Tabor Cabernet Sauvignon, Galilee, Israel

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The 2007 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, aged for four months in oak, is a bit thin, but it does provide some nice drinking and value in its price range. Easygoing and elegant, with classic flavors, good focus and a little more structure than seems apparent at first, this is not a bad choice if you want to trade down from the Adama series. Granting its limitations, it provides some bang for the buck and can be quite enjoyable if encountered on the younger side, although it should hold a little more gracefully than its sibling, the entry level Merlot reviewed this issue. Drink now-2013. Most wine enthusiasts are a little wary when they hear about big companies acquiring wineries. Tabor, which started in the late ‘90s and slowly outgrew its boutique status, is a winery that has had Coca Cola as a majority owner for awhile now. It seems to me to be showing improvement and its wines are quite charming. As a group, these wines (at the Adama level and up) are carefully constructed and allow their fruit to shine through without much affectation. They do not always have a lot of depth or concentration. They can seem a bit compact, and as a group, they leave me with some doubts about how well they will age. Yet, while they tend to be on the lighter side and relatively subtle, which makes them easy to dismiss with a quick taste, you’ll admire these for their balance, their purity of fruit and their good price levels. Take them for what they are and you will likely be quite happy. The winery also does something that warms the hearts of geeks—it bottles its mid-level “Adama” series wines with different soil types noted on the label. If nothing else, that makes for some interesting conversations. Some seemed rather different, some didn’t. Time in the glass tended to bring them closer together. Apart from the Adama (fermented in oak and then aged 12 months in oak, 80% French, 20% American) , there is the basic Tabor line (higher yields, younger vines, fermented in stainless steel, maloactic with staves and 4 months in oak for the reds), and the top level Mes’ha bottling (not produced every vintage; usually spending a longer time in 2d or 3rd pass oak, up to 24 months; variable blends based on a selection of the best grapes and plots, late released). With about 200,000 bottles produced in total (amongst all the Adama selections), the Adama line represents about 20% of Tabor’s production.Importer: Kingdom Importers, Philadelphia, PA; tel: (215) 260-4899.

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is similar to the 2004, although not quite as open at this point in time. It has more tannins than you think at first, along with some pleasant, if simple fruit. It is elegantly crafted, but ultimately a bit on the simple, foursquare side. It is not a bad deal in its price range, however, and actually seems to be a bit of a step up in terms of concentration on the 2005 Adama reviewed here. Drink now-2013.These are Kosher.Importer: Allied Importers, Long Island City, N.Y.; tel: (718) 472-1155.

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is lushly textured and bright on opening. It finishes a bit austere at first, with some drying tannins emerging to provide an unexpected kick. The mid-palate is elegant, and the fruit is rather sweet, simple and youthful, although tasty, with hints of bell pepper in the background. The wine is a bit simple in some respects, and the fruit flavor a bit candied, but the wine’s structure gives it a bit more gravitas. Drink now-2012. These are Kosher.Importer: Allied Importers, Long Island City, N.Y.; tel: (718) 472-1155.