DOMAINE du CASTEL Here, I'm afraid I'll sink into romantism. The history of the Domaine starts with a Grand Vin, a blend of 70 % Cabernet-Sauvignon and 30 % Merlot, made in a very much Bordeaux style. From limited yield to long term aging (2 years) in new french barrels, the self-taught wine maker Eli Ben Zaken succeeded for already ten years in showing the potential of his "terroir", in the near-Jerusalem hills. What's in there exactly ? One can't but think about a good, a very good Bordeaux. Yet something intriguing in the aromas, more southern, Tuscany ? This is the Grand-Vin - classical, but unexpected, surprising and satisfying, enjoying 6 or 7 years of patience, before yielding the whole of it's beauty. The winery releases also a second wine, the "Petit Castel", Merlot based playing it also in a style of sophistication. While I used to find it overpriced a few years ago, I see in it nowadays a real serious "Second Vin". And where are we back ? The third product is the "C" Chardonnay. Is it the wine or myself that I consider it also as one of the bests in the country ? Full body, crisp... not cheap, but one lives only once.