Eti greeted me with great enthusiasm on my arrival. She made some espresso and said, "If you see the place where the grapes are growing, you will have a much different feel for what's happening in the winery." We agreed, and drove with Yaacov Ben Dor to see the vineyards first and get some topographic and historic perspective of the area.

Throughout the 10-minute drive I was captivated by the fascinating landscape of this ancient world. As soon as we started our climb into the southern

Judean Hill elevation, evoking images from biblical times came to mind. This in the place inhibited by the tribe of Judah thousands of years ago, the area where David fled King Saul, and Lot with his daughters escaped God's wrath of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

"Every inch of land around here has a story to tell, every inch is covered with colorful and preserved history" says Yaacov Ben Dor. "Tel Arad is a fascinating place," he continues as we drive further towards the vineyards. "A large collection of written records from the Judean kingdom in the form of ostraca, potsherds with written messages on them testifies to the existence of a Jewish settlement center in this area during the period between the destruction of the second Temple and the First Muslim period, with inhabitants producing wine and olive oil. 180 ancient wine presses nestled in the forest, are bearing witness to the existence of advanced wine production over 2500 years ago. Tel Arad has a long history of wine production."

As we approach the forest Yaacov points out the four vineyards totaling 30 hectares (74 acres) of land planted only in 1997 with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Each vineyard has a distinct character directly related to the growing area within the forest. The fruit of each vineyard (a combined total of 250 tons in 2005), is harvested separately at night, and taken to Yatir's modern winery facility in Tel Arad. There, the grapes are crushed and vinified under strictly controlled conditions for 14 days. The wines are then matured for 12-18 months in 1/3 French oak barrel, with an additional 12 months of bottle aging. Their individual character is maintained throughout the winemaking process, including fermentation and barrel aging.