May 22, 2025 • 33 mins
Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir
In this captivating second part of our conversation with Assaf Paz at Vitkin Winery, we move from vineyard stories to the glass itself. Though you can't taste through your headphones, Assaf's vivid descriptions bring each wine to life with such clarity that your imagination fills in the sensory gaps. His approach to winemaking—"taking down my ego, understanding that what I get from the fruit is amazing"—reveals itself through every sip we share.
The journey begins with a stunning Pinot Noir that defies expectations about what can grow in Israel's climate. From cool pockets in the Ella Valley comes a wine Assaf describes as "a lady that doesn't need makeup," requiring minimal intervention to express its delicate character. We move to Grenache Noir, "the Pinot of the Mediterranean," perfectly adapted to Israel's conditions with natural balance and lower alcohol levels that showcase fruit purity over power.
Whether you're new to Israeli wines or a seasoned enthusiast, this episode offers rare insight into how a master craftsman thinks about revealing a place through its grapes. Settle in, open your senses, and discover why Vitkin's portfolio represents both the present excellence and future potential of Israeli winemaking.
For More Information
Assaf Paz Winemaker
Vitkin Winery
Address: Turtle Bridge
Alexander stream , Kfar Vitkin
waze: ״Vitkin Winery״
Tel: +972-9-8663505
Fax: +972-98664179
WhatsApp: +972-54-4866355
Email: info@vitkin-winery.co.il
www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
Link to Join “The Kosher Terroir” WhatsApp Chat
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S. Simon Jacob (00:09):
Welcome to The Kosher Terroir.
I'm Simon Jacob, your host forthis episode from Jerusalem.
Before we get started, I askthat, wherever you are, please
take a moment and pray for thesafety of our soldiers and the
safe return of all of ourhostages.
If you joined us for Part 1 ofour conversation with Assaf Paz
(00:32):
at Vidkin Winery, you alreadyknow the story behind the wines,
the bold varietals, theresilient terroir and the
winemaker who's been redefiningIsraeli wine for over two
decades.
But now, in part two, we shiftinstead from the vineyard to the
glass.
Of course, I can't pour you atasting flight through your
(00:56):
headphones, but I promise youthis you'll hear wine the way
Assaf sees it.
This episode is a masterclass innarrative tasting, where every
bottle becomes a character,every sip unlocks a story.
Asaf's voice brings flavor tolife, from sun-drenched Grenache
(01:19):
to brooding Carignan, withdescriptions so vivid.
You'll feel like you're rightthere beside him, swirling,
sniffing and savoring.
If you're driving in your car,please focus on the road ahead.
If you're home, please settlein, open your senses and join us
for a unique journey throughVitkin's portfolio, as told by
(01:43):
the man who crafted it.
This is part two of ourconversation with Assaf Paz and,
trust me, it's far toodelicious to skip.
Assaf Paz (01:52):
Thank you very much for inviting me to come to
Vitken, so I just call youYossie, to bring us some samples
.
Good, we'll do it.
S. Simon Jacob (02:00):
So we're going to taste some stuff.
Yeah, of course, this potato isamazing.
Assaf Paz (02:05):
It's a potato salad.
I called it the Russian salad.
S. Simon Jacob (02:07):
I know it is, but it's really amazing.
It's definitely a Russian whomade it.
Assaf Paz (02:11):
Yeah, this is nice.
This is tuna salad andvegetables for the conscience.
This is chirchi.
This is Chirchi.
You know, it's a triple-tie dipfrom squash and pink sweet
potatoes and spices.
S. Simon Jacob (02:32):
Yep.
So what are we tasting?
Let's start.
Are you going to keep?
Assaf Paz (02:37):
it secret?
S. Simon Jacob (02:42):
No, no, this is first, second what?
Assaf Paz (02:50):
beautiful color.
These are yeah.
So the first trio is verysimple.
We're going from lighter toheavier.
So the first one, pinot Noir.
As you can see the color Wow,light in the color, like sour
cherries, very intense in thenose, very aromatic.
S. Simon Jacob (03:13):
Wow, it's super intense.
It's just I could smell thisall day.
Assaf Paz (03:18):
Pinot Noir is not a variety to plant in Israel.
If somebody asks me what toplant, it won't be in my first
20.
Really yeah.
If somebody asks me what toplant, it won't be in my first
20.
Really yeah.
But there are a few terroirsvery, very small, you know acres
, very little acres in Israelthat you can plant Pinot Noir,
(03:41):
and it could give successful anddelicious wine.
Ours is in Elah Valley nearGivat Isha Yahu.
It's a place that has a lot ofcool, you know air coming from
the river, from the stream bedno, the other way.
From the top of the mountain,the cool air goes down, so it
goes down, the stream goes downthe river and, you know, giving
(04:06):
this night and day a bigdifference.
That keeps nice acidity and nicearomas, typical aromas of Pinot
Noir.
That's really hard to achievein a hot climate like Israel.
So I learned how to make PinotNoir in a few places, first and
foremost in Northern California.
I say Northern Californiabecause it's not a N make Pinot
Noir in a few places, first andforemost in Northern California.
I say Northern Californiabecause it's not a Napa Pinot
(04:29):
Noir nor a Sonoma, it's aMendocino, anderson Valley, very
cool climate region, verydelicate Pinot Noir.
So I always say it's like alady that doesn't need a lot of
makeup.
It's like a lady that doesn'tneed a lot of makeup.
You don't need to overmature itover, put it too long in the
(04:52):
skins, too much new barrel ortoo long in the barrel and so on
.
So don't over it.
You need to let the fruit shine.
And here the fruit is delicatebut it could be very intense and
beautiful and if you don'tovercome it with other exterior
(05:13):
factors, you get a lovely PinotNoir.
So I try to basically thesecret of my wine, my winemaking
methods here series, takingdown my ego, understanding that
what they get from the fruit isamazing.
Don't touch it.
Learn how to preserve it andlet it shine, but don't cover it
(05:35):
too much.
What do you think?
S. Simon Jacob (05:41):
this is so varietally correct as a Pinot.
Assaf Paz (05:45):
It's just amazing you know I tasted a lot of Pinot.
The second place that helped mecraft my Pinot approach is
Germany.
So in Germany in the lastdecade, they're making amazing
Pinot Noir.
Last decade they're makingamazing Pinot Noir.
Maybe it got a little bitwarmer so it's easier for them
(06:09):
to get the maturity, but theyhave, especially our twin winery
in the Fals, making someoutstanding Pinot Noirs.
And everybody's looking toBourgogne, burgundy.
We don't have the terroir ofBurgundy, to Bourgogne, burgundy
, yeah, we don't have theterroir of Burgundy.
