The ‘C’ is a 100% Chardonnay and comes from a hill top vineyard with very poor soil that produces grapes with very particular aromas and minerality. The must is barrel fermented and the wine is aged sur lie with frequent bâtonnage for 12 months in French oak barrels, one third new.
Technical Notes Born in cosmopolitan Alexandria and educated in England, Italy and Switzerland, winemaker Eli Ben Zaken moved to Israel, first working in agriculture and later in the restaurant business. Eli had no formal winemaking education; when he had to decide whether or not to turn Domaine du Castel from a hobby into a formal business he was faced with a formidable challenge. Eli recalled how a sentiment voiced by Winston Churchill was very apt at this time.