The wine
The Yarden Katzrin continues the tradition of great wines that are only produced during exceptional harvests. The rich, intense wine combines ripe sweet cherry and plum with blackberry and cassis, all underpinned by earth, spice and vanilla. Traces of fresh herbs and oak are also noticeable. While it's difficult not to drink this wine right away because it's already such a treat, it's worth waiting a little longer. It will continue to improve for years to come and should remain a great drinking pleasure for 15 to 20 years from the bottling date. We wait for a truly festive occasion to open a bottle of Yarden Katzrin and try to pair it with elegant, flavorful food. We enjoy it with slow-roasted spare rib or carefully grilled lamb neck.
The harvest
A cold and wet winter, with rainfall a third higher than usual, preceded a cool March and April. After a warm May, moderate temperatures set in for the season. These unusually stable temperatures and weather conditions led to the longest wine harvest in our history: 17 weeks. Due to the optimal conditions and relaxed pace of harvest, each individual area of the vineyard was harvested at the peak of its ripeness and flavor.
The Yarden Katzrin consists of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes primarily from the Ramot Naftali vineyard in the upper Galil and the El Rom vineyard in the northern Golan. The Merlot comes primarily from the Sha'al vineyard in the northern Golan and the Cabernet Franc from the Allone Habashan vineyard in the central Golan Heights. The wine aged separately in new French oak barrels for 18 months. The wine was then blended and aged in the same barrels for a further 6 months, making a total barrel aging time of 24 months. Yarden Katzrin was bottled unfiltered in March 2006.
Growing area
El Rom, Sha'al, Ramot Naftali
Data
Brix 26.1 Alcohol 14.5% Acid (gr/L) 6.0 Ph 3.57 Sweetness Dry
Seasonal items
Subject to prior sale
Bottles individually numbered — limited quantity
Current vintages 2013, 2014 and 2016
2 bottles 0.75l vintage 2000 collector's price
Magnum bottles 1.5l vintage 2008 — currently not in stock!
We recommend Dalton Matatia or Yarden Rom as equal replacements
Manufacturer / Producer: Golan Heights Winery, Katzrin, Israel
Growing area/region: Galilee — Golan Heights / Galilee — Golan Heights (Galil)
Expansion / Sweetness: red, dry, kosher / red, dry, kosher
Alcohol content: 14.5% vol. contains sulfites
Ramot Naftali vineyard in the upper Galil and the El Rom vineyard in the northern Golan
Rogov score 93
