Tulip Just Merlot (OK Kosher) 2014
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Just Merlot is just Merlot (of course!) aged for six months in French oak (half new, half used). Sourced from Tzuba and Mata vines, all Judean Hills, it comes in at 14.2% alcohol. For a wine that is making its living on its youthful and expressive fruit, it is pretty solid and rather stuffed this year, relatively speaking. Clean, fresh and very tasty, this doesn't have any complexity, but it has beautiful fruit and intensity of flavor. It also has some supporting structure. It's not just a fruit bomb, although the sweet finish is what you'll notice. On the first taste, I didn't think much of this. Then, I let the fruit sink it. It is subtly rich. Drink it on the younger side--the exuberant, young Beaujolais-esque fruit is why you buy this--but I won't be surprised if it holds well for several years. It has better structure and more concentration than most such wines. It might be about the best I've seen yet in this brand and it is a nice value in the lineup.
The family's vision focuses on high standard wine, produced out of love, professional knowledge and a true connection to the industry, in a family oriented atmosphere, which gives the wines a unique, personal aroma.
Today, Tulip Winery is considered to be a rising star in the Israeli wine industry, due to the high standard wine production, with no compromises, starting from the selection of top quality vineyards; using the most advanced technology, and always providing full value for money.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
With a rich history of wine production dating back to biblical times, Israel is a part of the cradle of wine civilization. Here, wine was commonly used for religious ceremonies as well as for general consumption. During Roman times, it was a popular export, but during Islamic rule around 1300, production was virtually extinguished. The modern era of Israeli winemaking began in the late 19th century with help from Bordeaux’s Rothschild family. Accordingly, most grapes grown in Israel today are made from native French varieties. Indigenous varieties are all but extinct, though oenologists have made recent attempts to rediscover ancient varieties such as Marawi for commercial wine production.
In Israel’s Mediterranean climate, humidity and drought can be problematic, concentrating much of the country’s grape growing in the north near Galilee, Samaria near the coast and at higher elevations in the east. The most successful red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, while the best whites are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Many, though by no means all, Israeli wines are certified Kosher.