2016 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Palm Sunday!  It's been rainy all day here and I'd planned on getting a bunch of work done around the yard, but alas it was not to be.  But I did get my laundry done and had time to open a bottle of wine for my dinner.  Tonight's wine is an interesting choice given the holidays coming up, the 2016 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon from the Gallilee region of Israel.  Now, I've never tried an Israeli wine before, in fact I've never given the region much thought when it comes to wine, but I suppose they've been drinking it longer than even the French, after all Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana, so it make sense that the folks in Israel might know a bit about wine.  So let's see how this one tastes. 

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect from a Cabernet.  The nose is an interesting combination of green grass, cedar, lavender and black cherry, not exactly what I was expecting but interesting nonetheless.  The taste is very fruit forward with a rush of blackberry, currant and tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are chewy, providing a nice base for a long, very dry finish that lingers on for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's not a spectacular wine, but it is a terrific value for an everyday drinking wine.  In fact, Wine Enthusiast ranked this wine #54 in their top 100 best buys of 2018 and I picked this one up at Costco last week for just $9!  This wine is versatile with food, and I could see this being a weeknight staple with anything from steaks to pasta to pizza or tacos.  Tonight I've set up a rather ironic pairing for an Israeli wine, as I'm enjoying this wine with some barbecued pork country ribs, mashed potatoes and baked beans.  It still feels like winter here and I'm anxious for a bit of summer on my plate tonight!  Cheers!