One of the leading names in mortgages is right in your own backyard To find the right mortgage for you, contact your Chase Home Finance Mortgage Specialist today. hard to understand even for experi- enced wine drinkers (what, after all, is the difference between an 86 and an 87? What is an 87, anyway?), Rogov can be amusing. Of one lowly regard- ed bottle, sarcasm overflows. "Drink up," he writes, proving how brevity is wit. Stuart Wise (248) 763-8059 stuart.b.wise@chase.com CHASE A History The introduction, though, is worth the book's price. For all the effete and inaccessible talk that wine sometimes seems to invite, wine is fundamentally about the land. Wine roots in the Land of Israel extend back to ancient times, and they laid the foundation for the Zionist enterprise. The Torah notes that Noah planted the first vineyard and how Moses' spies in Canaan brought back immense clusters of grapes. Deuteronomy lists wine among the blessings the Promised Land will yield. Ezekiel even makes reference to wine- growing methods, specifically trellises winemakers used to train vines. There's a considerable archeological record to back up the Bible, too, with remains of ancient wine presses and other winemaking paraphernalia across the entire Land of Israel. The only interruptions of wine pro- duction were during certain periods of Muslim rule, since Islam forbids alco- hol. That vines, like people, need strong roots was a metaphor that wasn't lost on the earliest pioneers in Palestine, the Chalutzim, who saw a prospect to meet the Jewish world's demand for kosher wine. In 1882, with backing from the Baron Edmund de Rothschild, who owned the Chateau Lafite, one of the most esteemed wineries in Bordeaux, the early settlers planted vineyards in Rishon Le-Zion. Rothschild sent experts, supplies and grape varieties from Europe and funded wineries in Rishon, as well as in Zichron Ya'akov, which opened its wineries in 1890. Heat killed the first harvests, fol- lowed by a plague of insects, and the ventures failed. Even so, Rothschild subsequently organized a collective to manage the two wineries in 1906 called Carmel Mizrahi — and that entity dominated the Israeli wine industry through the 1980s. Quality improved dramatically in the 1990s and early 2000s, especially with the rise of dozens of boutique and artisanal producers. Some produce fewer than 1,000 bottles, some more than 100,000 bottles. rTh' All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states mi... or for all loan amounts. Other restrictions and limitations apply. All loans are offered through FMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A. 1A.13S3 depending on product type and property location. @ 2005 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All Rights Reserved. 02,,,5 958610 Voted Best Challah three years in a row by Jewish News Readers The challenge for small wineries is distribution. The challenge for small wineries is distribution, and various efforts are under way, including one by Carmel, to organize boutique producers and help them reach a wider market. The big producers dominate shelf space in most U.S. metropolitan areas, although in New York, selection is somewhat better. The question now is the future, and where, given the competition, Israeli wine will go from here. Because it's Israel, wine also faces political pressures, especially because some of Israel's best wine-growing lands are in disputed areas, most notably the Golan Heights but also in the hills of Judea. That aside, Rogov looks to the niche success of places such as Sicily and the Penedes region of Spain, which suc- ceeded by appealing to wine drinkers in search of novel, high-quality wines, as examples Israeli winemakers should look to for guidance. As niche wines, Rogov writes, Israeli wines "will move off those shelves lim- ited only to kosher holdings and begin to appear in a special Israeli section. "Their appeal to the broader popu- lation will come from their unique qualities, reflecting their Mediterranean and specifically Israeli source. Those that prove their excel- lence will find themselves in greater demand by both Jewish and non- Jewish audiences." ❑ THE oC c GIFT BASKETS • SOUPS • MUFFINS • SWEET TRAYS • COOKIES SOUPS • • SANDWICHES • SALADS 24-hour notice please on specialty items 6879 Orchard Lake Rd. in the Boardwalk Plaza • 248-626-9110 968440 "Blue Gingerfeatures the best of Malaysia, Vietnam & Japan." Danny Raskin, November 26, 2004 BLUE GINGER Vietnamese I Japanese I Malaysian Try our authentic Bubble Tea (our specialty) Low-Garb I Low-Calorie Fresh Shrimp Roll $5.95 I Lunch Entree includes Miso Soup $5.95 I 2 Sushi-Roll Special (California & Cucumber Rolls) 6635 Orchard Lake Rd. Tues-Thurs 11-10 Fri-Sat 11-11 Sun 12-9 (in Old Orchard Mall) 248.737.7918 Authentic Greek With A Touch Of Italy & Spain SUNDAY - THURSDAY • $50 0 off any bottle of wine thru July • Carryout & Catering • Daily Specials • Available for Private Parties up to 100 people TOTAL FOOD BILL Expires 5-12-05 HOURS: Mon-Thurs, 11-10 • Sat, 11-11 • Sun, 4-10 248-855-3993 6263 Orchard Lake Rd. • West e li 4/28 2005 61