Between red and white
Between red and white
The fall and resurrection of the Israeli rose
Until the 1980s and mid-1990s, in the history of the pre-bubble high-tech, the Internet, the second intifada and the Israeli wine revolution, quite a few rosé wines were produced and sold in the Holy Land. These were the simplest table wines, and in fact constituted a default for wineries, which used to use red grapes at a level unsuitable for producing red wine of sufficient quality. These wines could be found under the cheapest brands of large wineries, and two common examples from this period are "Golan Rosa Cabernet", of the Golan Heights wineries and "Granash Rosa" from the "Valley Wines" series, of Carmel Mizrahi. Since then, many vineyards have been planted, boutique wineries have opened in abundance, large wineries have undergone a quality revolution, and the Israeli wine lover has moved from the semi-dry emerald Riesling field, to dry red wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; Wines rich in aroma and boca and full of body. However, the only title spared from those acclaimed captains and marlots is "refreshing." These days, of 35 degrees in the shade (if there is shade), where I have a hard time thinking of a burger with goose breast for lunch, but can definitely think of sushi, I would not want my wine heavy and full, but rather happy and refreshing. In recent years, a number of rosé wines have begun to appear again on store shelves and in restaurant menus. The heart fills with happiness as I meet these special and interesting wines, but the fact that this mini-revolution is actually led by the smaller wineries is doubly gratifying; Tavor Winery, Chateau Golan, Galilee Mountains, Clos de Gat, and forgive those who have not been mentioned. Just as they led the previous revolution, it can be guessed that this time too the smallest and highest quality wineries, which bring out rosé wines in their quality series (!) Will lead the next revolution. As a regular visitor to some of these wineries, I can say that these wines are usually one of the most invested in the winery, and it is particularly interesting that in exhibitions, conferences and wine competitions of all kinds, rosé wines arouse the most interest among winemakers, restaurateurs and chefs. And here you have thirty seconds on rosé wines: First - these are wines made from red grapes. Second - one of the main rules in wine preparation is a very short soaking time with the skins; If the soaking time of red wines usually ranges from a week to a month, in rosé wines, the contact time of the liquid with the skins usually ranges around an hour to a few hours. Moreover, the grapes are harvested at a slightly lower level of ripeness than the other red wines, in order to add to the sourness and freshness, similar to white wine. The rest of the production process is very similar to white wine. These elements create a wine rich in fruity aromas, from the arsenal of white (melon, lychee) and red (strawberry, cherry) wines, combined with a refreshing acidity. These are wines that are suitable for a wide variety of dishes; Starting with a fruit basket at a picnic, a bride with spicy cheeses and even light meat dishes. It is difficult to think of a wine that is more suitable for the Israeli summer. I guess if many of us had put the pose aside for a moment, a significant percentage of the wine sold in our country would have been rosé. In conclusion, the next time you crave a rich and interesting wine, yet light, elegant and refreshing, look for the wonderful Israeli rosé wines on the menu. You will not be disappointed. Maor Winery has been producing Givat Orcha Rosa since 2013