Dalton Canaan Red

This coming week, in addition to Shabbat on Friday Oct. 25th, Jews will celebrate Simchat Torah beginning at sunset on Thursday Oct. 24th. It was during this holiday, in 2023,  that Hamas terrorists stormed Israel’s borders, killing thousands of innocent people and taking hundreds hostage. 

In remembrance of this event, it seemed appropriate to feature a wine whose name reflects the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel itself; Dalton Winery’s Red CANAAN 2023. 

 A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, and Petit Sirah grapes that were grown in the Galilee, this wine is medium bodied and easy to drink. It tastes of rich cherry and plum from the Cab and Merlot, with a bit of pepperiness coming from the Syrah. 

Scoring 88 points from Wine Enthusiast, this wine represents great QPR and is ready for drinking now.  It is perfect for serving with Celebrity Chef Jamie Geller’s  Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Eggplant. 

In ancient times, “Canaan” was the name of the land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean; today that encompasses the State of Israel, Jordan, and Southern portions of Syria and Lebanon. The ancient people that dwelled on this land were called “Canaanites”.  At different points, each of Judaism’s forefathers; Abraham, Issac, and Jacob (who was renamed Israel), lived in the land of Canaan. 

The bible tells that during a drought, Jacob and his family migrated to Egypt, where they would become enslaved. When freed, they moved back to Canaan. 

It would take a number of years, and a number of wins and losses with the other inhabitants, but the Israelites would eventually build a kingdom on the land. The area came to be referred to as the “Kingdom of Israel”,  and Jews would continue to live there for the next 3,000 years. 

Today, the term “Canaan”, is still used to describe the ancient land where Abraham, Issac, and Jacob lived, and the tribes of “Israel” returned. It’s the perfect name for this Dalton wine; produced in the “Land of Israel” on ancient soil. 

As the situation in Northern Israel grows worse, our friends at Dalton, dedicated to producing quality wines, are struggling. They have bombs landing in their vineyards, and sirens sounding regularly forcing them to take cover. This makes it almost impossible to complete a full day’s work, and some days even difficult to travel to the winery at all.  With family members, workers, and family members of workers, all serving in the IDF, tensions are high.

When asked what we can do to help, the answer remains the same; “Buy our wine and Pray for better days”.

We here at Israel Wine Girl, picked up Canaan Red at the ShopRite in Cherry Hill, NJ. It is also available at Total Wines, Buy Rite, and most of the online Kosher sites. Dalton wines are available at Kosher Wine Warehouse, free Shipping with a purchase of $99. Use the code ISRAELWINEGIRL for 10% off your entire purchase.