Last night, I had the pleasure of sharing a bottle of Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon with some guests at my home.  What was neat about the wine, is that:

1. It was my first taste of Israeli wine – definitely not my last
2. The bottle was recommended by Avi, a wine communications consultant from Ranaana who I ‘met’ on Twitter (@hakerem) – how great is social media?!
3. I was able to find, order online and receive the wine within 2 business days from the savvy folks at Wine Library in Springfield, NJ, who I also exchange Tweets with (@winelibrary).

I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.

After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.

We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s.  I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.

For more information and for a buying guide on Israeli wines and kosher wines, visit:  www.israeli-wine.org