In the southern part of the Judean Hills lies the Yatir region. Three millennia ago, vines were planted in this region. Presently, the Yatir region is once again producing wine grapes and crafting wines. The Yatir Winery was founded in 2000. Wines are made with grapes sourced from vineyards just minutes away from the winery near the Yatir Forest. We received a sample of the 2014 Viognier and were interested to discover how the Viognier grape showcases in this area.

The 2014 Yatir Viognier Judean Hills was crafted entirely with Viognier. The wine aged for six months in oak. It had a yellow color with gold hue. The aroma had yellow stone fruit notes, while the taste emphasized peaches, nectarines and a hint of caramel. There was a nice finish of fruit and oak. The suggested retail price for the wine is $29.99. We did pair this wine with friends and Chinese take-out. Everyone raved about this Viognier and how well it matched with the different food.

Vineyards

The vineyards are planted at a height of 2950 feet above sea level. The weather usually offers cool mornings, sunny afternoons and cold nights. Winters can be snowy. The land is mostly composed of limestone and clay. These conditions afford the opportunity to grow wine grapes. Winemaker, Eran Goldwasser wants to craft wines that are expressive of the terroir. We enjoyed the 2014 Yatir Viognier.

Interested in Israeli wines? Read about a rosé from Vitamin Winery.

Cheers,
Terry