KosherWineGuy.com - Tishbi Cabernet Sauvignon vs Alfasi Cabernet Sauvignon

Head to Head

Tishbi Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 vs. Alfasi Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

**The Taste Test**
Cabernet Sauvignon	Wine	Cabernet Sauvignon
Tishbi Estates	Winery	Alfasi
2000	Year	2005
Israel	Country	Chile
	Price
2	Color	2
The color is a bit weak around the edges. It looks just a tad thin and watery and it tends to lower your expectation of the wine.	Note	Also with a nice ruby red color but weak at the edges. It makes the wine look watery. It just doesn't look like it's going to be full-bodied. Both wines are disappointing in the looks department.
6	Aroma	5
Now things start to get interesting! It smells much better than it looks with a nice light fruity aroma. Very nice! It's richer and fuller than the Alfasi.	Note	There's a light fruity aroma, though not as strong as the Tishbi. It's not bad, but it needs to be better.
9	Taste	6
This is an excellent flavor with a very nice soft texture with fruity berries, plums and blackberries and a light flavor of oak. Very nice dry finish thanks to the Merlot. Smooth as silk! This has a wonderful combination of flavors and is an excellent wine that misses a first place score only because the color was less than expected. Otherwise, it's outstanding and has aged very well. Highly recommended!	Note	The Alfasi has a sharp, edgey bite to it that's a bit uncomfortable. It has some nice berry and plum flavors that are typical of a Cabernet Sauvignon but it's also a bit harsh. It really needs to age more. I'll have to buy another bottle and leave it alone for a few years and try it again.
17	Total	13

**A final word....**
Some might say this isn't really a fair contest since the Tishbi is actually a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, while the Alfasi is a pure Cabernet Sauvignon. But that really turns out to be a minor difference. The real thing that distinguished these two wines is age. The Alfasi is very fresh and it shows in the tasting. With age it may become a much better wine, but not yet. The Tishbi is much better and the hands-down winner today. This is a great lesson in aging of red wines because the difference is really striking. I didn't set out to test differences caused by aging when I matched these wines but that was really what came through at the end. The best test for aging would be the same wine from the same winery from different years and we'll do that in the future. But for now, this is a pretty good example.