And in Burgundy sometimes theyhave the classics of Burgundy
(06:30):
that you cannot argue with.
But sometimes they're captiveof the high scores, like
Bordeaux 20 years ago.
And I like to, when I want tosee the transparent Pinot and to
learn about the variety itself,want to see the transparent
Pinot and to learn about thevariety itself and not the
specific terroir I want to go tobecause, absolutely, burgundy
(06:53):
have the best terroir for thePinot Noir in the world, but I
think that from the whole planetit didn't fail only in Burgundy
.
You know there are other placestoo, but it will take time to
find them, with a lot of hardwork, like they did in many
centuries in Burgundy.
What year is this?
(07:13):
2024.
This is 2024?
.
S. Simon Jacob (07:16):
It's so drinkable.
This is unbelievable.
Yeah, it's so drinkable, soit's a little bit more than half
a year.
Assaf Paz (07:25):
No, no, it's not bottled yet.
It will be bottled before theharvest.
That means that it will bearound 10 months to max 11
months in the barrel beforebottling, and that's how I want
it.
Now you go to the second wine.
I won't tell you the variety,but it's very intriguing.
(07:45):
It looks like a cousin of thePinot Noir.
It does Because, first of all,in the color it's very light and
bright and a beautiful red,bright color.
In the nose you can feel somuch aromatics, from
strawberries to fresh prunes,not the jammy ones, the round
(08:11):
the Japanese one Floral even.
You know sour cherries, veryreddish nose, but the floral is
outstanding here and even alittle bit gamey Like sausage or
(08:32):
something you know.
S. Simon Jacob (08:35):
You're right.
Assaf Paz (08:40):
But, unlike the Pinot Noir, the mouthfeel here is
slightly different.
It's more especially the after.
You know the aftertaste, yeah,the finish.
Yeah, it's more juicy, morevoluptuous more you know the
aftertaste, yeah, the finish.
Yeah, it's more juicy, morevoluptuous, more you know wow.
So this is.
S. Simon Jacob (08:58):
Grenache Noir I was gonna.
Assaf Paz (09:00):
I'm trying to figure out what, what varietal this is
so Grenache Noir, you can, you,it's so flexible if you take the
Grenache of Priorat or old vine.
Flexible if you take theGrenache of Priorat or old wine,
spanish Grenache, even from theRioja or from some places in
South of France, you can findblack wines, very intensive,
(09:23):
high in alcohol, very jammy,spicy.
But if you go to other placesyou can find this Grenache which
is lighter but not less intensein the flavors and aromas but
gives you a completely differentcharacter.
I call Grenache Noire the Pinotof the Mediterranean.
(09:43):
It's well adapted to theclimate, it's perfect.
The maturity of this grape isperfect.
You get it in the most amazingpH level.
The acidity level are socorrect that you don't need to
adjust, you don't need tocorrect anything.
You had the most deliciousaromas even in lower alcohol
(10:09):
potential.
So the wines are basicallybetween 13 and 13.5 alcohol.
The finished wines, and againhere, I keep it in the barrel
less than one year because itdoesn't need too much and I keep
the quality.
Elichai shapo ala potato saladala kartoshke.
S. Simon Jacob (10:32):
Wow, wow, wow, it's really good.
Assaf Paz (10:39):
Where are you from?
S. Simon Jacob (10:40):
originally.
Originally.
My grandma is from Turkey, fromTurkey, okay.
And mayonnaise came after theycame to Israel.
Assaf Paz (10:52):
He did it.
This is a nice adaptation.
S. Simon Jacob (10:57):
It's amazing, it's really good.
Assaf Paz (10:59):
And he eats in the best restaurant.
S. Simon Jacob (11:02):
I eat all over, but Baruch Hashem, baruch Hashem
.
So this is the Grenache Noir.
You know I really want to tasteyour Pinot from last year
Because I don't remember it.
You will.
I don't remember it smelling ortasting anything like this.
(11:24):
This is.
Assaf Paz (11:27):
When it's in the barrel it's much more expressive
, and when, with bottle, it'sclosing and then little by
little it's in the barrel, it'smuch more expressive, and when,
with bottle, it's closing andthen little by little, it's
opening.
So if you taste, you know, fromkosher in the kosher prism you
can taste the 2015 and 2016 andsee what they give today.
S. Simon Jacob (11:49):
that's fascinating this is crazy.
The Grenache is good, but thisis crazy exceptional.
Assaf Paz (11:59):
This is much more spicy.
It's one of the building blocksof the Red Israeli Journey.
It's basically Carignan andsome Grenache.
It needs to get more Carignan,some Grenache.
It needs to get more Carignan,more intense Carignan.
And oh, wait a minute, maybethis will help.
(12:26):
Look at the color.
The color is purple.
This is much.
This is like more woody portion, because this is not the final
blend.
It's different parts of theblend that we're testing.
So now it's more, lessdrinkable.
You know, you feel the tannins.
You want to know the variety ornot yet, not yet Very aromatic
(12:47):
notes.
S. Simon Jacob (12:49):
It has some warm spices, you know, like ginger
anise minty, it's funny becauseI know you don't have a
zinfandel, but this is almostlike a zinfandel like the candy
like yeah, yeah I always thinkof it as crushed berries.
Assaf Paz (13:14):
We call them in Hebrew, perotiar.
S. Simon Jacob (13:18):
Yes, this is Argaman.
Assaf Paz (13:24):
Oh, wow, Argaman, but from the north of Israel, from
2024.
This is beautifully madeargamanad.
Yeah, it's like it's three orfour varieties.
Yesterday I spoke with a youngSomm.
He's like a kind of my protege,because I know him from the day
he started work as a waiter andhe was very interested in wine
(13:48):
and he worked for me as well andhe's now he's like starting to
be a superstar in therestaurants of tel aviv and we
stopped, we talked about, wesaid something about Argaman,
not not connected to my wines,but in general.
I said he told me this is avariety that need to be extinct.
I said why?
I said no, because it givesnothing, only blends.
(14:10):
I said, okay, you're very young.
Never, ever, say what you saidright now.
I love you, I appreciate you.
This is a big, big no-no, nevertalk like that.
Even when people ask me what doI think about orange wine,
which I I don't, personallydon't like, but I I don't like
(14:33):
you know they are horrible Ialways say something like I
haven't tried yet.
I haven't tried yet the orangewine that I liked.
Because this is the truth, thisis how I put it.
S. Simon Jacob (14:47):
You know what you have to do In order to enjoy
orange wine.
You have to drink it with likeChinese food, wow, crazy Chinese
food.
Okay, super spicy, superflavorful.
