Wine of the Week: Odem Mountain Reserve Nebbiolo – Not Mevushal – Item 33460
About the winery: Established in 2003 at the highest altitude vineyard in Israel, Odem Mountain Winery is a family-owned and operated boutique winery located in the Golan Heights. Michael Alfasi is the patriarch of the family and oversees the business with his son Adam, the winemaker, and Yaara, who handles exports and marketing. Since its inception, the winery has been committed to producing high-quality, artisanal wines that embody the unique characteristics of the volcanic soil and cool climate of the region. The winery’s dedication to quality results in wines that are not only expressive of the unique terroir of the Golan Heights but are also balanced and elegant.
About the wine: I realize that I recently reviewed a wine from this winery, but I couldn’t resist sharing my experience of (re)tasting this wine a few weeks ago. Jay Buchsbaum and I host a show on kosher.com called Swirl. Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to watch it . I included the Odem Mountain Nebbiolo in the episode we filmed ahead of Rosh Hashanah. Now, I typically pick wines I’m fairly familiar with. However, sometimes I select a new vintage I haven’t tasted yet or a wine I haven’t tasted in a while. So, as we were casually chatting on camera, we tasted this Nebbiolo. As soon as I smelled the wine, my eyes lit up, and I spontaneously exclaimed, “Wow!” I invited Jay to smell and taste it, and he seemed equally surprised. The wine did not disappoint on the palate either.
Deep ruby red, this wine showcases a potpourri of dried violets, lavender, and rosemary, alongside wet earth, dried mushrooms, ripe red cherries, raspberries, and a hint of vanilla pipe tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, with a palate that mirrors the nose, it also offers notes of savory maitake mushrooms, black truffle, high acidity, and firm, searing tannins that coat the gums, with a touch of soy sauce on the long and elegant finish. It’s almost like a Barbaresco from Israel—a wonderfully complex, age-worthy, and delicious wine that I cannot recommend enough. Amazing job. 14.5% ABV.
Pairings: herb-crusted lamb chops, seared duck breast in red wine demi-glace, mushroom and parmesan risotto, pecorino romano.
For more information on this wine/winery, please reach out to your sales representative.
