Shiloh Legend 2009

Shiloh Legend 2009 is, very simply put, a fantastic creation. The wine is a blend of mostly Shiraz and Petite Syrah, with some Petite Verdot and Merlot thrown in to compliment. Understand that the Shiraz and Petite Syrah that grow in Israel are usually more of a heavier style then, say Australian Shiraz or the French Petite Syrah. These grapes produce dynamic wines which are difficult to work with as they can be overpowering by themselves. Blending them together is difficult in that you are not just watching one grape and harvesting it, fermenting and aginng until its ready. Rather here, you are dealing with three powerful grapes that have individual needs as well as harvest dates. This should be noted when drinking this wine to understand its masterful result. After allowing the wine to breath (really important) for about an hour, the nose is radiant and intense with forest berry aromas. The heavy purple color indicate the high level of extract the wine received from the skins. The flavor is powerful with a very pleasant feel that has a surprising amount of matured tannins yielding that velvety texture so many wine drinkers crave. The fruit flavor remains robust as the oak shines through in the mid palate and is ever -so- careful not to disrupt the fruit's portion in the balance. The Slight amount of Petite Verdot comes through giving the wine a hint of that French style flavor on the finish. A truly masterful achievement from Shiloh Winery and winemaker Amichai Lurie. Definitely a keeper. Shiloh Winery made this wine Mevushal for the export market. Adam Neustadter