You drink orange wine with thatyour mouth explodes Cold or
(15:11):
room temperature.
Or.
Assaf Paz (15:16):
I try Room temperature yeah, Room
temperature yeah.
S. Simon Jacob (15:18):
But it could be cold as well, okay, but it makes
such a difference.
It's incredible.
Okay, I will try it.
Okay, it'll make a hugedifference to your appreciation
of orange wine, okay.
Assaf Paz (15:30):
Wings, crazy wings, very, very succulent, very oily.
Okay, okay I will.
Talia loves Chinese.
We tried, so I told him.
You know, I will give you totaste the Argoman that I have in
barrels, from two differentreasons, from two different
genes, I told this youngsommelier but never said that.
(15:51):
Because, first of all, this isan Israeli variety, so we need
to try to do something with itand, secondly, you haven't tried
so much yet.
You need to be open.
S. Simon Jacob (16:04):
That Argoman is great.
Yeah, it's elegant.
You know something?
Yeah, it's elegant, you knowsomething.
Argoman has a tendency to belike hit you over the head a
little bit, because it has anamazing color.
Assaf Paz (16:21):
It has amazing acidity.
I'll tell you what this smellsmore like an Argoman.
This is another Argoman, butfrom a different region, lower
land.
The other one was from a higheraltitude.
S. Simon Jacob (16:36):
But this also is an argaman.
That's very, very elegant.
Assaf Paz (16:40):
Elegant and approachable, and it's like
taking a wild beast and tamingit.
S. Simon Jacob (16:46):
It is, it's definitely.
This is super pleasant, wow,super super pleasant.
So um, these are also.
These are all 2024s.
Assaf Paz (17:06):
Yeah, I think that you asked me about the local
indigenous varieties and I toldyou that, in my opinion, this is
something that you asked meabout the local indigenous
varieties and I told you that,in my opinion, this is something
that you can incorporate in thepodcast, right?
So I think that our localvarieties is an amazing R&B for
(17:26):
the future, but you need to giveit time.
You need to give it 10 years,15 years, maybe longer, I don't
know, maybe shorter, a while,but in the mid, in the meanwhile
, we have so much things to workon that are already in place,
that are giving yields like the,the carinian, and like the
(17:46):
argaman and like other varietiesand that you know, columb
Colombar.
It's an amazing variety that Ithink will show more and more
potential through theexperiments and the years.
We're making amazing wines fromthe Colombar.
In the last 25 years since thefirst year of Vitkin maybe, and
(18:09):
it basically went into a journey, the wine journey, and it's the
base of the wine journey, thesecret maybe of the wine journey
we tasted the 2023 Argaman andnow I'm going to give you
something else from 2023.
(18:30):
This is eclectic.
It's not taking from here andthere.
S. Simon Jacob (18:36):
So wait a second .
This is highly minty.
This is a 23?
.
Assaf Paz (18:38):
Yeah, okay, the first one was 2024.
It's crazy.
S. Simon Jacob (18:47):
It's crazy.
Whatever you did to producethat, it's amazing.
This is also beautiful.
Assaf Paz (18:54):
A lot of TLC.
Wow, this is so.
S. Simon Jacob (18:59):
chocolate, mint you know, dark chocolate and
mint and blueberries andcherries and some pomegranate,
so this is tanat and tanat is,so I have never tasted a Tanat
like this.
The tanats that I've tasted areso and so tannic, tannic and so
(19:22):
just harsh.
This is like you can enjoy it.
It's more than enjoying.
Assaf Paz (19:33):
It's unbelievable.
So Tanat, you know the regionof Tanat in France, Madiran, is
the place where they inventedthe technique of
micro-oxygenation.
Micro-oxygenation is to imitatea little bit what's happening
in the barrel, to soften thetannic structure of the wine and
also to stabilize the color,Because when you have slightly
(19:58):
oxidative, very gentle oxidativestate the colors are combining
with the tannins, they're makinga very stable form of the color
that don't drop through time,when you do it correctly and you
don't over-oxidize the wine.
If you don't over-oxidize thewine, you lose everything.
Does this mean you bubbleoxygen through?
S. Simon Jacob (20:18):
it.
Assaf Paz (20:18):
Yeah, but very.
Imagine that in the bottom ofthe tank you have the sparger
yeah, Okay, and the bubbles areso tiny that until the time
they're reaching the top of thetank you don't see them anymore.
They are dissolving completelyinto the liquid and you do it in
very small doses.
(20:39):
You're giving, for example, oneminute of oxidation and then
you wait for one day or a coupleof hours, and everybody it
depends on the volume of thetank and you do it just to give
some oxygen to the compounds andthen don't give too much so the
wine won't be oxidized.
S. Simon Jacob (20:59):
Aren't people trying to do that sort of thing
with amphoras today To get thatmicro-oxidization?
Assaf Paz (21:06):
Yeah, this is one of the rationalals of using an
amphora.
An amphora, but it depends onthe material.
S. Simon Jacob (21:16):
I've never tasted a tzinaat like this, ever
.
This is also.
This is a 23 or 24?
23.
23, so this is.
Assaf Paz (21:23):
This is it's bottled right, it's very memorable.
Look at the color.
It's very memorable.
Look at the color, it's justbeautiful.
This is almost 50 year oldPetits Syrah vines.
Really, this is vintage 2023.
(21:45):
Look how intense it is.
It's already 18, maybe 20months in the barrel.
So juicy, amazing structure,yet very soft, almost elegant,
(22:16):
and you have this smittycharacter that you find
sometimes in Syrah.
It's going to age beautifully.
Let's taste some Carignan.
Let's taste three Carignanwines.
Okay, this is call it Carignan51, because it's the age of the
vines.
Wow, very distinct character.
S. Simon Jacob (22:52):
Nice, nice, nice .
This is like the definition ofjuicy.
Yeah, I wanted to say juicy.
Assaf Paz (23:05):
That's the definition , the definition of juicy.
Wow, could be the name of thewine.
S. Simon Jacob (23:19):
Yeah.
Assaf Paz (23:20):
So you can keep it in the glass.
The recent term?
So this is the same, the samecarignan, but from another plot,
completely different, totallydifferent.
(23:49):
Very intense in the color, veryintense in the like, plummy,
you know more black character.
S. Simon Jacob (24:00):
This tasting, the definition of this tasting
is really journey.
Wow, yeah, it really is, it'sgoing.
Assaf Paz (24:07):
I absolutely agree with you.
So don't lose those and thethird glass I will give you.
We're jumping into 2024.
So it's a different vintage,but this is the Carignan for
2024?
