After two years, Jacques Capsouto Vignobles Cotes de Galilee Village is back, and just in time, as the 2016 vintage was getting over the hill.

I have written extensively on the incredible story of Jacques Capsouto, both here and here. I have been waiting for the new vintage to hit the store and as usual, it is difficult to find, but they are in many stores in the great NY/NJ area. I got mine directly from the distributor – Solstars.

As much as we have seen Israel continue to move away from the Cabernet and Merlot, few have such a plethora of grapes from the Rhone Valley, like Jacques Capsouto. The sheer plethora of varietals and their impact on the wine shows where Israel can find their future. Whenever I get the chance to smell and enjoy a wine with Clairette or Cinsault, it always brings a smile to my face. The wines did show nicely but I would not hold them for too long, they are nice now with a bit of decanting or bottle open time and enjoy!

My many thanks to Selvi Uludere and everyone else from SolStars, along with Pamela Wittmann, as well. The wine note follows below – the explanation of my “scores” can be found here:

2018 Jacques Capsouto Cuvee Albert, Grand Vin Blanc – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER)
The Grand Vin Blanc has returned with the lovely 2018 vintage. The 2016 vintage was lovely and so is 2018. The blend is 44% Roussanne, 28% Marsanne, and 28% Clairette. The nose on this wine starts a bit closed, still, the aromas are dry, mineral, straw, with green apple, pear, lovely straw funk, white flowers, green notes, and white tea. The mouth on this medium-bodied wine is quite nice, old-world in style, with lovely funk, good balance, nice minerality, with Asian pear, with hints of French oak, followed by green apple, tart notes, and smoke. The finish is long, funky, balanced, with flint, richness, nice weight, and mouthfeel. Drink now. (tasted April 2021)

2019 Jacques Capsouto Cuvee Samuel, Rouge – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER)
This wine is a blend of 55% Cinsault, 25% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache, 5% Counoise, and 5% Syrah. The nose on this wine starts Syrah-like, but with time it comes around to show better as a whole than as its parts. Very much like a Rhone-style Pinot Noir. The nose starts ripe but calms down to show lovely notes of rosehip, rhubarb, watermelon, dried rose petals, with soy sauce, berries, and minerals. The mouth on this medium-plus bodied wine is well controlled with lovely acidity, nice dirt, floral notes, sweet oak, rhubarb, dark cherry, plum, currants, and nice sweet spices, all wrapped in elegant tannin, mineral, and saline. The finish is long, ripe, but well balanced, with sweet cloves, cinnamon, sweet candied cherry, Asian spice, and sweet red fruit wrapping a dark chocolate bar, with great acidity that helps to balance the fruit. Bravo! Please drink this now, yes, it can make it until 2023, but why? It is good now, will not improve, drink now. (tasted April 2021)

2018 Jacques Capsouto Cuvee Marco, Grand Vin Rouge – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah. The nose on this wine starts ripe, it is riper than its younger 2019 brother, the Cuvee Samuel. The blend is different as well, and there is much more oak on the Marco. The nose on this wine is ripe, it feels like a Cali Rhone wine more than how the 19 Samuel felt, with black and blue fruit, sweet oak, soy sauce, ripe plum, floral notes, dark and brooding, with roasted animal, and loam. The mouth on this full-bodied wine is ripe, balanced, with good acidity, blackcurrant, blackberry, boysenberry, nice draping tannin, sweet oak, loam, and black tea. The finish on this wine is ripe, with dense black fruit, loam, mushroom, graphite, milk chocolate, and nice smoke. Please drink this now, yes, it can make it until 2023, but why? It is good now, will not improve, drink now. (tasted April 2021)