Dalton
Winery
Part 2 of a series on the wines of Israel
Website: www.dalton-winery.com
Dalton, based in the Upper Galilee, is a
reasonably large winery, with an annual production of around 1
million bottles. Unusually, though, for this size of winery, they
grow over 90% of their grape requirement in their own vineyards.
I met with Alex Haruni and winemaker
Naama Sorkin. The winery is owned by Alex’ family, and he grew up
in London before moving to Israel to run operations here. The
Harunis founded Dalton in 1995 and the first harvest was in 2000.
The wines made here are Kosher, so the winery can only be run by
male Sabbath-observant Jews. If you are not sabbath observant, or
are female, then if you are a winemaker you can’t actually touch
any of the winery equipment, or barrels, or tanks: you need to get
someone else to do this for you. Alex explains this here.
We tasted quite extensively from the
range. Quality is consistently high: the wines are made in quite a
ripe style, but they are made really well.
THE
WINES
Dalton Cannan White 2012 Upper
Galilee, Israel
Mainly Sauvignon and Chardonnay, with a bit of Muscat. Textured,
fresh and quite pure with simple fruit and some grapey notes. Quite
pretty. 86/100
Dalton Fumé Blanc 2012 Upper Galilee,
Israel
Some barrel work and some stainless steel, partial malolactic,
and a portion is wild ferment. Tight and quite herbal with some
grapefruit and a hint of oak. Fruity bright and pure, with nice
texture. 88/100
Dalton Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Upper Galilee, Israel
From an old and a new vineyard, no oak. Fresh and pure with some
mineral notes. Tight and citrussy with some lemony notes. Lively and
pure with nice crispness and good acidity. Lovely texture. 90/100
Dalton Semillon 2012 Western Galilee,
Israel
This is the first release of this wine, a single vineyard
Semillon from the Elkosh vineyard, fermented in older barrels. Very
stylish with intergrated oak notes, and flavours of grapefruit,
lemons, herbs and wax. This will age beautifully, too. 92/100
Dalton Alma White 2012 Upper Galilee,
Israel
Semillon, Viognier and Chardonnay, a mixture of barrel and tank
fermented. Waxy, herby and rich. Slightly toasty on the nose with
ripe fig and peach fruit. Lively sweet and pure with nice depth of
flavour. Rich, fine and textured: a bold, stylish wine. 90/100
Dalton Reserve Viognier 2012 Upper
Galilee, Israel
100% barrel-fermented. Spontaneous fermentation, and aged in
barrel for four months. Fat, broad, textured wine with peach and
pear notes. Rich mid palate is soft with some spiciness. A big
style. 88/100
Dalton Grenache 2012 (barrel sample)
This is a barrel sample; the Grenache may be blended. Sweet
textured with pure, sweet, spicy fruit and a hint of green. Supple
and textured. 88–90/100
Dalton Shiraz 2012 (barrel sample)
From a lower Galilee vineyard at 400 metres. Very deep coloured.
Sweet, spicy, rich and warm with pure, lush berry fruits.
87–89/100
Dalton Shiraz 2012 (barrel sample)
From Elkosh vineyard in western Galilee at 700 m. First crop.
Fresh, pure, supple and quite tight with lovely floral peppery
notes. 90–92/100
Dalton Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (barrel
sample)
Elkosh vineyard. Very fresh, vivid and tight with reductive
blackcurrant fruit. Lovely fruit presence. 90–91/100
Dalton Petite Sirah 2012 (barrel
sample)
From Kidron in the center of Israel. Very rich, sweet and bold
with lovely purity of fruit and some spiciness. 89–91/100
Dalton Alma Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier
2011 Upper Galilee, Israel
Nicely aromatic, fresh and berryish with some cherry notes. The
palate is supple and berryish with nice bright fruit and a bit of
spiciness. Sweet but with a spicy, savoury edge. 90/100
Dalton Alma Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier
2010 Upper Galilee, Israel
A hot vintage. Ripe, sweet, lush and jammy with a slightly
stewed character. Broad and generous with blackberry jam notes.
Seductive style. 87/100
Dalton Alma Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 Upper Galilee, Israel
Fresh and berryish with some green-edged blackcurrant and
blackberry fruit. Nice freshness to the attractive sweet fruit, with
appealing green notes. 89/100
Dalton Cabernet Sauvignon Meron
Vineyard 2011 Western Galilee, Israel
Sweet herbal nose with some eucalyptus notes, and a hint of
mint, but the dominant theme is ripe, berryish, blackcurrant fruit.
Ripe, supple and sweet on the palate with some chalk and spice
characters. Stylish. 92/100
Dalton Single Vineyard Shiraz 2011
Upper Galilee, Israel
Supple, smooth and quite textured. Ripe and a bit peppery with
sweet, fresh berry fruits. Lovely purity. 92/100
Dalton Reserve Shiraz 2011 Upper
Galilee, Israel
Ripe, sweet, lush and textured with forward black fruits, as
well as notes of meat and pepper. Attractive sweet blackberry and
berry fruits, with hints of tar and oak spice. 90/100
Dalton Reserve Merlot 2011 Upper
Galilee, Israel (cask sample)
Gravelly, chalky black cherry and plum nose. Very aromatic and
fresh. Pure bright berry and plum fruits with some grip and
definition. 90–92/100
Dalton Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Upper Galilee, Israel (cask sample)
Fresh and grippy with nice definition, lovely blackcurrant
fruit. Pure, fine with good grip and definition. 90–92/100
Dalton Matatia 2008 Upper Galilee,
Israel
An ultrapremium wine named after Mat Haruni, Alex’ father –
a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Fresh, sweet, well defined
blackcurrant and black cherry fruit with some spicy structure. Ripe
but well defined with nice structure and purity, and hints of chalk
and gravel. 92/100
Dalton Anna NV Upper Galilee, Israel
A solera of fortified Muscat, with four different vintages in
it. Sweet, mellow, spicy and warm with lovely grapey fruit and hints
of tea.
VISITING ISRAEL
Shvo vineyard, Upper Galilee, Israel
Dalton
Winery, Upper Galilee, Israel
Golan
Heights Winery/Yarden, Golan Heights, Israel
Wines
tasted 05/13
Find these wines with wine-searcher.com
Back
to top
|