Under the slogan: Drink Blue & White, the Gala Dinner for the 2010 Eshkol Hazahav Competition was held at the David InterContinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. Eshkol Hazahav, (The Golden Cluster), is Israel’s most professional wine tasting competition, which is held annually. There were 251 wines sent for the competition, which were tasted over four days. They were judged by a panel of sommeliers, winemakers, wine lovers and wine journalists.
During the recess between courses, there was an auction of wines to raise money for the charity ‘Taste for Life.’ Wines from wineries like Adir, Binyamina, Castel, Carmel, Galil Mountain, Golan Heights, Recanati, Tabor and Yatir were auctioned by radio presenter and wine lover Amnon Peer. NIS 30,000 was raised from the auction.
Each course of the dinner was cooked by a different food critic, including Daniel Rogov from Haaretz, along with the Executive Chefs of Tel Aviv’s leading hotels: David InterContinental, Hilton Tel Aviv and Dan Tel Aviv.
The results of the competition were announced and prizes awarded. The main winner this year was Carmel Winery with four gold medals for first place. This followed the sister competition ‘Best Value’, a few weeks ago, where Carmel also received four gold medals. The results were as follows:

SAUVIGNON BLANC
1. Gir Adama, Tabor 2009
2. Terra, Teperberg 2009
3. Yarden, Golan Heights 2009

CHARDONNAY
1. Yarden, Odem Vineyard, Golan Heights 2008
2. Reserve, Menara Vineyard, Recanati 2008
3. Appellation, Carmel 2009

WHITE BLEND
1. Israeli Journey White, Vitkin 2009
2. Asif 2009
3. Avivim, Galil Mountain 2008

OTHER WHITES
1. Appellation Johannisberg Riesling, Carmel 2008
2. Appellation Gewurztraminer, Carmel 2009
3. Reserve Chardonnay, Unoaked, Binyamina 2009

DESSERT WINE
1. Sha’al Vineyard, Gewurztraminer Late Harvest, Carmel 2007
2. Yarden Heightswine, Golan Heights 2007
3. Reserve Gewurztraminer Late Harvest, Binyamina 2008

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
1. Unfiltered, Segal 2005
2. Reserve, Teperberg 2007
3. Plato, Adir 2007

MERLOT
1. Reserve, Bazelet Hagolan 2007
2. Reserve, Teperberg 2007
3. Psagot 2008

SIRAH/ SHIRAZ
1. Psagot 2008
2. Ella Valley 2007
3. = Amphorae 2006
Reserve, Tulip 2007

CABERNET FRANC

1. Appellation, Carmel 2007
2. Ella Valley 2007
3. = Mostly, Tulip 2008
Reserve, Recanati 2008

PETITE SIRAH

1. Appellation, Carmel 2006
2. Special Reserve, Yiftahel 2007
3. Ella Valley 2007

OTHER REDS
1. Reserve Carignan, Barkan 2007
2. Dovev – Rehasim, Argaman, Segal 2006
3. Gamla Sangiovese, Golan Heights 2006

CABERNET MERLOT BLENDS
1. Special Reserve, Recanati 2006
2. = Private Collection, Carmel 2008
Rhyton, Amphorae 2006
3. Armon, Zion 2005

FREE BLEND
1. Erez Petite Sirah Merlot, Zion
2. Full Wine, Fringe, Avidan 2008
3. Edom, Psagot 2007