DOMAINE DU CASTEL PETIT CASTEL 2024

Aged in French oak barrels, this kosher Bordeaux-style blend from Domaine du Castel draws on Eli Ben Zaken's long-running project in the Judean Hills, where limestone soils and mountain elevation shape the fruit before it ever reaches the cellar. The five-grape blend — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec — comes from vineyards cooled by Mediterranean breezes that extend the growing season and preserve acidity. Expect dark cherry, wild blackberry, cedar, and baking spice, with a structured mid-palate and a finish that carries the region's characteristic mineral lift.