Wine at the Crossroads: Golan Heights Winery

Tour guide in Israel holding up a map of the Golan Heights

The Holidays are my favorite time of year. I grew up decorating a Christmas tree with my Grandma, making certain foods, and enjoying the “chilly” California nights. About five years ago I converted to Judaism before I got married, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I now identify with a culture and a people and it has opened up my world in ways I could never imagine. The benefit of being a convert to Judaism around the holidays is that you can easily split up the family visiting duties! We spend Christmas time with my family and Hanukkah with Aaron’s family. A perfect balance! As we get ready to light the Hanukkah candles this weekend, I am remembering my trip to Israel in 2017. 

In January of that year I visited Israel as part of the Honeymoon Israel group. This was a trip for young Jewish couples to connect with their Judaism. Our group consisted of LGBT couples, ally couples, mixed race couples, and interfaith couples. Quite the diverse group. The trip did not shy away from “complicated” history of Israel and the ongoing conflicts. As a part of the trip we visited the Golan Heights area in the north, which is just a few hundred feet from the Syrian border. At the time I was immersed in learning about Israel and trying to understand the complicated nature of life in the Middle East. 

Signs in the Golan Heights, a few hundred feet from the Syrian border

Fast forward to 2019 and I was asked to attend a press luncheon for the Golan Heights Winery. Quite a different topic of study here! But I was excited to explore winemaking in a region with such a rich history. Golan Heights Winery (and Galil Mountain Winery) fall under the Yarden, Inc. umbrella. The seminar took place at Gwen in Los Angeles with Victor Schoenfeld, head winemaker since 1992, walking us through the Yarden portfolio. 

Victor Schoenfeld, head winemaker

There is evidence of winemaking in Israel from 5,000 years ago. Israel is uniquely situated on the eastern Mediterranean at the intersection of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Yarden certified sustainable vineyards are at a high elevation (1300-3900 feet) and on volcanic soils. According to Victor, the role of elevation is critical. Without elevation they could not make wine as it would be too hot. With such a rich (and old!) history of winemaking, you might wonder why there are not indigenous varieties in the area. That’s because the land was under Muslim (read: no alcohol) rule in the 7th century and all indigenous varieties were lost.

Kosher wines have had a bad reputation because of Manischevitz and the old method of heating or cooking wine to keep it kosher. Don’t let those past experiences taint your view of Israeli and/or Kosher wines. Kosher wines can be wines of quality. In fact, Yarden is one of the leaders in quality Kosher wines. Wines that can stand on their own against other world-class wines.

Also, expect to see more Israeli wines in the US. According to Victor, 75% of their wines are consumed in Israel and 25% are exported. However, export is a huge focus at the moment. 

The Tasting Lineup

And here are the wines I sampled:

Yarden Blanc de Blancs 2011 (SRP $32.99)
Bubbles from Israel! This is a 100% Chardonnay traditional method sparkling wine. Bone dry with only 4-5 g/L of residual sugar (RS). Great citrus/green fruit character moving into toasty baguette-like notes.

Yarden Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (SRP $19.99)
Partial oak aging with 25% of this wine fermented in French oak. Lots o’ tropical fruit (especially on the palate) and a full body. Persistent acid.

Yarden Katzrin Chardonnay 2017 (SRP $38.99)
Ripe fruit that covers the spectrum: citrus to stone to tropical. Oak and creamy notes abound plus some florals. This wine is aged sur lie for 9 months in new French oak.

Yarden Merlot 2014 (SRP $30.99)
A standout, complex Merlot! Red plus black fruit, orange peel, dried sage, earth, and bitter chocolate on the palate. Fabulous acid and well-integrated tannins. Overall a very balanced wine. 18 months in French oak.

Yarden Merlot Odem Organic Vineyard 2014 (SRP $109.99)
A vineyard designate Merlot that shows earthier than the previous Merlot. A slight green, pyrazine note (bell pepper) plus sweet tobacco and chocolate. This wine is fermented and aged sur lie in French oak for 7 months.

Yarden Petit Verdot 2015 (SRP $38.99)
Loved this wine! Very dark in color, as Petit Verdot usually is. Dark black fruit plus floral (violet), spice, and chocolate notes. This wine is aged 18 months in French oak (40% new).

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (SRP $35.99)
At first I wasn’t too impressed with this one. The tannins were a bit weak and I felt this wine wasn’t as assertive as it could be. According to Victor, this wine is in its dormant phase and will improve with age. We shall see! Aged 18 months in French oak (40% new).

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon Bar’on Vineyard 2014 (SRP $105.99)
A lovely Cab. With a juxtaposition of deep dark fruit (New World style) and an earthy/dusiness (Old World style). Victor says this wine has one foot in the Old World and one foot in the New World. Which is actually a perfect analogy for Israel as a country. Aged 18 months in French oak.

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards: A Southern Oregon Standout

There is something to be said about people in the wine business. They’re a great group and it's very rare to find a dud in the bunch. If you make wine or you own a vineyard, chances are you’re a happy person (my personal opinion with no statistics to back it up!). Some people studied wine in college and knew their path, while others had a full career in another industry and came to wine for a change of pace and/or to pursue their passion. Such is the case for Doug & Dionne Irvine.

Irvine & Roberts is a family-owned estate vineyard and winery at the southern end of the Rogue Valley AVA in southern Oregon. Many are familiar with the Willamette Valley spanning from the Portland area in the north to the Eugene area in the south. Southern Oregon is also a growing wine region. In fact, there are about 40 wineries within 30 minutes of Irvine & Roberts. 