S. Simon Jacob (24:27):
Yeah, taste it, taste it a little no it's okay,
but it's a.
Assaf Paz (24:34):
This one is I call it har like mountain.
It's not a mountain, it's avery small mountain, but it's so
, you know, gravelly and stony.
Yeah, very, very mineral.
What a great description Verymineral, very stony.
(24:54):
I don't know if I have thepicture.
S. Simon Jacob (24:59):
I can smell the pebbles.
It's like crazy.
I don't know how I can do that.
Assaf Paz (25:05):
No, it's crazy.
You know this one.
I will look for the picture.
It's not old vine, it's not tooyoung vine, but I think 15
years old.
But the terroir is so amazing.
I'm so looking forward to toget you know more, more fruit
(25:31):
out of it.
S. Simon Jacob (25:37):
Wow, that's really not fair that that pinot
tastes like that when it's inthe barrel it's all ready to
drink, right, it's so perfect.
I also think the best rosésI've ever tasted are the ones
coming out of the steel that arecold or just crazy.
The best rosés I've ever tastedare the ones coming out of the
steel yeah, that are cold.
Yeah, yeah, they are just crazy, especially when they've got
(26:00):
bubbles, especially when they'renot clarified yet.
Assaf Paz (26:05):
Yeah, they are raw, you know.
Check this out.
Wow, look at the terroir, lookat the bunches black and you see
the berries, small berries, onthe shade.
(26:26):
It's perfect.
Look and, as you said, you feelthe minerality.
S. Simon Jacob (26:32):
Yeah, I'll send you this picture Wow.
Assaf Paz (26:38):
So this is the Pinot 2023.
S. Simon Jacob (26:42):
Okay.
Assaf Paz (26:44):
You'll see that it's the 2024 was a little more open
because it was in the barrel andit's always like that, but this
shows you a very niceconsistency in the profile of
the wine.
I'm I'm sure that in a blinddate you will recognize it wait
a second.
S. Simon Jacob (27:02):
Yeah, can you give me the 24 again, do you
have?
Assaf Paz (27:04):
any left.
Yes, maybe it's a little bitwarmer now.
S. Simon Jacob (27:11):
Yeah, no.
The perception is a little bit24, pinot is just so.
Assaf Paz (27:20):
You will.
You probably want to take abarrel with you home.
S. Simon Jacob (27:24):
Yeah, I know.
Assaf Paz (27:27):
It's crazy.
S. Simon Jacob (27:28):
It's just absolutely a crazy Pinot.
It's what people have alwaystold me Pinot can be and, to be
honest, I've never really tastedit.
Assaf Paz (27:39):
Yeah, because Pinot have a lot of myth.
S. Simon Jacob (27:41):
Yeah.
Assaf Paz (27:41):
Lots of history, and sometimes you take some and you
taste.
So are you ready?
I'm ready.
Wow, we haven't tasted anywhite, by the way I know, may
after.
Wow, we haven't tasted anywhite, by the way, I know, after
you know what, we'll taste onewhite.
This is.
(28:01):
I made a barrel for a friendwho's selling wine.
It's like the Netflix of thewine.
Cool, no, spotify of the wine.
Who is it?
Yair Haidoo?
Oh, yeah, yair sure.
So cheers, this is cheers.
(28:21):
It's called that Jazz.
Yeah.
S. Simon Jacob (28:26):
He's a wine writer, a connoisseur, yeah, but
he Elal used to use him towrite the whole write-up about
him.
Assaf Paz (28:39):
This is a variety that I never made before.
What is this?
It's a Chardonnay.
It's a Chardonnay.
I never made a Chardonnay.
And he challenged me.
He told me you never made aChardonnay.
I never made a Chardonnay.
And he challenged me.
He told me you never made aChardonnay.
I know it's not your thing, butI always wanted to see how
(29:00):
Chardonnay is going to come upin your hands, so I made it.
It's 2020.
It's five years old, wow.
So he told me you made me aChardonnay exactly like I wanted
, like in the Grand Terroir ofthe Burgundy, you know,
montrachet or Morceau, with alot of freshness and elegance,
(29:23):
but a lot of body and weight aswell.
I took the Terroir it's comingfrom a very close vineyard in
Meron-Golan 1,000 meters ofaltitude and amazing Chardonnay
and I don't make a Chardonnay,but the grapes are so amazing
and the guy wanted me to make awine of Chardonnay, so I you
(29:44):
know.
S. Simon Jacob (29:44):
I surrendered.
Noam Osler said.
Noam Osler said Merom, golan,yeah, yeah yeah, yes, you, yeah,
she's amazing.
Have you made?
Assaf Paz (29:51):
a podcast with her.
S. Simon Jacob (29:52):
Yes, I did.
I hadn't listened, she savedthe Israel wine industry.
Assaf Paz (29:59):
Yeah, with the viruses, I know.
Can you send me the podcast?
Sure, I'll send you the linkfor that I like to listen to
your podcast while I'm driving?
S. Simon Jacob (30:08):
Yeah, no that's why I don't put video into them,
Because people dogs.
They do everything and you saidif you're driving, pay
attention to the road.
Assaf Paz (30:17):
It's nice.
It's nice, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
You sell this.
No, I didn't.
And then I told him you knowwhat?
He had some hard time andchills and I saw that the sales
are going down.
I told him you know what?
I'll be more than happy to keepsome for myself, because every
(30:41):
time somebody came to ask me forthis wine, I tell you you buy
it from Yair.
And then I told him I grabbedlike 200 bottles and I kept it.
We have only half of it leftand we sell it mainly on Fridays
when people are coming and wantsomething special.
You open one bottle for tastingand then it flies out the
(31:01):
windows.
So this is a Chardonnay thatit's like I made.
S. Simon Jacob (31:04):
Chardonnay for myself.
I know this is a Chardonnaythat is unlike any other
Chardonnay that I've ever tasted.
It's not buttery, it's not allthe rest of it, it's like a
delicious white, exactly.
Assaf Paz (31:18):
It's an amazing variety, but people are
overdoing it, like they do withso many others.
So this is.
I wanted to taste somethingthat we unusual that we
currently have for a very shorttime.
It's an amazing bottle.
Yeah, see, I know, and and thetext is a is unbelievable.
(31:39):
He wrote it.
He wrote the text said afteryears, that soft pass from
vitkin played in Mediterraneaninstruments yes it was obvious
that, when time comes, he willconvince to make his very high
standards, his very highperformance, with the highest
(32:03):
standard, one of the higheststandards in the world, which is
the Chardonnay, no other thanthe Chardonnay.
And this that's how thiscreation was made.
He wrote it as a music piece,right?
So it's like a collector's item.
