Wine and Spirits / An Israeli meteor

Few local wineries have risen to fame as meteorically as Clos de Gat. From the moment the first wines were released from the 2001 vintage, the winery has caught the eye of wine lovers both locally and abroad, its wines consistently earning scores in the 90s and attaining rave reviews not only in Israel, the U.K. and North America but even in the holy of holies of France.

Winemaker-owner Eyal Rotem is currently producing about 50,000 bottles annually. He has three series, the top-level Sycra series as well as the Clos de Gat and Har'El series, all of which are worthy of our attention.

Many ask about the secret of success of this small winery. I cannot help but think that in addition to a talented winemaker with a deep knowledge of the soil and weather conditions of his vineyards, the use of dry-farming techniques (minimal watering to allow the roots of the vines to reach the natural water table) plays a major role. This technique, when used wisely, yields high-quality grapes. Following are reviews of recently released Clos de Gat wines. None are inexpensive, but all are excellent enough to be well worth the price.

Well worth the price

Clos de Gat, Syrah, Sycra, 2004: Oak-aged for 20 months. Full-bodied, with oak that at one moment seems spicy and at the next smoky but never dominating, and with firm tannins that are integrating nicely. A dense, almost muscular wine but one that sits gently and opens to show a tempting array of cherry, berry and currant fruits, on a just spicy enough background to highlight hints of freshly roasted coffee. Well-focused, intense and long. Drinking nicely now but best 2009-2012. NIS 230. Score 94.

Clos de Gat, 2005: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon flushed out with Merlot and Petit Verdot, and oak-aged for 20 months. Dark garnet with purple and green reflections, and full-bodied, the soft, mouth-coating tannins are integrating gently with spicy oak. Opens slowly, showing currant, blackberries, slate and cedary oak, which yield to raspberries and mocha and culminating in a long mouth-filling finish. Best 2009-2013. NIS 160. Score 93.

Clos de Gat, Syrah, Har'El, 2006: Dark garnet to royal purple, blended with 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and oak aged for 15 months (about one-third new oak). Full-bodied, with soft, gently mouth-coating tannins and fine balance and structure. Opens slowly in the glass at this stage but when it does, it does so with gusto, showing plum, red berry and cassis fruits on a generously spicy background. Long, round and elegant. Approachable and enjoyable now but best 2009-2013. NIS 110. Score 93.

Clos de Gat, Merlot, Har'El, 2005: Deep, dark garnet, full-bodied, with still gripping tannins integrating well and generous spicy wood coming together roundly and generously. Deeply aromatic, the wine opens to reveal aromas and flavors of red currants, raspberries and chocolate, which yield later to generous hints of chocolate and toasted rye bread. On the long, intense finish look for hints of minerals and licorice. Drink now-2012. NIS 110. Score 92.

Clos de Gat, Chardonnay, 2006: Developed sur lie for 12 months in French oak, wisely using only 25 percent new oak before the final blend was made, and thus showing a light, almost tantalizing hint of wood. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine balance between wood, acidity and fruits. Opens with citrus, citrus flowers and citrus rind, which yield to hints of melon and spiced apples, all of which linger long and comfortably on the finish. Simultaneously elegant and complex. Drink now-2011. NIS 159. Score 92.

Clos de Gat, Chanson, 2007: A well-crafted unoaked blend of Chardonnay, Semillon, Viognier and Chenin Blanc (about 75 percent, 15 percent, 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively). Pale but sparkling golden in color with orange reflections, medium-bodied, this wine begins with minerals and citrus fruits, which open in the glass to reveal passion fruit and ripe melon. Long and lively. Drink now-2009. NIS 90. Score 91.

Clos de Gat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Har'El, 2006: Dark, almost inky garnet in color, full-bodied, with tannins that are firm on first attack but yield nicely in the glass to reveal fine balance with a genteel hand with spicy oak, good balancing acidity and fruits. Blended, Bordeaux style, with 9 percent Merlot and 4 percent Petit Verdot. Opens on the nose and palate with raspberries, and continues with purple plums, blackberries and currants. All these are intertwined, with a pleasing overlay of Mediterranean herbaceousness. Well crafted. Approachable now but best 2009-2012. NIS 110. Score 91.

Two from the Poisner Winery

Located in Zichron Ya'akov and founded by Yo'av Poisner in 2002, this small winery has released its first wines to the market. Current annual production is 2,500 bottles. To find the wines, contact the winery at (052) 320-1212.

Poisner, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005: Oak-aged in French barriques for 14 months, this blend of 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Merlot shows fine balance between soft, gently mouth-coating tannins, a light hand with spicy wood and an array of traditional Cabernet black currant and blackberry fruits. In the background look for generous hints of lead pencil and green olives. Drink now-2010. NIS 60. Score 88.

Poisner, Merlot, 2005: It is a full-bodied, dark ruby to garnet wine, which opens with firm tannins and generous wood influence from its 12 months in French oak. These flavors integrate nicely with raspberry and plum fruits and are backed up by toasty hints on the finish. It is best to drink now or in the next year or so. NIS 60. Score 87.