Deep ruby color; cherry, blackcurrant, plum, blackberry, chocolate, tobacco, coffee, pepper, oak, violets, minerality on the nose and palate.
Dry; firm but amicable tannins; balancing acidity (3.59 pH) augurs this will age very nicely. Bordeaux-style blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot, 2% petit verdot; 30% of petit verdot fermented whole cluster to give intriguing note of pepper on the extended finish. The 2021 growing season saw a bit more rain than normal and an August heat spike that triggered ripeness and sugar, but late August through September harvest brought cool nights that encouraged better than normal acidity, enhancing the wine’s aging potential. 14.5% ABV
The volcanic soils, rich in basalt and mineral deposits, contribute a distinct minerality. The porous soil forces the vine roots to work hard to penetrate deep into the substrata, always a plus for wine vines. The harvest came from 12 distinct vineyards with the juice fermented separately using native yeast from the organic vineyards. The wine spent 18 months in French oak, 35% new. Golan Heights winemaker Victor Schoenfeld employs a staggered barrel rotation: 12 months in first-use to attain oak, followed by six months in second-use to soften tannin without muffling fruit character. Some 15% of the blend also experienced micro-oxygenation. The result is a wine that punches well above its weight. Kosher for Passover, but not mevushal.
The Golan Heights Winery was founded in 1983, two years after Israel extended Israeli law and administration in the territory. Golan Heights Winery includes four brands: Yarden, Golan Heights, Gilgal, and Mount Hermon. Golan Heights is the premier bottling. Yarden refers to the Jordan River (Yarden in Hebrew).
The Golan Heights Winery is Israel’s leading premier winemaker. Wine Enthusiast named it “New World Winery of the Year” in 2012. The “New World” designation is amusing—it is hard to imagine Israel and the Middle East qualifying as “new world”—but in the wine business, New World covers all the wineries not in Europe and adjacent, long-time wine-producing countries. The Golan Heights winery and tasting room get very high marks on TripAdvisor. Visitors can have a Jeep ride through the vineyards before enjoying apparently (according to several reviewers) great food.
Golan Heights Winery’s 1,500 acres of vineyards stretch from the Sea of Galilee to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Hermon—a region where wine has been made for more than 6,000 years, but only in the past three decades have modern, quality wine efforts been in place. The Golan Heights Winery’s acres are divided into 28 vineyards (96% in Golan Heights) and 430 blocks. Each block is monitored individually, then harvested individually and the fruit kept separate through the winemaking process until final blending. There are 16 vinegrowers who grow 20 grape varieties, 13 red and seven white.
Golan Heights Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld is one of Israel’s most influential winemakers. He graduated from UC Davis in 1988 with a degree in enology. He worked at Robert Mondavi and Preston Vineyards in Sonoma, then Jacquesson & Fils Champagne house before joining Golan Heights. Schoenfeld is strong advocate for new wine-making technology and precise climatic and viticultural analysis. Not surprisingly, the winery embraces sustainable agriculture and environmental responsibility, including solar and wind power, wastewater management, and composting instead of chemical fertilizers.
Golan Heights Winery Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon, Galilee 2021 is elegant, complex delight that drinks like a Bordeaux at more than double this effort’s price. Solidifies Israel’s place in premium winemaking. Balances Old World structure with New World fruitiness. Really smooth, easy drinker. Pair with herb-crusted leg of lamb; pan-seared ribeye steak, braised short ribs, grilled steaks with peppercorn sauce, braised duck with shiitake mushrooms. Beetroot risotto with sage and hazelnuts; creamy polenta with slow-roasted mushrooms. Cheese—aged cheddar, aged gouda, gruyère, semi-hard sheep’s milk cheeses, gorgonzola. Avoid soft-ripened cheeses; they tend to accentuate tannins. $45-50