I will keep you for myself.
(32:23):
I kept the three first ballsfrom the line because they are
numbered Right.
So one, two, three I kept tomyself.
It was the second harvest.
The first one in 2018 and 2020was the second, and I kept it
for myself.
Wow.
(32:44):
So you're ready, I'm ready.
S. Simon Jacob (33:00):
This is Simon Jacob, again your host of
today's episode of The KosherTerroir.
I have a personal request.
No matter where you are orwhere you live, please take a
moment to pray for our soldiers'safety and the safe and rapid
return of our hostages.
Your safety and the safe andrapid return of our hostages.
Please subscribe via yourpodcast provider to be informed
of our new episodes as they arereleased.
If you're new to The KosherTerroir, please check out our
(33:24):
many past episodes.
Welcome to The Kosher Terroir.
I'm Simon Jacob, your host forthis episode from Jerusalem.
Before we get started, I askthat, wherever you are, please
take a moment and pray for thesafety of our soldiers and the
safe return of all of ourhostages.
If you joined us for Part 1 ofour conversation with Assaf Paz
(00:32):
at Vidkin Winery, you alreadyknow the story behind the wines,
the bold varietals, theresilient terroir and the
winemaker who's been redefiningIsraeli wine for over two
decades.
But now, in part two, we shiftinstead from the vineyard to the
glass.
Of course, I can't pour you atasting flight through your
(00:56):
headphones, but I promise youthis you'll hear wine the way
Assaf sees it.
This episode is a masterclass innarrative tasting, where every
bottle becomes a character,every sip unlocks a story.
Asaf's voice brings flavor tolife, from sun-drenched Grenache
(01:19):
to brooding Carignan, withdescriptions so vivid.
You'll feel like you're rightthere beside him, swirling,
sniffing and savoring.
If you're driving in your car,please focus on the road ahead.
If you're home, please settlein, open your senses and join us
for a unique journey throughVitkin's portfolio, as told by
(01:43):
the man who crafted it.
This is part two of ourconversation with Assaf Paz and,
trust me, it's far toodelicious to skip.
Assaf Paz (01:52):
Thank you very much for inviting me to come to
Vitken, so I just call youYossie, to bring us some samples
.
Good, we'll do it.
S. Simon Jacob (02:00):
So we're going to taste some stuff.
Yeah, of course, this potato isamazing.
Assaf Paz (02:05):
It's a potato salad.
I called it the Russian salad.
S. Simon Jacob (02:07):
I know it is, but it's really amazing.
It's definitely a Russian whomade it.
Assaf Paz (02:11):
Yeah, this is nice.
This is tuna salad andvegetables for the conscience.
This is chirchi.
This is Chirchi.
You know, it's a triple-tie dipfrom squash and pink sweet
potatoes and spices.
S. Simon Jacob (02:32):
Yep.
So what are we tasting?
Let's start.
Are you going to keep?
Assaf Paz (02:37):
it secret?
S. Simon Jacob (02:42):
No, no, this is first, second what?
Assaf Paz (02:50):
beautiful color.
These are yeah.
So the first trio is verysimple.
We're going from lighter toheavier.
So the first one, pinot Noir.
As you can see the color Wow,light in the color, like sour
cherries, very intense in thenose, very aromatic.
S. Simon Jacob (03:13):
Wow, it's super intense.
It's just I could smell thisall day.
Assaf Paz (03:18):
Pinot Noir is not a variety to plant in Israel.
If somebody asks me what toplant, it won't be in my first
20.
Really yeah.
If somebody asks me what toplant, it won't be in my first
20.
Really yeah.
But there are a few terroirsvery, very small, you know acres
, very little acres in Israelthat you can plant Pinot Noir,
(03:41):
and it could give successful anddelicious wine.
Ours is in Elah Valley nearGivat Isha Yahu.
It's a place that has a lot ofcool, you know air coming from
the river, from the stream bedno, the other way.
From the top of the mountain,the cool air goes down, so it
goes down, the stream goes downthe river and, you know, giving
(04:06):
this night and day a bigdifference.
That keeps nice acidity and nicearomas, typical aromas of Pinot
Noir.
That's really hard to achievein a hot climate like Israel.
So I learned how to make PinotNoir in a few places, first and
foremost in Northern California.
I say Northern Californiabecause it's not a N make Pinot
Noir in a few places, first andforemost in Northern California.
I say Northern Californiabecause it's not a Napa Pinot
(04:29):
Noir nor a Sonoma, it's aMendocino, anderson Valley, very
cool climate region, verydelicate Pinot Noir.
So I always say it's like alady that doesn't need a lot of
makeup.
It's like a lady that doesn'tneed a lot of makeup.
You don't need to overmature itover, put it too long in the
(04:52):
skins, too much new barrel ortoo long in the barrel and so on
.
So don't over it.
You need to let the fruit shine.
And here the fruit is delicatebut it could be very intense and
beautiful and if you don'tovercome it with other exterior
(05:13):
factors, you get a lovely PinotNoir.
So I try to basically thesecret of my wine, my winemaking
methods here series, takingdown my ego, understanding that
what they get from the fruit isamazing.
Don't touch it.
Learn how to preserve it andlet it shine, but don't cover it
(05:35):
too much.
What do you think?
S. Simon Jacob (05:41):
this is so varietally correct as a Pinot.
Assaf Paz (05:45):
It's just amazing you know I tasted a lot of Pinot.
The second place that helped mecraft my Pinot approach is
Germany.
So in Germany in the lastdecade, they're making amazing
Pinot Noir.
Last decade they're makingamazing Pinot Noir.
Maybe it got a little bitwarmer so it's easier for them
(06:09):
to get the maturity, but theyhave, especially our twin winery
in the Fals, making someoutstanding Pinot Noirs.
And everybody's looking toBourgogne, burgundy.
We don't have the terroir ofBurgundy, to Bourgogne, burgundy
, yeah, we don't have theterroir of Burgundy.
And in Burgundy sometimes theyhave the classics of Burgundy
(06:30):
that you cannot argue with.
But sometimes they're captiveof the high scores, like
Bordeaux 20 years ago.
And I like to, when I want tosee the transparent Pinot and to
learn about the variety itself,want to see the transparent
Pinot and to learn about thevariety itself and not the
specific terroir I want to go tobecause, absolutely, burgundy
(06:53):
have the best terroir for thePinot Noir in the world, but I
think that from the whole planetit didn't fail only in Burgundy
.
You know there are other placestoo, but it will take time to
find them, with a lot of hardwork, like they did in many
centuries in Burgundy.
What year is this?
(07:13):
2024.
This is 2024?
.
