Golan Heights Winery, the leading premium winery in Israel, recently released the 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard. The 2008 harvest already has been recognized as one of exceptional quality for wines produced by Golan Heights Winery.

The 2008 vintage represents the fifth time that the winery has released this quality single-vineyard wine, following the previous edition from the outstanding 2007 vintage. Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard was produced in consecutive years only once before, when the highly regarded 2003 and 2004 vintages were released to market some years ago.

“Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard has a special place in our hearts as the first single-vineyard wine we ever produced. This fifth vintage of this wine carries on the tradition of a classic Cabernet Sauvignon with a unique personality reflecting the specific vineyard,” said Victor Schoenfeld, Head Winemaker of Golan Heights Winery. “The continued success of this variety in such a cool site still remains a bit of a mystery to us. But then again, winegrowing and winemaking have no shortage of mysteries; the complexity of nature is sometimes beyond our comprehension, even as we continuously strive to understand as much as possible.”

The 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard joins the winery's collection of other premium Yarden single-vineyard wines, each of which expresses the unique terroir of an individual vineyard. Other Yarden single-vineyard wines include Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon Yonatan Vineyard, Yarden Merlot Odem Organic Vineyard, Yarden Merlot Kela Vineyard, Yarden Syrah Avital Slope Vineyard, Yarden Syrah Tel Phares Vineyard, Yarden Syrah Yonatan and Yarden Chardonnay Odem Organic Vineyard.

“The release of the 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard is an expression of our worldview that connects wine and place, with each wine telling its own story. This wine is yet another stage in our exciting journey of ongoing discovery of our winegrowing region,” said Anat Levi, CEO of Golan Heights Winery. “As time goes on, we only appreciate more and more how much the Golan is a truly special winegrowing area. Our single vineyard wines give wine lovers an opportunity to see our area in a different light. We hope, through these wines, to pass along to our customers some of the excitement we feel about our area.”

About the Wine
The 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard shows striking characters of black cherries, ripe blackberries and dark plums, layered with notes of cigar tobacco, forest floor and hints of herbs. This aromatic and complex wine is full-bodied and age worthy.

The wine is made exclusively from fruit grown in the El Rom Vineyard, located in the northern Golan Heights at elevations between 1,000-1,100 meters (3,300-3,600 feet). The Cabernet in this vineyard was planted between 1983 and 2004.

The 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, helping the wine fully express its character.

While enjoyable now, the 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard is best appreciated after a number of years of aging, and should remain in excellent drinking condition for a decade and beyond.

The wine goes well with beef and lamb. Try pairing it with a dry aged beef ribeye or a rich lamb dish, such as braised short ribs or shanks.

The 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon El Rom Vineyard is available in a special limited edition of 14,700 numbered bottles. The wine will be marketed both in Israel and the winery's export markets.

Analytical Data
Alcohol: 14.5%; TA: 6.2g/l; pH: 3.72; RS: dry.

2008 Vintage
The winter rains preceding the 2008 season came light and early. Winter temperatures were fairly normal with a couple of good snowfalls. Both March and April were unusually warm with average daily highs more than 3oC (5oF) above normal, moving the entire season up by about ten days. Good weather returned in May and stayed until the end of harvest, resulting in a relatively early and short harvest of very good quality fruit.

Appellation
The Galilee (or Galil) is the most northern, and generally considered the best, appellation in Israel. The Golan Heights (or simply the Golan) is the region within the appellation with the coldest temperatures and highest quality grapes. The vineyards on this volcanic plateau rise from 400 meters (1,300 feet) to 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) above sea level, and receive snowfall in the winter.

Golan Heights Winery is located in the town of Katzrin in the central Golan

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