Not too long ago, following my annual visit to the Tabor Winery, I reviewed a host of wines including the two to which this mini-column is dedicated. No critic could possibly resist writing about the two sparkling wines just released by Tabor. Both wines were made by the charmat method, that is to say with the secondary fermentation that adds bubbles to the wine in sealed stainless steel tanks.

In my original posting I did not give these wines scores because they seemed so far "out of the box" that I really was not sure how to score them. Now that I've re-tasted them alongside other red and white sparkling, charmat-method wines, scores can be assigned. That the scores are fairly low should not in this case be taken to mean that the wines are not "fun". They can be. All a matter of just what one is looking for.

Tabor, 562 Blanc, n.v.: Named (or, at one's choice, numbered) for the altitude of the vineyard from which the grapes were selected, a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Cabernet a blanc de noirs (white wine made from red grapes). Nearly colorless, with a mousse that lingers on and on and on, looking something like soap bubbles but fortunately not at all tasting like that. Lots of bubbles here, with generous lemon and lime fruits, reminds me of a sophisticated version of the soft drink, Sprite. Drink now. Score 82. K

Tabor, 562 Rouge, n.v.: Somewhere in color between cherry and fire-engine red, a color that cannot help but make you smile, made by the charmat method entirely from Barbera grapes, with bubbles that go on and on and flavors of raspberries, cherries and Bazooka bubble gum, all coming together to remind me of that old New York Deli standby of Dr. Brown's black cherry soda. Categorized as extra-dry but so fruity that many will think it sweet. Serve very well chilled. Drink now. Score 84. K

The wines can be purchased only at the visitors' center of the winery in Kfar Tabor or at selected restaurants. At the winery the price is NIS 55 (about US$14.50) Restaurants, as we know, will take what they think the market can bear.

There was an old advertisement that suggested: "Try them, you'll like them". Paraphrasing on that, what better than: "Try them, perhaps you'll like them.

Best
Rogov