S. Simon Jacob (07:16):
It's so drinkable.
This is unbelievable.
Yeah, it's so drinkable, soit's a little bit more than half
a year.
Assaf Paz (07:25):
No, no, it's not bottled yet.
It will be bottled before theharvest.
That means that it will bearound 10 months to max 11
months in the barrel beforebottling, and that's how I want
it.
Now you go to the second wine.
I won't tell you the variety,but it's very intriguing.
(07:45):
It looks like a cousin of thePinot Noir.
It does Because, first of all,in the color it's very light and
bright and a beautiful red,bright color.
In the nose you can feel somuch aromatics, from
strawberries to fresh prunes,not the jammy ones, the round
(08:11):
the Japanese one Floral even.
You know sour cherries, veryreddish nose, but the floral is
outstanding here and even alittle bit gamey Like sausage or
(08:32):
something you know.
S. Simon Jacob (08:35):
You're right.
Assaf Paz (08:40):
But, unlike the Pinot Noir, the mouthfeel here is
slightly different.
It's more especially the after.
You know the aftertaste, yeah,the finish.
Yeah, it's more juicy, morevoluptuous more you know the
aftertaste, yeah, the finish.
Yeah, it's more juicy, morevoluptuous, more you know wow.
So this is.
S. Simon Jacob (08:58):
Grenache Noir I was gonna.
Assaf Paz (09:00):
I'm trying to figure out what, what varietal this is
so Grenache Noir, you can, you,it's so flexible if you take the
Grenache of Priorat or old vine.
Flexible if you take theGrenache of Priorat or old wine,
spanish Grenache, even from theRioja or from some places in
South of France, you can findblack wines, very intensive,
(09:23):
high in alcohol, very jammy,spicy.
But if you go to other placesyou can find this Grenache which
is lighter but not less intensein the flavors and aromas but
gives you a completely differentcharacter.
I call Grenache Noire the Pinotof the Mediterranean.
(09:43):
It's well adapted to theclimate, it's perfect.
The maturity of this grape isperfect.
You get it in the most amazingpH level.
The acidity level are socorrect that you don't need to
adjust, you don't need tocorrect anything.
You had the most deliciousaromas even in lower alcohol
(10:09):
potential.
So the wines are basicallybetween 13 and 13.5 alcohol.
The finished wines, and againhere, I keep it in the barrel
less than one year because itdoesn't need too much and I keep
the quality.
Elichai shapo ala potato saladala kartoshke.
S. Simon Jacob (10:32):
Wow, wow, wow, it's really good.
Assaf Paz (10:39):
Where are you from?
S. Simon Jacob (10:40):
originally.
Originally.
My grandma is from Turkey, fromTurkey, okay.
And mayonnaise came after theycame to Israel.
Assaf Paz (10:52):
He did it.
This is a nice adaptation.
S. Simon Jacob (10:57):
It's amazing, it's really good.
Assaf Paz (10:59):
And he eats in the best restaurant.
S. Simon Jacob (11:02):
I eat all over, but Baruch Hashem, baruch Hashem
.
So this is the Grenache Noir.
You know I really want to tasteyour Pinot from last year
Because I don't remember it.
You will.
I don't remember it smelling ortasting anything like this.
(11:24):
This is.
Assaf Paz (11:27):
When it's in the barrel it's much more expressive
, and when, with bottle, it'sclosing and then little by
little it's in the barrel, it'smuch more expressive, and when,
with bottle, it's closing andthen little by little, it's
opening.
So if you taste, you know, fromkosher in the kosher prism you
can taste the 2015 and 2016 andsee what they give today.
S. Simon Jacob (11:49):
that's fascinating this is crazy.
The Grenache is good, but thisis crazy exceptional.
Assaf Paz (11:59):
This is much more spicy.
It's one of the building blocksof the Red Israeli Journey.
It's basically Carignan andsome Grenache.
It needs to get more Carignan,some Grenache.
It needs to get more Carignan,more intense Carignan.
And oh, wait a minute, maybethis will help.
(12:26):
Look at the color.
The color is purple.
This is much.
This is like more woody portion, because this is not the final
blend.
It's different parts of theblend that we're testing.
So now it's more, lessdrinkable.
You know, you feel the tannins.
You want to know the variety ornot yet, not yet Very aromatic
(12:47):
notes.
S. Simon Jacob (12:49):
It has some warm spices, you know, like ginger
anise minty, it's funny becauseI know you don't have a
zinfandel, but this is almostlike a zinfandel like the candy
like yeah, yeah I always thinkof it as crushed berries.
Assaf Paz (13:14):
We call them in Hebrew, perotiar.
S. Simon Jacob (13:18):
Yes, this is Argaman.
Assaf Paz (13:24):
Oh, wow, Argaman, but from the north of Israel, from
2024.
This is beautifully madeargamanad.
Yeah, it's like it's three orfour varieties.
Yesterday I spoke with a youngSomm.
He's like a kind of my protege,because I know him from the day
he started work as a waiter andhe was very interested in wine
(13:48):
and he worked for me as well andhe's now he's like starting to
be a superstar in therestaurants of tel aviv and we
stopped, we talked about, wesaid something about Argaman,
not not connected to my wines,but in general.
I said he told me this is avariety that need to be extinct.
I said why?
I said no, because it givesnothing, only blends.
(14:10):
I said, okay, you're very young.
Never, ever, say what you saidright now.
I love you, I appreciate you.
This is a big, big no-no, nevertalk like that.
Even when people ask me what doI think about orange wine,
which I I don't, personallydon't like, but I I don't like
(14:33):
you know they are horrible Ialways say something like I
haven't tried yet.
I haven't tried yet the orangewine that I liked.
Because this is the truth, thisis how I put it.
S. Simon Jacob (14:47):
You know what you have to do In order to enjoy
orange wine.
You have to drink it with likeChinese food, wow, crazy Chinese
food.
Okay, super spicy, superflavorful.
You drink orange wine with thatyour mouth explodes Cold or
(15:11):
room temperature.
Or.
Assaf Paz (15:16):
I try Room temperature yeah, Room
temperature yeah.
S. Simon Jacob (15:18):
But it could be cold as well, okay, but it makes
such a difference.
It's incredible.
Okay, I will try it.
Okay, it'll make a hugedifference to your appreciation
of orange wine, okay.
Assaf Paz (15:30):
Wings, crazy wings, very, very succulent, very oily.
Okay, okay I will.
Talia loves Chinese.
We tried, so I told him.
You know, I will give you totaste the Argoman that I have in
barrels, from two differentreasons, from two different
genes, I told this youngsommelier but never said that.
