2019 Yatir Forest Red Blend Judean Hills

The wine displays a deep purple color with rich aromas and flavors, combining intensity with elegance and freshness. That year the winter was mostly dry, with only two substantial rainfall occurrences. The spring season was filled with wintery events, including significant spring rain; a total of 277 mm of rainfall (above the normal average). Summer and fall were relatively comfortable, with no major episodes of heat waves.

Yatir Forest, the flagship wine of Yatir winery, is made from vineyard produce which yielded the tops wines of a given year’s vintage, with emphasis on scent and palate, and long term aging capability. Yatir Forest has become one of Israel’s leading products of consistent quality, having received a 90 point or higher grade for 9 consecutive seasons in “Wine Advocate”, the admired magazine by wine critic Robert Parker.

The composition alters from year to year based on the nature of that year’s crop, as we seek to bring the Yatir uniqueness to the fore, accentuating the area and its vineyards. Yatir’s vineyards are planted in the heart of the Yatir Forest slopes, rising to a height of 900 meters above sea level, and no more than several minutes’ drive from the winery. The forest was planted by the JNF (Jewish National Fund) in 1964 and is the largest initiated forestation in Israel. Our grapes enjoy ideal conditions, growing in different sections of the forest ranging from 650 to 900 meters above sea level. The wine aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, of which one-third were new. The wine was bottled in February 2016, followed by maturation in the bottle for a further eighteen months at the winery. The wine was ready to drink with its release, but will continue to age for at least a decade from its vintage. Yatir Forest 2014 combines 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Petit Verdot, 9% Tannat.