ALL-IN ON BOOK REVIEWS: Do you have a (non-fictional or fictional) book related to wine, spirits, or beer that you'd like reviewed? Contact me!

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Wine Review: Ashkar Shafaya 2014


This is the last of three wines that I'm reviewing from western Galilee, Israel, in this quick review run for . We started off with the 2016 Julia Samara blend, then did the 2016 Julia Cabernet Sauvignon, and now we're finishing up with the 2014 Askar Shafaya.

From Ahkar's website: Ashkar Winery is a boutique winery located on a pastoral hill in Kfar-Yasif village, where the spectacular view of the ancient olive trees of the Western Galilee region. The winery was founded in 2010 as a continuation of a long tradition, started by the family homeland village "IQRIT" which surrounded with dozens of antique presses used for making wine from grapes growing in the region. Ashkar Winery's wines are produced strictly according to perceptions of “Old World" with a minimum intervention in the process from fermentation and improvement in wooden barrels till the bottling stage. The tradition of winemaking has been passed down within Ashkar family from generation to generation until 1948. This tradition was revived with the establishment of Ashkar winery in 2010.

All I can really find out about this wine is that it's 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Shiraz, and that the grapes were handpicked from selected vineyards planted in the Iqrit Valley. Because this is a brand new item to Terra Sancta, my contact still doesn't have all the winemaking information yet. But that's fine. All you need to know is that this wine will rock your world...

Stone Temple Pilots, Purple
So what am I listening to tonight while I write this review? Stone Temple Pilot's Purple. Can you believe it's been 25 years since this album came out? A quarter of a century! I can't remember the last time I actually listened to it but, holy smokes, I forgot just how good it is! I really miss this moment in the mid-90's. It really was a golden age of rock. You can listen to the whole album via the music selection playlist on my YouTube channel.

Now let's get to this friggin' kickass wine because OH MY GOOOOODNEEEEESSSS THE JUICINESS!

The color of the wine is a ruby red. It's so black peppery on the nose that it almost makes you want to sneeze! There's also aromas of cassis, plum, cigarette tobacco, and licorice. Oh lordy lordy this nose is STELLAR! I think I'm in love! On the palate it's full bodied with bright acidity, a fine dusty tannin, and a rich mouthfeel. The cassis and plum from the nose return on the palate super-juicy and explosive, and they're joined by blackberry, chocolate, and graphite. Then it finishes with big juicy plum, caramel, and graphite, and a little grip from the tannin. Oh man.

This wine is big, juicy, expressive, alive, and gorgeous! I simply can't rave enough about Shafaya!

Some distributor in Massachusetts needs to pick up Terra Sancta so I can sell this where I work because it's just phenomenal for $24. Tell them Joey sent ya.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $24
Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge by 
Terra Sancta for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home

1 comment:

  1. CVS Pharmacy, one of the largest pharmacies in the United States, is currently running a customer feedback survey to enhance its services. By participating in this survey at Cvshealthsurvey, you have a chance to win a cash prize of $1000.

    ReplyDelete

Labels

*SPONSORED* ABriefHistoryOf Abruzzo Agiorgitiko Aglianico Airen Albarino Aleatico Alentejo Alexander Valley Alicante Bouschet Alsace Apothic Argentina Armagnac Arroyo Grande Arroyo Seco audio article Australia Austria Baco Barbera Barrossa Valley Batman Beaujolais beer Best Of biodynamic blend blog Bogati Bonarda book Bordeaux bourbon box wine Brachetto brandy Bulgaria Burgundy Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Cahors Caino Blanco California Campania Canada Canaiolo. cans Cape Cod Captain America Carignan Cariñena Carmenere Catalonia Cava Central Coast certification Chablis Chalk Hill Champagne Chardonnay cheese Chenin Blanc Chianti Chile China cider Cinsault Clarksburg cocktails Cognac Colombard Columbia Valley comics Cotes-du-Rhone Counoise Croatia CSW Dane Cellars DC dessert wine Distill Wars Dona Blanco Douro Dry Creek Dunnigan Hills Edna Valley Falanghina February Felix Hart Fer Servadou Fiano fiction Finger Lakes Folle Blanche formulas France Franciacorta Frankovka Frappato Furmint Galicia Galilee Gamay Garganega Gascony Germany Gewurtztraminer gin Glera Godello Graciano greco di tufo Greece Grenache Grenache Blanc Grillo Gros Manseng Gruner Veltliner GSM guest blog Heroes history horror how to Hungary interview Israel Italy Japan Jerez Kansas kosher Lambrusco Languedoc-Roussillon Left Coast Leyda Valley Lisboa Livermore Lodi Loire Loureira love letter Macon Madeira Madiran Malbec Malvasia Marcillac marijuana Marlborough Marsanne Marselan Marvel Massachusetts Matchbook Mavrud Mazuelo McLaren Vale mead Melnik Mencia Mendocino Mendoza Meritage Merlot Mexico Michigan mixology Monbazillac Monstant Montecucco Montepulciano Monterey Montery Moscato Mosel Mourvédre Muscadelle Muscat mythology Napa Navarra Nebbiolo Nero d'Avola New York New Zealand news non-alcoholic nonfiction Norello Mascalese North Coast Oakville Oregon organic original meme pairings Palestine Pecorino Pedro Ximenez Perricone Petit Verdot Petite Sirah Petite Verdot photo gallery phylloxera Picpoul Piedmont Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris/Grigio Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir Pinotage Pliny podcast Port Portugal Press Release Primitivo product Prosecco Provence quickie quote rakia recipe retail problems Retsina review Rheingau Rhone Rias Baixas Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Rondinella rose Roussanne Rubin Rueda rum Russian River Sagrantino Sake Salta Sandanski Misket Sandeanski Misket Sangiovese Sangria santa clara Santa Lucia Higlands Sauvignon Blanc science scotch Sekt Semillon Seyval Blanc Sherry Sicily Somontano Sonoma South Africa South Australia Spain spark Sparkling Spider-Man spirits stemware storage study sulfites Superman sustainable SWE Syrah Tannat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Temecula Tempranillo Tequila Texas thc The Flash Tinta Amarela Tinta Caiada Torrontes Touriga Nacional Traminer Trebbiano Trincadeira Turkey Tuscany Ugni Blanc Umbria USA Valdiguié Valiant Valpolicella vegan Veneto Verdejo Verdicchio Vermentino Vermont Vermouth Vernacca Vidal Blanc video Vinho Verde Viognier Virginia Viura vodka Walla Walla Washington State whiskey White zinfandel Wildstorm Willamette wine Wine Bloggers Off-Topic wine club Wine Pick Wolverine Wonder Woman Zinfandel Zweigelt