The Psâgot Rosé 2016 is a blend of Red wine grapes, Psâgot does not indicate which grapes are used, but they grow Bordeaux and Rhone varietals in their estate vineyards located 3,000 feet up in the northern Jerusalem Mountains. Israel has produced wine for thousands of years, but Psâgot is a very modern (and beautiful) winery founded in 2003. The Psâgot Rosé is kosher for Passover, but not Mevushal. If you are not familiar with the term Mevushal then you probably don’t need to know what it is, if you are aware of Mevushal then it is very important. It involves who can handle the wine and when and also includes boiling wine. Israel for many years mostly produced wine for local consumption, mainly religious observances, but in the last 20 years, there has been a concerted effort to modernize and produce wine for the world market. Yes, these are kosher wines but they have a purpose beyond Jewish tradition. The alcohol content is 12.9%.
The color is a pale strawberry with an amber tint. The nose is light citrus, chalk, melon, raspberry, with a floral edge. This is a dry rosé, with an interesting layer of minerality to go with the fruit flavors. it starts with cherry (non-sweet), orange peel, pink grapefruit, lemon, and tart strawberry. The mid-palate brings chalky minerality, a little peach, and spice. The acidity is solid, the Psâgot is a food wine and will also do well as a sipping wine. The finish is full and lasts and lasts.
The Psâgot Rosé 2016 is a tasty and unique Rose’. I have been to 2 rosé tastings (with about 70 different wines) in the last week and I can say that none of them tasted exactly like the Psâgot .I thought I might be a little rosé’d out, but the Psâgot got my palate revved up.It would make a lovely wine for Passover and what better to accompany the Easter dinner than a wine from the Holy Land. But the Psâgot is not just a special occasion wine, Israeli wines are well worth searching out and exploring.
