Yatir Mt. Amasa 2018

Yatir Winery, located in southern Israel, not far from Arad, has set itself the goal of emphasizing consistency in its wines.

The vineyards are scattered between the Yatir forest - one of the largest forests in Israel, planted by the JNF (Jewish National Fund) - and along the Anim River and the Roman road.

The valleys between the hills host the orchards. The result is a wide variety of these small vineyard plots, which fit perfectly into the forest. Each parcel has its own unique attributes, in terms of soil type, altitude of the vines, inclination and angle of the hillsides, variable rocky surfaces, species planted, this leads to wines with very varied characters. . The grapes from the different plots are milestones in the development of the different blends into a complex and harmonious wine that expresses the very character of the terroir.

"The Yatir character" which is the attribute that makes the estate proud, begins with the type of vineyards, planted at high altitude in clay-limestone soil, and a dry desert climate and cold at night. The result is a very distinct terroir.

Eran Goldwasser, Yatir's Chief Winemaker, oversees all stages of winemaking to ensure the highest quality: from the process of selecting and growing the wine grapes, to harvesting, fermentation, aging and the bottling process - all complemented by the latest technology and equipment.

The first Yatir wine was created in 2001. The winery's portfolio now includes three blends: Yatir Forest, the winery's flagship wine, Yatir Creek and Mt. Amasa, in addition to two varietal wines (Syrah & Petit Verdot) and Rose.

The flagship of Yatir Winery's lineup, Yatir Mt. Amasa, which is on the menu of some of Israel's finest restaurants, exhibits stability and consistency of the highest quality, vintage after vintage.

Wild nature, mountain and vegetation of the reserve, as well as Mount Amasa (more than 859 meters above sea level) border the Yatir forest and its vineyards and constitute a unique meeting place between the mountain and the desert, snow and sun, rocks and earth – all that embodies the nature of Yatir wines.

This is how the new name of the wine was conceived. Until the 2010 vintage, it was called “Yatir Merlot / Shiraz / Cabernet”. The wine is based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz varieties. As in similar climatic regions of the world (South of France, Australia), the combination of these grape varieties is synergistic and intensifies the wine with a refreshing, peppery body from Cabernet and a fruity sweetness and smoky flavor from Shiraz.

The winery uses varying percentages of Merlot/Malbec/Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc in its blends. The assortment of varieties contributes to the accentuation of the regional character of the wine over the nature of each individual variety. The wine is aged for about a year in small barrels (225 liters) and in large wooden containers (5,000 liters), with the aim of obtaining a fresh and mineral wine, without accentuated woody notes. The Yatir nature of the wine manifests itself in the firm structure of the wine and its aroma of Mediterranean aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme) which blend beautifully with the fruit flavors.

The wine is bottled and marketed after two more years of additional aging in the bottle.

The Yatir Mt. Amasa 2018, is a blend of typical Bordeaux grape varieties and the Rhone Valley