3 wines for dinner

[jal]

We went yesterday to Mashya, a nice Tel Aviv spot with our friend Hanan. I was there with him, Stefan and Lucie back in May and the food again did not disappoint, Middle Eastern with a lot of Moroccan, French and California influences. With dinner we drank the following:

1999 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux; Wine has dark purple color, bretty nose makes it hard to ignore, it largely blows off after a while but still persistent enough. Should have decanted it. I can't get past the brett. It does seem to be well structured, and should last a long time but this was disappointing at this juncture. I can't rate this.

2000 Cantemerle: This was giving nothing for twenty minutes and then opens up to a lovely wine, nothing outrageous, just nice medium body and elegant with fine fruit. I wouldn't age this any longer though, this seems fully resolved. Probably 89

1990 Leoville LasCases: Now that's more like it! Vibrant color, bright nose, refined texture, elegant fruit. Layers of earthy flavor, old school long finish. One of the better Bordeaux I've had in years. A stunning wine that was absolutely delicious. At least 96

[Nicklasss]

Ah, Chateau Léoville Las Cases, probably my favorite Bordeaux. But I never had the 1990 yet.

About Tel Aviv, in Québec, a lot of publicity to encourage us to go there as a new holiday destination. Air Canada have how direct flights.

It is like Tel Aviv is the next contender for holidays, after Reykjavik : lot of publicity the last 3-4 years, many canadians went to Iceland I guess.

Nic

[Comte Flaneur]

Shame about the Rouget Jacques. That is one helluva n expensive wine

[jal]

I know Ian, I have another two bottles back in Florida. I'm thinking of selling, jeeez for the price I could sell them, I can easily get something I'd enjoy a lot more.

Nic, Reykjavik is popular as a stopover on the way to Europe, I am thinking of doing that next year and try to see the Northern Lights. Tel Aviv is a very hip destination with beaches, clubs, a great food scene, good music joints. Very young and active. My son Eric lives here and studies he can easily stay out till 4:00am on a weekday. And it is also a very liberal city with a gay scene to rival Key West, NYC, and Sydney (not that there's anything wrong with it ). Of course the rest of the country is a religious and scenic destination in its own right.

[stefan]

Glad that you again got together with the Son of the Wolf, Jacques. Mashya is an interesting restaurant.

I am sorry that I likely will not be able to come to Israel in 2018. My schedule is too packed.

[AKR]

All those Leoville's made such great wine in 1990

[jal]

Glad that you again got together with the Son of the Wolf, Jacques. Mashya is an interesting restaurant.

I am sorry that I likely will not be able to come to Israel in 2018. My schedule is too packed.

Stefan, how about Sarasota in February? Let's try to get a small team there. DavidG and JimHow said they will be there at some point. How about it Dstgolf, Nicklasss, Blanquito, sdr, anyone game? We promise good weather, plenty of golf, proximity to Disney (Nic!!)

[stefan]

We would love to, Jacques, but I have two professional trips in February and March and probably will not travel otherwise.

[dstgolf]

Jacques,

We'll hopefully be seeing Stu(SDR) and Kathy the last week in Feb on the east coast while we're in Delray Beach for 4 nights. Up to Jupiter with friends to golf til March 3rd then over to Bradenton 3-10. Would love to hook up for dinner somewhere in Sarasota region and will likely have my buddy and our wives along. Just let me know what would work for you but would love to make something happen that week with whomever. Would be nice if Stu could make it across or anyone else. Let's make it happen.....if you golf then maybe we could plan something with golf then dinner?? That's all we do when we're down.

[jal]

We're around March 3-10, Danny. It will be great to see you, we will make it happen. Let's see who else can join, otherwise it will be just us for dinner

[DavidG]

We’ll be in Sarasota Feb 3 to March 3. Possibly booked 2/22 - 2/25.

[JimHow]

I'll be floating around Florida in the second half of January and possibly into February, it all depends on my trial schedule.

[AKR]

Are there any other Lebanese/Israeli wines of the quality of Musar?

I've started seeing Musar's young vines bottling here, but have not tried it yet.

[jal]

Are there any other Lebanese/Israeli wines of the quality of Musar?

I've started seeing Musar's young vines bottling here, but have not tried it yet.

Short answer is no.

Long answer is I haven't had a Musar in over a decade. Mainly because of bottle variations. Some of the better ones I had were quite unique, other were horrible. But as for the local stuff here, there are some really bad Israeli wines, most made in a New World style, think KJ Vintner Reserve, Chappellet, or Beringer Knight's Valley. Extracted, sweet, alcoholic, syrupy and hot on the finish. A few good wines emerge sometimes from the dreck; Tzora makes a really good Syrah. Flam, Domaine du Castel and Margalit are three wineries that makes decent cabs, nothing amazing but good enough for a steak dinner without added Ibuprofen. Golan Heights Winery used to produce really decent Cabs but I haven't tasted any in a long time.
I usually buy Old World stuff here; Marchese Antinori Chianti Riserva (now called Tenuta Tignanello for some reason) is widely available, as are Chave's Mon Coeur CdR, Rioja Alta Crianza and I splurge sometimes on Bordeaux and Burgundies; I bought the 2014 and the 2011 Cantemerle here last week for prices about 15% higher than at Total Wine in Sarasota.
That said, Stefan has more experience with local wines than I do and may have a better answer.