There’s something almost ironic about the fact that just when the holidays end, we need a vacation from the vacation. After a month of endless meals, wine, and hosting, all we want is a quiet evening, a simple and good bottle, and maybe even a little peace at home—on the couch, with a drink in hand, in front of Netflix, of course.
Speaking of Netflix, my most recent and successful binge-watching of the wonderful The Guinness Dynasty made me crave a tap of beer at home, but wine did the job beautifully too. Either way, you can’t get through this series without some alcohol.
From the endless wine and alcohol menu of the Tishrei holidays, I picked three wines I’m sure will help me cope with the post-holiday blues.
Tuscany in the Living Room: Piccini Winery, Martina, Vermentino
This is the type of wine where just the beautiful bottle makes you want to save it for a special occasion. Beyond that, I discovered that Vermentino, an aromatic grape found in southern France, northern Italy, Corsica, and Sardinia, can shine here just like what happened two years ago with the Chenin Blanc.
The wine, from Piccini Winery, is fruity and light, and I wasn’t surprised during the holiday to see that even people who don’t usually drink wine loved it. I was happiest to discover I had a chilled bottle hiding deep in the fridge behind all the leftover boxes just for myself.
It’s easy to get lost in all the imported wines. So whenever I find something I like, I photograph the label and save it in my WhatsApp group with myself. So here’s a recommendation: Price: NIS 55.
Home Mountain: Yatir Winery, Har Amasa Red 2022
I assume, like me, your fridge still has some invested bottles that weren’t opened during this month. One that I was glad remained just for us was the festive wine from Yatir Winery, Har Amasa Red 2022—one of those wines that, the moment I realized it was still in the fridge, felt like a sign not to be lazy and to cook something especially for it.
It’s a blend of red grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and more) grown in Yatir Forest in 2022—a year with a relatively cold winter that led to an exceptionally successful harvest.
True, it’s not cheap, but we deserve to treat ourselves after everything we’ve been through. Price: NIS 125.
Instead of Dessert: Binyamina Winery, Muscat Canelli Selected Clusters
I’m not exactly a dessert person, but sometimes I crave something sweet at the end of a meal—or just in general. I just want it to remain bite-sized, not too sweet or heavy, and to close the meal perfectly.
It took me (a very long time) to realize that what I’ve been looking for without knowing its name is a small glass of dessert wine. When I read that it’s 100% Muscat, I was a bit hesitant at first, worried it would be too sweet.
But no. Binyamina Winery’s dessert wine is neither too sweet nor too heavy. Yellowish and nutty, with a hint of coffee and a touch of caramel (in the style of Portuguese port wines), and if you add a cube or two of blue cheese, it’s divine. Price: NIS 109.