A dense and inky red, with flavors of Christmas pudding, hazelnut and roasted plum that are decadently spiced. Plenty of cocoa powder notes on the rich finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2019. 700 cases made, 180 cases imported.??–KM??Region: Israel / Galilee Select to Add

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon “Alexander the Great” is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest Petit Verdot (6%) and Merlot (4%), all harvested, the winery says, before dawn. The Cabernet was sourced from the vineyards of Kerem Ben-Zimra, as planted in 1983. It was aged for 36 months in oak, an 80/20 French/American mixture. This adds a layer or two of depth to the regular reserve reviewed this issue. It feels far lusher and more concentrated than that wine, which sometimes seemed a touch sharp. There are some nuances of herbs and a touch of game, which add some welcome complexity and balance out the oak and this wine seems to mingle earth, oak and acidity in a rather positive way – not that it is shy on the oak, with which the winery seems to be a bit too much in love. Overall, though, this is a very positive performance that is easy to admire, a pleasure to drink and worth a bit of cellaring. Frankly, the longer this was open, the more I liked it. It is a wine that should drink well and merit some contemplation, but it certainly isn’t obvious. It does show some hints of maturity now. Whether it is worth the big price spike...that’s up to you. Drink now-2017. Note that the 2007s are current – they were just submitted by the winery. Some of them received extended oak aging, which may partly account for their late submission.Importer: Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118

The 2005 CABERNET SAUVIGNON is too green, tinged with olives, asparagus and bell peppers. It has a hit of tannin on the end and seems full bodied on first attack—but there is not as much depth there as seems apparent at first. The finish is modest. Drink now-2014. Alexander is an under-the-radar pick for those looking beyond the most familiar Israeli names. “The Great” series is a premium, late released wine. The latest release of that brand is the 2005 Cabernet; the 2006 will not be released until next year. The Grand Reserve is one step above it—late released and produced only in exceptional years. Although Israeli wines as a group provide relatively few bargains, there are some decent price to quality ratios here for the low and mid-level wines. Many will be about as happy with the regular Reserves as with the upper level wines. More or less unknown in the USA due to its lack of an importer until recently, this winery has some potential. Not all of these may be available quite yet. Prices given are estimates of what they will be in the marketplace—they may yet change.Importer: Bayfield Importing, Long Island City, N.Y.; tel: (718) 482-0200.