Wine critic Daniel Rogov, known for his expertise on Israeli winemaking, calls this boutique wine from Dalton Winery a 'fine food wine' that lingers 'nicely on the palate.'
Writing in his Guide to Israeli Wines 2010, Rogov describes the Dalton Reserve Chardonnay - which is aged in French barriques for four months – as 'light gold in color, with a tantalizing note of toasty oak to highlight crisp citrus, apple, and quince fruits, and blossoming on the finish to show hints of cantaloupe melon.'
Rogov scores this kosher Chardonnay wine at 88 ('highly recommended') and notes that it should be drunk now.
Dalton Winery is a fully modern operation founded by the Haruni family in 1993, located in the Upper Galilee. The winery has vineyards in Kerem Ben Zimra and several high-altitude sites along Israel's northern border.
Winemaker Na’ama Mualem, who trained in Australia and California, currently produces Israeli wines in seven series: Reserve; the age-worthy Single Vineyard; Safsufa Vineyards and Dalton Estate wines; and the Alma, Canaan and Dalton series, of similar varieties but intended for early drinking.
With the 2010 vintage, a wine was released under the Matatia label that seemed destined to become the winery’s flagship wine. Grapes include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Barbera, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat.
First production was 50,000 bottles; current production is about 880,000 and the target for 2010 is one million bottles. Dalton has earned a consistently good name for high-quality kosher wines, providing excellent value for money.