(15:51):
Because, first of all, this isan Israeli variety, so we need
to try to do something with itand, secondly, you haven't tried
so much yet.
You need to be open.
S. Simon Jacob (16:04):
That Argoman is great.
Yeah, it's elegant.
You know something?
Yeah, it's elegant, you knowsomething.
Argoman has a tendency to belike hit you over the head a
little bit, because it has anamazing color.
Assaf Paz (16:21):
It has amazing acidity.
I'll tell you what this smellsmore like an Argoman.
This is another Argoman, butfrom a different region, lower
land.
The other one was from a higheraltitude.
S. Simon Jacob (16:36):
But this also is an argaman.
That's very, very elegant.
Assaf Paz (16:40):
Elegant and approachable, and it's like
taking a wild beast and tamingit.
S. Simon Jacob (16:46):
It is, it's definitely.
This is super pleasant, wow,super super pleasant.
So um, these are also.
These are all 2024s.
Assaf Paz (17:06):
Yeah, I think that you asked me about the local
indigenous varieties and I toldyou that, in my opinion, this is
something that you asked meabout the local indigenous
varieties and I told you that,in my opinion, this is something
that you can incorporate in thepodcast, right?
So I think that our localvarieties is an amazing R&B for
(17:26):
the future, but you need to giveit time.
You need to give it 10 years,15 years, maybe longer, I don't
know, maybe shorter, a while,but in the mid, in the meanwhile
, we have so much things to workon that are already in place,
that are giving yields like the,the carinian, and like the
(17:46):
argaman and like other varietiesand that you know, columb
Colombar.
It's an amazing variety that Ithink will show more and more
potential through theexperiments and the years.
We're making amazing wines fromthe Colombar.
In the last 25 years since thefirst year of Vitkin maybe, and
(18:09):
it basically went into a journey, the wine journey, and it's the
base of the wine journey, thesecret maybe of the wine journey
we tasted the 2023 Argaman andnow I'm going to give you
something else from 2023.
(18:30):
This is eclectic.
It's not taking from here andthere.
S. Simon Jacob (18:36):
So wait a second .
This is highly minty.
This is a 23?
.
Assaf Paz (18:38):
Yeah, okay, the first one was 2024.
It's crazy.
S. Simon Jacob (18:47):
It's crazy.
Whatever you did to producethat, it's amazing.
This is also beautiful.
Assaf Paz (18:54):
A lot of TLC.
Wow, this is so.
S. Simon Jacob (18:59):
chocolate, mint you know, dark chocolate and
mint and blueberries andcherries and some pomegranate,
so this is tanat and tanat is,so I have never tasted a Tanat
like this.
The tanats that I've tasted areso and so tannic, tannic and so
(19:22):
just harsh.
This is like you can enjoy it.
It's more than enjoying.
Assaf Paz (19:33):
It's unbelievable.
So Tanat, you know the regionof Tanat in France, Madiran, is
the place where they inventedthe technique of
micro-oxygenation.
Micro-oxygenation is to imitatea little bit what's happening
in the barrel, to soften thetannic structure of the wine and
also to stabilize the color,Because when you have slightly
(19:58):
oxidative, very gentle oxidativestate the colors are combining
with the tannins, they're makinga very stable form of the color
that don't drop through time,when you do it correctly and you
don't over-oxidize the wine.
If you don't over-oxidize thewine, you lose everything.
Does this mean you bubbleoxygen through?
S. Simon Jacob (20:18):
it.
Assaf Paz (20:18):
Yeah, but very.
Imagine that in the bottom ofthe tank you have the sparger
yeah, Okay, and the bubbles areso tiny that until the time
they're reaching the top of thetank you don't see them anymore.
They are dissolving completelyinto the liquid and you do it in
very small doses.
(20:39):
You're giving, for example, oneminute of oxidation and then
you wait for one day or a coupleof hours, and everybody it
depends on the volume of thetank and you do it just to give
some oxygen to the compounds andthen don't give too much so the
wine won't be oxidized.
S. Simon Jacob (20:59):
Aren't people trying to do that sort of thing
with amphoras today To get thatmicro-oxidization?
Assaf Paz (21:06):
Yeah, this is one of the rationalals of using an
amphora.
An amphora, but it depends onthe material.
S. Simon Jacob (21:16):
I've never tasted a tzinaat like this, ever
.
This is also.
This is a 23 or 24?
23.
23, so this is.
Assaf Paz (21:23):
This is it's bottled right, it's very memorable.
Look at the color.
It's very memorable.
Look at the color, it's justbeautiful.
This is almost 50 year oldPetits Syrah vines.
Really, this is vintage 2023.
(21:45):
Look how intense it is.
It's already 18, maybe 20months in the barrel.
So juicy, amazing structure,yet very soft, almost elegant,
(22:16):
and you have this smittycharacter that you find
sometimes in Syrah.
It's going to age beautifully.
Let's taste some Carignan.
Let's taste three Carignanwines.
Okay, this is call it Carignan51, because it's the age of the
vines.
Wow, very distinct character.
S. Simon Jacob (22:52):
Nice, nice, nice .
This is like the definition ofjuicy.
Yeah, I wanted to say juicy.
Assaf Paz (23:05):
That's the definition , the definition of juicy.
Wow, could be the name of thewine.
S. Simon Jacob (23:19):
Yeah.
Assaf Paz (23:20):
So you can keep it in the glass.
The recent term?
So this is the same, the samecarignan, but from another plot,
completely different, totallydifferent.
(23:49):
Very intense in the color, veryintense in the like, plummy,
you know more black character.
S. Simon Jacob (24:00):
This tasting, the definition of this tasting
is really journey.
Wow, yeah, it really is, it'sgoing.
Assaf Paz (24:07):
I absolutely agree with you.
So don't lose those and thethird glass I will give you.
We're jumping into 2024.
So it's a different vintage,but this is the Carignan for
2024?
S. Simon Jacob (24:27):
Yeah, taste it, taste it a little no it's okay,
but it's a.
Assaf Paz (24:34):
This one is I call it har like mountain.
It's not a mountain, it's avery small mountain, but it's so
, you know, gravelly and stony.
Yeah, very, very mineral.
What a great description Verymineral, very stony.
(24:54):
I don't know if I have thepicture.
S. Simon Jacob (24:59):
I can smell the pebbles.
It's like crazy.
I don't know how I can do that.
Assaf Paz (25:05):
No, it's crazy.
You know this one.
I will look for the picture.
It's not old vine, it's not tooyoung vine, but I think 15
years old.
But the terroir is so amazing.
I'm so looking forward to toget you know more, more fruit
(25:31):
out of it.
