State-Of-The Art Technology Produces Award Winning Wines In the Heart of Israel’s Negev Desert
SEPT 12, 2019, New York/Israel – Yatir, one of Israel’s most highly-acclaimed wineries, introduces its celebrated Yatir Creek 2016 and Yatir Mount Amasa White 2017 to the U.S. market.
Yatir wines (yatirwinery.com/en) are distinguished by vibrant freshness and the masterful fusion of carefully crafted varietals. The winery was founded less than 20 years ago but has emerged as one of Israel’s best. Using state-of the-art technology, the winery releases about 150,000 bottles a year. The boutique winery works only with select vineyards that showcase the unique terroirs of Israel’s Yatir Forest in the southern tip of the Judean Hills. Yatir’s award-winning wines consistently earn high critical praise on the international stage – including scores of 90 points or higher for the past nine seasons from Wine Advocate.
Yatir Winery continues to intensify the innovation trend with the aim of extracting the finest wine from the vineyard, by planting new varieties, moving from small barrels to wood and concrete containers, creating new blends (all mixes) with the aim of creating and bringing the winery’s unique terroir into special and unique wines.
Especially for the Jewish New Year, Yatir is proud to present the new “Yatir Creek” vintage 2016 and Yatir Mount Masa White 2017, which perfectly express the regional and redundant character. The new wines join the well done Yatir portfolio from Yatir Mount Masa Red (which is a best seller from Yatir portfolio). Yatir Rose, Yatir Peti Verdo, and the flagship wine, Yatir Forest.
“We are proud to be planting in vineyards from an ancient region, where wine presses existed more than 3,000 years ago and today make the best wines from Yatir’s special region,” says Yaakov Ben Dor, Yatir Winery’s general manager.
“Although Israel’s winemaking tradition is ancient, the current industry is still young. Israel has been widely recognized as capable of producing world-class wines, and growth is happening fast. We are so pleased to unveil to the USA, the exciting diversity of the region, as well as its worthiness of inclusion in the lexicon of New World wines,” says Etti Edri, Yatir’s export manager.
YATIR WINES
The long-anticipated Yatir Creek 2016 is a sophisticated wine displaying a deep purple color and aromas reminiscent of black cherries, cassis, and toasted almonds. Possessing fruity, succulent flavors, the grainy tannins leave a slightly salty and pleasantly bitter finish – a perfect pairing with meat dishes like casseroles and steaks. Yatir Creek is made from 76% Syra, 12% Tannat, and 12% Malbec grapes harvested at elevations of 650-900 meters above sea level, where the soil is clay and chalky. Aged in large oak barrels for 12 months and matured in the bottle for two years, it will mature and cellar well for five to 10 years.
Also showcased will be Yatir Mt. Amasa White 2017, a complex and balanced wine that expresses the character of the growing region of several Yatir Forest vineyards at an elevation of 680-780 meters above sea level. The limited oak-barrel aging process allows for the fruity character of the grapes to be the leading player in the wine’s flavor profile. A blend of 52% Chenin Blanc, 39% Viognier, and 9% Roussanne, this elegant white displays golden, pale-greenish hues and aromas hinting at melon, papaya, peach, and pear. Ripe, fruity flavors are integrated with acidity and a pleasant, refreshing bitterness on the finish. Its full body pairs well with food and can be enjoyed alone or as an aperitif.
“At Yatir Winery we are integrating state-of-the-art winemaking and technology within a man-made forest in the heart of the desert, to produce award-winning wines. Though it seems unlikely, this area in Israel provides an excellent environment for wine making. Due to Israel’s warm Mediterranean climate, the grapes have no trouble ripening. As the vines age, yields will decrease, and our wines will become more nuanced,” says Eran Goldwasser, who oversees Yatir’s vineyards and production, and is one of Israel’s most innovative and respected wine professionals.
Link to Masterclass Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ytlUvBTnjE&feature=youtu.be
About Yatir
The Yatir region in the Judean Hills has produced some of Israel’s most prized grapes for winemaking since the ancient days of the Judean kingdom. Today, at a time when the 2,500-year-old Israeli wine industry is drawing more critical and commercial acclaim than ever before, winemakers from this area of the Negev are producing outstanding wines that stand up to some of the finest in the world.
Yatir Winery was established in the year 2000 as a joint venture between local growers and the Carmel Winery, who recognized the extraordinary potential of the Yatir region. Its first wine was released in 2004. Yatir’s knowledgeable growers and winemakers are committed to excellence every step of the way – from growth and cultivation to harvest, fermentation, aging, and bottling – employing the most cutting-edge technology and equipment available to the industry today.
