While reading through the Catholic Digest I saw an advertisement for The Grapes of GalileeTM, wine made from grapes grown between Mount Tabor and the Sea of Galilee. The wine is produced and imported by Georgia based Haroz Vintners and is marketed to the Catholic community. The company "suggests pouring The Grapes of Galilee at wedding receptions or communions, or any festive occasion where Christians seek a physical connection to their spiritual homeland." Currently there are three type of wine:
* Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - Deep royal purple, showing herbal and black olive flavors backed up nicely by currants and wild berries. Soft tannins and good balance make the wine fun to drink.
* Merlot 2005 - Medium bodied, with soft tannins and generous berry and black cherry fruits; very pleasant.
* Chardonnay 2006 - Light gold, medium bodied, with citrus and tropical fruits on a lightly earthy background. Good balancing acidity keeps the wine lively and fruity.
The labels depict Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and his walking on the Sea of Galilee. Haroz Vintners has received mostly positive reviews for simply producing the wines; while some believe the idea is distasteful. The wines are available online and at several retail outlets in selected states. Check their website for locations. I look forward to giving the wines a try, particularly as Israeli wines improve in quality.
I haven't seen this as it's not in Israel. It's an interesting marketing tool since, until now, Israeli marketers only knew how to go after the kosher wine drinker. They got lucky because the winery that produces this is actually supposed to be a good one (I'm not sure which it is, but that's what I heard from others who know).
ReplyDeleteI am upset, however, that we in Israel aren't marketing wine to the average wine consumer - regardless of religion or level of observance - and instead focusing on a small niche.
However, this shouldn't be one's foray into the Israeli wine world. I maintain a blog from Israel about Israeli wine
http://israelwine.wordpress.com and there are other sources of info about great Israeli wines - of course the best is to come here and try the many wines not yet(?) available outside the country.