S. Simon Jacob (25:37):
Wow, that's really not fair that that pinot
tastes like that when it's inthe barrel it's all ready to
drink, right, it's so perfect.
I also think the best rosésI've ever tasted are the ones
coming out of the steel that arecold or just crazy.
The best rosés I've ever tastedare the ones coming out of the
steel yeah, that are cold.
Yeah, yeah, they are just crazy, especially when they've got
(26:00):
bubbles, especially when they'renot clarified yet.
Assaf Paz (26:05):
Yeah, they are raw, you know.
Check this out.
Wow, look at the terroir, lookat the bunches black and you see
the berries, small berries, onthe shade.
(26:26):
It's perfect.
Look and, as you said, you feelthe minerality.
S. Simon Jacob (26:32):
Yeah, I'll send you this picture Wow.
Assaf Paz (26:38):
So this is the Pinot 2023.
S. Simon Jacob (26:42):
Okay.
Assaf Paz (26:44):
You'll see that it's the 2024 was a little more open
because it was in the barrel andit's always like that, but this
shows you a very niceconsistency in the profile of
the wine.
I'm I'm sure that in a blinddate you will recognize it wait
a second.
S. Simon Jacob (27:02):
Yeah, can you give me the 24 again, do you
have?
Assaf Paz (27:04):
any left.
Yes, maybe it's a little bitwarmer now.
S. Simon Jacob (27:11):
Yeah, no.
The perception is a little bit24, pinot is just so.
Assaf Paz (27:20):
You will.
You probably want to take abarrel with you home.
S. Simon Jacob (27:24):
Yeah, I know.
Assaf Paz (27:27):
It's crazy.
S. Simon Jacob (27:28):
It's just absolutely a crazy Pinot.
It's what people have alwaystold me Pinot can be and, to be
honest, I've never really tastedit.
Assaf Paz (27:39):
Yeah, because Pinot have a lot of myth.
S. Simon Jacob (27:41):
Yeah.
Assaf Paz (27:41):
Lots of history, and sometimes you take some and you
taste.
So are you ready?
I'm ready.
Wow, we haven't tasted anywhite, by the way I know, may
after.
Wow, we haven't tasted anywhite, by the way, I know, after
you know what, we'll taste onewhite.
This is.
(28:01):
I made a barrel for a friendwho's selling wine.
It's like the Netflix of thewine.
Cool, no, spotify of the wine.
Who is it?
Yair Haidoo?
Oh, yeah, yair sure.
So cheers, this is cheers.
(28:21):
It's called that Jazz.
Yeah.
S. Simon Jacob (28:26):
He's a wine writer, a connoisseur, yeah, but
he Elal used to use him towrite the whole write-up about
him.
Assaf Paz (28:39):
This is a variety that I never made before.
What is this?
It's a Chardonnay.
It's a Chardonnay.
I never made a Chardonnay.
And he challenged me.
He told me you never made aChardonnay.
I never made a Chardonnay.
And he challenged me.
He told me you never made aChardonnay.
I know it's not your thing, butI always wanted to see how
(29:00):
Chardonnay is going to come upin your hands, so I made it.
It's 2020.
It's five years old, wow.
So he told me you made me aChardonnay exactly like I wanted
, like in the Grand Terroir ofthe Burgundy, you know,
montrachet or Morceau, with alot of freshness and elegance,
(29:23):
but a lot of body and weight aswell.
I took the Terroir it's comingfrom a very close vineyard in
Meron-Golan 1,000 meters ofaltitude and amazing Chardonnay
and I don't make a Chardonnay,but the grapes are so amazing
and the guy wanted me to make awine of Chardonnay, so I you
(29:44):
know.
S. Simon Jacob (29:44):
I surrendered.
Noam Osler said.
Noam Osler said Merom, golan,yeah, yeah yeah, yes, you, yeah,
she's amazing.
Have you made?
Assaf Paz (29:51):
a podcast with her.
S. Simon Jacob (29:52):
Yes, I did.
I hadn't listened, she savedthe Israel wine industry.
Assaf Paz (29:59):
Yeah, with the viruses, I know.
Can you send me the podcast?
Sure, I'll send you the linkfor that I like to listen to
your podcast while I'm driving?
S. Simon Jacob (30:08):
Yeah, no that's why I don't put video into them,
Because people dogs.
They do everything and you saidif you're driving, pay
attention to the road.
Assaf Paz (30:17):
It's nice.
It's nice, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
You sell this.
No, I didn't.
And then I told him you knowwhat?
He had some hard time andchills and I saw that the sales
are going down.
I told him you know what?
I'll be more than happy to keepsome for myself, because every
(30:41):
time somebody came to ask me forthis wine, I tell you you buy
it from Yair.
And then I told him I grabbedlike 200 bottles and I kept it.
We have only half of it leftand we sell it mainly on Fridays
when people are coming and wantsomething special.
You open one bottle for tastingand then it flies out the
(31:01):
windows.
So this is a Chardonnay thatit's like I made.
S. Simon Jacob (31:04):
Chardonnay for myself.
I know this is a Chardonnaythat is unlike any other
Chardonnay that I've ever tasted.
It's not buttery, it's not allthe rest of it, it's like a
delicious white, exactly.
Assaf Paz (31:18):
It's an amazing variety, but people are
overdoing it, like they do withso many others.
So this is.
I wanted to taste somethingthat we unusual that we
currently have for a very shorttime.
It's an amazing bottle.
Yeah, see, I know, and and thetext is a is unbelievable.
(31:39):
He wrote it.
He wrote the text said afteryears, that soft pass from
vitkin played in Mediterraneaninstruments yes it was obvious
that, when time comes, he willconvince to make his very high
standards, his very highperformance, with the highest
(32:03):
standard, one of the higheststandards in the world, which is
the Chardonnay, no other thanthe Chardonnay.
And this that's how thiscreation was made.
He wrote it as a music piece,right?
So it's like a collector's item.
I will keep you for myself.
(32:23):
I kept the three first ballsfrom the line because they are
numbered Right.
So one, two, three I kept tomyself.
It was the second harvest.
The first one in 2018 and 2020was the second, and I kept it
for myself.
Wow.
(32:44):
So you're ready, I'm ready.
S. Simon Jacob (33:00):
This is Simon Jacob, again your host of
today's episode of The KosherTerroir.
I have a personal request.
No matter where you are orwhere you live, please take a
moment to pray for our soldiers'safety and the safe and rapid
return of our hostages.
Your safety and the safe andrapid return of our hostages.
Please subscribe via yourpodcast provider to be informed
of our new episodes as they arereleased.
If you're new to The KosherTerroir, please check out our
(33:24):
many past episodes.
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