than a bottle of chilled Rose on a summer Friday afternoon with a friend, trust me.
My good friend Richard Shaffer of Israeli Wine Direct has recently started an absolutely fascinating series of podcasts with Israeli wine figures.
The first one has just been posted with Adam Montefiore. I’m listening it to it now and, despite knowing a lot about Israeli wine and Israeli wine marketing, I am learning a ton from Adam!
Derekh haYayin (Wine Route) has put the June 30 Wine Spectator article on Israeli wine online. It’s here in PDF.
However, if you haven’t already, please buy the magazine. There’s also an article on the Galilee region of Israel in the magazine, which I look forward to reading once I get my copy mailed from America. There are many benefits to this blog being written from Israel - this isn’t one of them.
Carmel Winery has made a revolution in sparkling wine and added a new value-priced quality offering to the small Israeli sparkling wine market. They are abolishing the President’s Wine, a cheap (but refreshing) sparkler, and are introducing a new, higher quality offering.
The Carmel Private Collection Brut, made using the charmat method (like many sparkling wines in Italy, but not the ‘traditional’ or ‘champagne’ method that many of us associate with sparklers) is a new, fresh wine with a suggested retail of 59NIS. This makes it significantly cheaper than the traditional method sparkling wines from Golan Heights Winery and Pelter. This wine, in Carmel’s ‘Private Collection’ series, is now available. In fact, I just picked up a bottle this afternoon and will be opening it up this weekend for my wedding anniversary.
The Brut is made with 50% Columbard, 40% Chardonnay, and 10% Viognier with grapes from Zichron Ya’akov and the Judean Hills and, while non-vintage, the current release is from the 2007 harvest. Following is Rogov’s tasting note:
Carmel, Brut, Private Collection, n.v.: A far, far better sparkling wine than Carmel has ever done before. Made by the Charmat method (with the second fermentation accomplished in pressurized stainless steel tanks), a blend of French Colombard, Chardonnay and Viognier (50%, 40% and 10% respectively), with a portion of the Chardonnay oak-aged, shows simple but appealing aromas and flavors of apples, pears and citrus. A short mousse and sharp but not well focused bubbles here make one think more of Spanish Cava than of French Champagne. Drink now. NIS 59. Score 86. K
On Wednesday and Thursday, June 25th and 26th, Israel’s Wine and Gourmet Magazine will be sponsoring it’s 12th wine fair. It will be taking place at the Eretz Israel Museum, which is near Tel Aviv University’s campus and the Diaspora Museum. New this year, it will be possible to purchase wines and have them delivered.
Admission is 57NIS (50NIS for subscribers to the magazine).
It’s summer time and that means it’s time to break out the white wines — which are great deals too! In this week’s Ha’aretz, Israel’s premier wine critic Daniel Rogov tries a few whites.
By Daniel Rogov
In Israel, as in California, nearly all the locally made white wines are made from grapes that have their origins in France - Chardonnay from Burgundy, Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, Viognier from the northern Rhone Valley and Gewurtztraminer from Alsace. Not even the old-timer Emerald Riesling is our own, the hybrid grape being a cross of Muscadelle de Bordelais and White Riesling. With the days growing warmer, it’s time to turn from heavier red wines to more lively and refreshing whites, especially for fish, seafood or chicken meals or with cold salads and small cuts of veal or pork.
Golan Heights Winery, Chardonnay, Yarden, Odem Organic Vineyard, 2006: Full-bodied, opening with subtle aromas of figs, pears and apples, going on to show a generous dash of smoky, toasty oak and then blossoming forth with pineapple, citrus peel and minerals, leading to a creamy and bright long finish. Drink now-2013. NIS 60. Score 92. K
Golan Heights Winery, Viognier, Yarden, 2006: As during earlier tastings, this release reminds me of the white wines of Condrieu and shows a thoroughly traditional Viognier personality. Following an aromatic and floral nose, flavors and aromas of ripe Anjou pears, peaches, spring flowers and minerals along with hints of citrus. Lively, clean, fresh and long, the best local Viognier to date. Drink now-2010. NIS 60. Score 91. K
Recanati, Chardonnay, Reserve, 2006: Developed sur lie, partly in new, partly in used, oak barriques, this medium- to full-bodied white shows an appealing buttery nature to highlight green apple, pineapple and nutty flavors and aromas. Complex but lively and with good length. Drink now-2010. NIS 90. Score 90. K
Recanati Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2007: Light straw in color, light- to medium-bodied, showing appealing red grapefruit, passion fruit and kiwi fruit, with hints of spices and grassiness. Good acidity keeps the wine lively and refreshing. Drink now. NIS 59. Score 88. K
Flam, Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay, 2007: An unoaked blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc from the Upper Galilee and 30% Chardonnay from the Jerusalem Hills. Light golden straw in color, medium-bodied, with a deeply aromatic citrus and tropical fruit nose. Opens on the palate to show melon, pineapple and green apples. Crisp, lively, just complex enough and with a long fruity finish. Drink now. NIS 62. Score 89. Keep reading →
If you use Facebook and love Israeli wine, then check out the new “Israeli wine” page on Facebook and become a fan.
Help spread the word about this blog and about wine from the emerging eastern Mediterranean country of Israeli via viral Web 2.0 methods! Check it out!
We all know that red wines have compounds that can be quite healthful, in moderation. The health benefits of red wines have been touted for decades. Yet, these health benefits do not exist in white wines — except for the Israeli winemaker Binyamina’s wines.
My good friend Richard Shaffer of 
It’s summer time and that means it’s time to break out the white wines — which are great deals too! In this week’s 
If you use Facebook and love Israeli wine, then check out the new “
