The Kosher Wine Review


Vin de Tekoa

Berlinka 1996

Rating: 4

Did you ever hear someone say, "This wine has character"? Well, this is the kind of wine that has lots of character.

When I first pored this wine, I actually had to double-check that my glass was clean, because the surface of the wine had an oily sheen to it. I realized later that this was a characteristic of the wine, not a problem. The dregs of each and every glass had sediment, and the legs were quite pronounced.

The wine is made "naturally," according to the label, in an organic process and without any additives during production. The sediment is there because the wine is not filtered.

As for the taste: The wine is quite good, and I found the taste unusual and a rewarding experience. The wine was both fruity and spicy; the wine did require about 45 minutes of air to fully develop, not unexpected for a wine of this vintage. My fellow tasters and I simply summarize our experience as "this wine has character" and decided to try another bottle soon.

The wine is Estate Bottled in Alon Shvut, a town in the Gush Etzion block outside Jerusalem. The kosher certification is completely reliable, and accepted by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

Tasting notes for Berlinka 1996

Tasting Notes
color: Amber
dryness: Dry
legs: Clinging
alcohol: 13.0
rating: 4
Wine Information
wine: Berlinka
vintage: 1996
winery: Vin de Tekoa
country: Israel
price: $ 20
certification: Alon-Shvut
passover: Yes
mevushal: No