Bordeaux Blend

This is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Syrah.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has big black cherry fruit with some raspberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this drinks easy.  Black cherry fruit with some depth.  Also some spice notes.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own and would work nicely at the Seder table.  Drink over the next three to five years. 

This is the third label in the Castel red wine offerings.  It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Syrah aged in stainless steel.  Purple in color, shimmering bright.  The nose is complex with a nice earthiness.  Notes of cassis, black cherries, plums and slight chocolate.  On the palate, this is ripe/slightly sweet.  Flavors of cassis, cherries and black cherries.  Nice finish.  This drinks easy and should work well with food.  Drink over the next five years.  Nice value.

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan and Marselan from northern Israel.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with attic dust, cassis, black cherries, char and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Lots of black cherry fruit with some spice and char.  Good finish.  This should drink well over the next three to five years.  It is nice on its own but would be better with food.  It will work well with braised meat dishes.  

This is a proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Verdot and Merlot from Israel.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is deep and complex with cassis, black raspberries, char, moist earthiness, and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this has ripe black cherry fruit along with plums, spice, slight chocolate and char.  Long finish.  This is tasty and drinks easily on its own and will work well with many foods.  It should be a natural with Brisket (the Jewish kind).  It is Kosher.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

This is a blend of 81% cabernet sauvignon, 4% petit verdot, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot and 2% malbec from Napa.  Perhaps the "weakest" of the 8 vintages tried at this tasting, it is still an outstanding wine.  Ruby/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, tobacco, spice and an interesting minerality.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, cherries, spice and a slight caramel note.  Long finish.  Nice on its own or with food.  This worked well with vegetarian Lasagna.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.