Today found me still during the relatively early hours of morning at the Tzora Vineyards winery, there to do do tastings from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 vintages.

Memories, it is said die hard, and every time I enter the grounds of the winery, I continue to expect winemaker Ronnie James to come out, a warm and genuine smile on his face, to greet me. Ronnie, as most know, passed away two years ago. Ronnie was more than a winemaker. Ronnie, simply stated, was amensch and not a few of the now best winemakers in the country worked with and learned from him. Even though there is a new and thoroughly talented winemaker now in place, Ronnie will always remain an integral part of the winery for me. Memories aside, it is apparent that winemaker Eran Pick, who has been with the winery since 2006, has not only kept the winery's dedication to [i]terroir[i] intact but is now showing his own distinct hand with the wines.

Set on Kibbutz Tzora at the foothills of the Jerusalem Mountains and overlooking the Soreq Valley, this formerly kibbutz-owned winery released its first 1,500 bottles from the 1993 vintage. Production is currently about 80,000 bottles annually. The winery is currently releasing five wines, three of those named after the single vineyards from which the grapes were harvested (Giv'at Hachalukim, Shoresh and Neve Ilan), one a Judean Hills blend made from two vineyards, and Misty Hills, a flagship wine released only from selected vintages.

Private investment has added state-of-the-art equipment to the winery and under the hand of vigneron Dor James the winery has full control over its own vineyards, those yielding Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer grapes. The Tzora Vineyards wines have been kosher since the 2002 vintage. Construction of a new winery in the Shoresh vineyards is currently in the planning stage.

It is true that I could not smoke in Eran's car as we made our way from Tel Aviv, but that was compensated for nicely by quite a few cups of espresso coffee before and following my tastings. My thanks to Eran Pick as well as to CEO Uri Ran who joined us for the tasting and for their courtesies during my visit.


The White Wines


Tzora Vineyards, Shoresh Blanc 2009 (Advance Tasting): An unoaked blend of 85% Gewurztraminer and 15 Chardonnay from a low yield vineyard. Light gold with a distinct tint of green, aromatic with floral and spicy notes on the nose but showing crisply dry. On first attack a clear lemon-lime note, that going to tangerines and spices, all lingering nicely on the palate. Simultaneously refreshing and complex. Score 90. K (Tasted 22 Feb 2010)

Tzora Vineyards, Neve Ilan, Blanc, 2009 (Barrel Tasting): 100% Chardonnay, 65% of which developing in French barriques, with no malolactic fermentation to allow the clean pleasingly sharp aromas and flavors to best make themselves felt. Aromatic, with light and tantalizing notes of spicy oak on both the nose and palate and opening in the glass to reveal green melon and summer fruits, those on a lightly spicy mineral-rich background. Concentrated and deep and crisply elegant. Drink from release-2014. Score 91. K (Tasted 22 Feb 2010)


The Red Wines


Tzora Vineyards, Judean Hills, 2008 (Advance Tasting): Cabernet Sauvignon with 8% of Syrah to flesh the wine out. Medium- to full-bodied, with soft, gently gripping tannins and gentle spicy wood influences. Royal purple towards garnet, opens with raspberry notes, those going to blackberries and ripe purple plums, an easy to drink red with just enough spicy complexity to grab our attention. Drink from release-2013. Score 89. K (Tasted 22 Feb 2010)

Tzora Vineyards, Giv'at Hachalukim, 2008 (Advance Tasting): Living very nicely up to its barrel-tasting promise. Dark garnet, oak-aged for 12 months, made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon, with a generous but comfortable level of spicy, vanilla rich oak and tannins that build comfortably as the wine sits on the palate. On opening attack a floral and light tobacco note those complementing the black currant, blackberry and purple plum fruits that are here. Long, round and generous. Best 2011-2015, perhaps longer. Score 91. K (Re-tasted 22 Feb 2010)

Tzora Vineyards, Shoresh, 2008 (Barrel Tasting): My second-barrel tasting of this wine and no reason to take back the good things I said about a year ago. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah, full-bodied, concentrated and with still gripping tannins and an overlay of spicy cedar wood but at the same time elegant and round. Peppery black fruits and notes of Oriental spices, those backed up by a comfortable hint of dark chocolate. On the long finish appealing notes of tar and mint As this one develops look as well for a note of mint that will creep in softly. Drink from release–2015, perhaps longer. Tentative Score 90–92. K (Re-tasted 22 Feb 2010)

Tzora Vineyards , Shoresh, 2007: Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 15% Syrah, dark royal purple in color, opens with a deep nose of plums and freshly turned earth. Goes on to show spicy oak and gently caressing tannins in fine balance with blackcurrants and blackberries and notes of bitter-sweet chocolate and tar. On the long finish, the tannins rise comfortably with an appealing note of saddle leather. Drink now-2015. Score 90. K (Re-tasted 22 Feb 2010)

Tzora Vineyards, Misty Hills, 2007: A blend this year of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah, full-bodied, with a nose rich with Oriental spices and black fruits. Deep, almost impenetrable garnet towards royal purple, full-bodied and concentrated, with generous tannins that grip gently. On first attack wild berries, those making way for blackberries, blackcurrants and finally raspberries, all on a background that hints of baker's chocolate. Long and generous. A firm and intense wine that avoids becoming a blockbuster by maintaining its elegance. Drink now-2015, perhaps somewhat longer. Score 92. K (Tasted 22 Feb 2010)