We made an unplanned stop at the Tzora Winery on a cold winters day and we are so happy we did.  We arrived in the late afternoon and there was quite a party going on.  A bunch of kids from America had arrived and they were making the most of the winery’s insanely kind hospitality.  When we arrived the party was in full swing and we did not want to bother them or the winery staff.  As we were getting ready to leave (please folks – always make reservations in advance – do not expect to be as lucky as we were), the staff was super kind and was able to squeeze us into the wine tasting that was in progress.  The sad aspect is that though Tzora has increased the volume of wine – the best wines will continue to stay in Israel and not be imported abroad.

The thing that makes Tzora such a special winery are their vineyards.  Ronnie James tends to the vines, and it is a labor of love.  Unfortunately, as we write this article we are told that Ronnie has passed away.  Ronnie and Tzora wines were built on the ideal that terroir makes the wine.  The land that the vineyards sit on are the names given to the wines (Shoresh, Neve Ilan, Givat Hachalukim).

Ronnie was growing grapes since the 50s for himself and many other wineries.  We will all miss him and his wine and vines will continue to pay tribute to him and his legacy.

We would like to thank the staff at the winery for allowing us to join in and enjoy the tastings.  Following are the tasting notes which we sampled at the winery.

Tzora Judean Hills 2004 – Score: B+
The nose on this ruby red colored wine (60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot) is laden with raspberry, cherry, and oak notes.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine fat with tannins and cherries.  The finish is medium long and quite enjoyable.

Tzora Givat Hachalukim 2006 – Score: B+
The nose on this garnet colored wine (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is laden with red berries and cherry.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine is smooth and balanced with oak and soft tannins giving way to cherry and spice.  The finish is not so long, but the wine lingers long on your palate after the wine is gone.

Tzora Shoresh 2004 – Score: A
The nose on this garnet colored wine (100% Merlot) is laden with red berries, mineral aromas, and cherry.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine is balanced with integrated tannins giving way to red berries and oak.  The finish is medium long with cherry and spice.

Tzora Or 2006 – Score: A+
This wine has quite a story around it as Robert Parker gave it one of the highest scores in a recent Israeli wine expose that he conducting along with Mark Squires.  We were able to taste the end of the bottle and it was still quite impressive – none the less.  Gewurztraminer grapes are harvested and then deep frozen for two months.  Then they are extracted for 24 hours and only the first drips of the grape juice become Or.  The nose of this golden wine is filled with honey and tropical fruit.  The mouth of this full bodied and almost syrupy wine is fruity with citrus, pineapple and a touch of mint.