Yarden’s upper level Bordeaux blends are impressive – although not just because the wine is good. They are pretty pricey. The 2003 Katzrin (Yarden) is a Bordeaux blend that is one of Israel’s priciest trophies. Produced only in the best years, it is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged for two years in French oak barrels. It adds some intensity to the El Rom bottling, and the fruit seems more pungent, sweeter and riper as well. It is very tasty. With air it rounds into form and acquires some balance, in fact seeming gentle and elegant eventually, given the well constructed mid-palate. There is a supporting backbone that gives this wine some needed firmness and a more serious feel, announcing that it is not just about the fruit, but that it intends to develop in the cellar as well. With a couple of hours in a decanter, it separates itself from the El Rom, showing more assertive fruit flavors and a fuller mouthfeel. Unlike the El Rom, I liked this more and more as it aired out. It has a certain subtlety and refinement to it, and it sneaks up on you. It is not a particularly complex wine, but it is a lot of fun – at least if you can ignore its hefty price point. It drank pretty well on Day 2, and even improved a little in the glass for a short while, a level of persistence that leads me to lean upwards, despite its sometimes underwhelming and uncomplicated demeanor. There are many good things here, but I am not quite as impressed as reputation and price would suggest. There were approximately 1,058 cases produced. Drink now-2015. Importer: Yarden, Inc., New York, N.Y.; tel. (212) 997-9463Golan Heights is on most short lists for the title “Best Winery in Israel.” It is one of Israel’s larger wineries, with about 20% of the local market share. Some of its vineyards were first planted in 1976, and its 1983 founding was a landmark and turning point in Israel’s development into a country that produces wines that can compete in the world marketplace. It is not one of the trendy boutiques, obviously, but the quality level is very high, and few have as much prestige. Golan Heights is perhaps best known for its flagship subsidiary “Yarden” with the familiar ancient oil lamp design on the label. (Yarden is Hebrew for Jordan, as in the Jordan River.) That is only one of its subsidiaries and labels, however, as it also owns Galil Mountain Winery, and the Gamla and Golan brands. The wines from Yarden seem generally restrained and elegant in terms of tannins and depth, although not always in terms of oak treatment. The tannins are usually refined and well integrated. The upper level wines can be pricey for what they are.
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