2003 Yatir (not released yet-September2006)
Beautiful fruit of black plum combined with big tannins. This wine will potentially produce a great success here. The grapes are from Yatir Forest Vineyard, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (33%) and Shiraz (11%). The flavors are pure and perfect and the wine is intense, fresh, lively and exuberant. Color is very dark, deep ruby. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels. 14.5% alcohol with rich spicy aromas of allspice and nutmeg. Very promising.

Yatir Forest 2002
Containing 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, this dark garnet toward purple, full-bodied, wine is now showing gentle and well-integrated smoky oak and sweet cedar aromas those coming together very nicely with aromas and flavors of ripe currant and purple plum fruits and generous hints of chocolate and mint. Still firm tannins need time to settle down but good balance and structure bode very well for the future of the wine. Best 2006-2010. Score 92. K (Re-tasted 29 Nov 2004) (Daniel Rogov's tasting notes)

 

* Won a Gold Medal in the annual Israeli tasting competition, Eshkol Hazahav (The Golden Cluster) in the category for the best Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon. Spring 2005

* Awarded four glasses in blind tasting organized by food & wine magazine Al Hashulhan equal first ranked wine. Autumn 2005.

* Ranked by Daniel Rogov as one of the top 10 wines of the year in Rogov's Guide To Israeli Wines 2006. Autumn 2005

* Won a Gold Medal at Terravino, Israel's first international wine competition. Summer 2006

Yatir's gold medal win in Challenge International du Vin in Bordeaux 2005, and all other recognitions received so far are simply indicative of Yatir winery's focus on quality rather than pursuing the quantity markets. There are so many talented young winemakers and exciting wines on the world market, so the Bordeaux win is quite an honor for Yatir, and a validation of the Israeli wine industry.

What an incredible experience! Yatir winery with its elegant wines and charming hosts is guaranteed to lure you back again and again.

All Photographs: Avi Roth /2006 ©vineyardreport.com