More Wine Secrets

This was a real conversation. I know it doesn’t sound real but it was. The world is stranger than you think. There is no way I could make this up myself.

I was one of the founders and the original President of Ariel Vineyards, the only non-alcoholic wine in history to win a gold medal against wines with alcohol.

I got a call at our offices in Napa Valley, California one night after everyone else had left.I picked up the phone and heard an old woman’s voice, shaky but clear on the other end.

She had a deep Southern accent and a steel blue perm. I couldn’t actually see her perm over the phone, but I could hear it. The woman sounded like she knew Lincoln personally.

“Young man, I am in Alabama.”

“I’m glad to hear that ma’am.”

“Where are you, young man?”

I knew I should tell her she had the wrong number but I couldn’t do it. My arm was frozen in place. I was fascinated to know where this was going.

“I’m in California ma’am.”

“Are you Mr. Ariel?”

“No, ma’am, there is no Mr. Ariel.”

“Well, I want to talk to Mr. Ariel.”

“There is no Mr. Ariel, ma’am.”

“Well, I want to talk to him.”

(pause)

“He’s out at the moment, ma’am.”

“Oh dear.”

“My name is Mr. Leigon. I work here. Can I help you?”

I was taught in Continuing Education classes at Stanford to have regular conversations with actual customers so I could stay in touch with my market. I’m not sure this was a regular customer but I thought as a matter of procedure that I should find out. Besides, I didn’t have a clue what she was after.

“I need to tell Mr. Ariel something I just realized.”

“What is that, ma’am?”

“Do you remember when Jesus turned the water into wine?”

“Not personally, ma’am.”

“It’s in the Bible.”

“The Gospel according to John if I remember correctly.”

“Oh, you know the Bible?”

“Selected highlights, ma’am.”

“So, you do remember when Jesus turned the water into wine.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, it was your Ariel wine, you know.”

Naturally I realized immediately the potential celebrity endorsement here. But I was a little off balance from the whole notion of Jesus making non-alcoholic wine before we did.

“Excuse me?”

“Jesus turned the water into Ariel Vineyards.”

She said this with the authority of one who knows. Maybe she was there.

“Is that right?”

“It must have been Ariel. You’re the only non alcoholic one, aren’t you?”

I refused to be sucked into a digression.

“Who told you that Jesus turned the water into non-alcoholic wine?”

“I read it.”

“Hmmm. ” I was having trouble keeping up with the conversational thread here.

“Jesus would never make alcoholic wine, so it had to be Ariel non-alcoholic wine that was served at the wedding at Cana. It’s in the Bible.”

I was staggering now. I wasn’t sure what direction to take this in.

“How do you know Jesus wouldn’t make alcoholic wine, ma’am?”

“Alcohol is the tool of the Devil.”

“I’ve heard that.”

“It was simple once I thought about it. Jesus turned the water at the wedding of Cana into Ariel non-alcoholic wine. There’s no other choice.”

“It is a good marketing angle.”

“You should tell people.”

“I probably should.”

“Thank you, young man.”

“Anything else on your mind?”

“Tell Mr. Ariel I called.”

“I’ll certainly do that.”

I wasn’t sure exactly how to react. I had to concede it was a great bumper sticker.

“Ariel Vineyards—What God Drinks.”

But, unconventional. I wasn’t sure I could get Biblical scholars to agree with me. Much less wine salesmen.

It was a theosophical paradox that seemed unresolvable. I consulted with my partners and I couldn’t get any of them to believe that Jesus turned water into non-alcoholic wine, but some of my more rural relatives are still looking into it.

Tilapia Galillea, “St. Peter’s Fish” from the Sea of Galilee.

Located in the Sea of Galilee, the Kinneret is the lowest freshwater lake in the world (210.4m) revealing twenty-seven species of fish, from Galilee St. Peter’s fish to Grey Mullet Burri.

This recipe from the Galilee Culinary Institute uses cod or haddock but could be any firm, flaky white fish. The most famous fish from the Sea of Galilee is St. Peter’s fish (musht in Arabic) which is a kind of tilapia.

Look for a medium bodied red wine that can handle the tomato sauce. Sangiovese or Chianti are classic but some Pinot Noirs will do well. Also, Galilee is one of the world’s oldest wine producing areas and produces lots of red wines—some are listed below.

Click here for Rec

Wineries in Galilee

Galilee is covered with vineyards and wineries. A complete survey of all them would take a book instead of an article. As you would expect most of them lean heavily on the Biblical story for marketing so names can be confusing. But, here are a few to start you off:

Cana Wedding Wine

Inevitably, there is a “Cana Wedding Wine” which is sold for, you know, weddings. Around $8/bottle.

But best of all, there is a Non-alcoholic “Cana Wedding Wine” featuring 0% alcohol and “natural grapes.”

Hmm…maybe that little old lady in Alabama knew what she was talking about after all.

Click for Cana Wedding Wine

Cana First Miracle Wine

I know you’re going to think I’m making this up too so I put the button below so you can check me out. “First Miracle” red is mostly Merlot and Cabernet Franc and sells for around $38/bottle.

Click to see "First Miracle Wine"

Tabor winery, facing Mount Tavor in the Jezreel Valley, created Israel’s first ecological self-sustainable vineyard.

Click to see Tabor

Achat is a boutique winery that only produces 3000 bottles/year of white wine. Each bottle is numbered and it’s more or less impossible to get unless you’re in Israel. Achat is one of the few wineries in Israel owned and run by a woman, Nitzan Swersky. “Achat” is the feminine conjugation of the “Ahat”, meaning “One” in Hebrew and sometimes you will see the name spelled that way.

Click to see Achat winery

Galil Mountain Winery in Yir’on is similarly committed to sustainability, utilizing everything from solar power to organic waste compost and a specially insulated ‘green roof.’ — Jessica Halfin in Israel 21, “Innovative Twists Give Galilee Wines an Israeli Spirit”

Read the Article

If you want more, here’s Tripavisor’s “Wineries and Vineyards in Galilee Region”. They list 17 wineries you can visit.

Click to See Tripadvisor's List

Now did your wine class teach about Non Alcoholic Cana Wedding Wine?

I think not.

That’s why you’ve got to read this newsletter. You don’t get this stuff in the Wine Spectator.