So how did land developers from southern California end up making wine in Oregon? Doug actually grew up on a ranch in southern Oregon. He went down to California for school and landed at UC-Irvine, ironically. He then became a successful real estate developer in southern California, which is how he met his wife, Dionne. In 1997 and after three children, they decided to make their way back to Oregon for a slower life and to raise their kids in the country. We haven’t even gotten to wine yet!

In the mid-2000’s Doug & Dionne found themselves on vacation in Italy and after a revelatory experience with a bottle of Gaja Nebbiolo, they wondered if they might try their hands at making wine. At that time, the southern Oregon wine scene was brand new and the barrier to entry was low. They decided to take a chance and made 250 cases that first year with the Irvine Wine Company.

In 2012, Doug’s sister Kelly Roberts and her husband Duane joined the business and the winery name changed to Irvine & Roberts. They expanded and bought more acreage at that time. Now, they have nearly 40 acres planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir plus a little Pinot Meunier. Their goal is to make thoughtful Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of true character and regional identity. In my words they make what I like to call: honest, regional wines. Speaking of local, their winemaker Vince Vidrine, came from Domaine Serene in the Willamette Valley. 

With land ownership, in my opinion, comes the responsibility to give a f*ck about the environment. They are L.I.V.E. and Salmon-Safe Certified, employ an integrated pest management strategy, and utilize cover crops, owl boxes, and insect vectors. They are not certified organic, but they did initiate organic grape growing practices in 2017. That was also the year their onsite winery was inaugurated. 

Upon arriving to the tasting room, we were warmly welcomed. And I can attest that this is one of the most beautiful tasting rooms I have been in. The pictures speak for themselves. And with their spectacular wine, you are sure to enjoy their visit. Below are the standout wines that I tried:

Irvine & Roberts 2017 Estate Chardonnay $32
Earlier this year I tried the 2016 and was blown away. This one also did not disappoint. A focused and acid-driven Chardonnay with notes of stone fruit, white flowers, and wet stone/minerality. This is HANDS DOWN my favorite of the Irvine & Roberts portfolio.

Irvine & Roberts 2017 Pinot Meunier $40
How often do you get to try a varietally labeled Pinot Meunier? I have to say, this was my first! They’ve got less than 1 acre of Pinot Meunier planted, so this is a special wine. Only 237 cases were produced of this vintage. Red fruit and rose petals plus an earthy herbaceous quality.

Irvine & Roberts 2016 Estate Pinot Noir $35
Their entry level Pinot, which is distributed and can be found in many states. The requisite Pinot notes of red fruit + earth and spice.

They also have a couple single block Pinots: the 777 Block and the Wädenswil Block. Also, they will soon release their first vintage of the Convergence Pinot Noir. This wine will be barrels that Vince personally selects. It's not clone or block driven, but rather a snapshot of what is working in the winery at that moment.

What's next for Irvine & Roberts? They are dappling in Gamay (see my article about Oregon Gamay HERE), Pinot Meunier, and a sparkling program. We even got to pop in the winery and see the sparkling wines resting in bottle. Can't wait for those beauties!

O. Vine: The Wine Alternative

Disclaimer: these beverages were received as samples

Wine plays an important part of my life. Personally, I love wine and professionally I find myself around wine regularly. Believe it or not, I don’t drink a lot of wine. I do taste a lot of wine. But in a regular week, I might only drink a glass or two, and it’s not uncommon for me to go wine-free for an entire week. As I get older I certainly find that those around me are drinking less and for good reasons: they’re pregnant, doing a cleanse, or on the Whole30 train. I also have sober people in my life, those in recovery, and people who, in general, just don’t like to drink.

There have been some recent studies that seem to reinforce what I’m seeing in my own life. I recently read THIS article on The Guardian about how alcohol consumption by millenials is on the decline.  Similarly, I can’t seem to pick up a wine trade mag without seeing an article about the low/no alcohol trend. And more frequently in restaurants, I’m seeing non-alcoholic mixology drinks on the cocktail list. 

As a host in my personal life and as an event producer by trade, I frequently am tasked to come up with non-alcoholic alternatives to serve guests. There’s the requisite still and sparkling water (which isn’t too exciting). You can layer in soda or juice, but being that I am in LA, people tend to shun sugar. Let’s face it, the non-alcoholic drink segment is quite boring.

When I got an email from a wine PR firm to sample a non-alcoholic beverage, I was intrigued! The product is O. Vine Wine Essence Water. Their patent pending sustainable production method upcycles grape skins and seeds (from Galil Mountain Winery in Israel) used in winemaking and captures their taste, aroma, color, and antioxidants. The result is alcohol-free O.Vine, a wine grape infused water that is light, dry, crisp, and low calorie. I count three LA-friendly descriptors in that sentence: sustainable, upcycle, and antioxidant! I enthusiastically requested samples.

Fast forward. The samples have arrived, and I have to say, this might be the most exciting non-alcoholic beverage since millennials discovered La Croix! 

I was sent both their white and red wine essence water. And both the white and red have a “still” and “gently sparkling” option. I have to say that they are simply delicious! So much so, that I am producing an event next month and will prominently feature O.Vine as a non-alcoholic alternative for our guests.

O. Vine Red Wine Essence Water (Still & Gently Sparkling)
Featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot wine grapes.

O. Vine White Wine Essence Water (Still & Gently Sparkling) 
Featuring Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay wine grapes.

O.Vine is a great non-alcoholic holiday drink option. For your friends who don’t want to over-imbibe, this is a great alternative. They can enjoy this drink, have something more exciting than water, and people might not even know they aren’t drinking! A perfect replacement for Martinelli’s on NYE!

O.Vine comes in 12.2 oz bottles (350mL) and with a suggested retail price is $4.99 per bottle. It can be found online at Amazon and Macy’s. Also, in-store at Neiman Marcus (NYC location only) and at WorldMarket locations across the country.