Yarden Chardonnay 2011

Golan Heights Winery was founded in the town of Katzrin in 1983. The vineyards grow in the Golan Heights, mountainous and rugged territory dominated by the peaks of Mount Hermon. The first vines were planted in 1976.   Today they boast ​​730 hectares of vineyards. What makes these wines special are the basaltic volcanic soil, the altitude (between 400 and 1,200 metres) and the cold climate of this mountain range, captured from Syria by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967. The production method combines hi-tech irrigation systems with traditional processes.

The Golan Heights wines are certified 'kosher' and are made to strict criteria approved by a rabbi according to the Jewish religion. Their three brands are Yarden, Gamla and Golan.  

Appearance

Golden yellow with lemony tints. Clean, bright and glycerine.

Nose

Remarkable complexity with aromas of fleshy fruit and fine oak.  Nice toasted, aniseed backdrop.

Palate

Tasty and fat, medium bodied and well balanced.  Nice retronasal aromas of fine oak blending in well with the fruit. Persistent finish with light toasted and mineral, smoky aromas.

Comment

This Yarden Chardonnay fermented on the lees in small French oak barrels and then aged for 7 months, is a wine of modern design, remarkable for its varietal honestly derived from nicely ripened fruit, its light exotic notes and nutty, smoky aromas.  This unctuous wine is well constituted with an acidity that adds freshness.  This white, halfway between a Californian wine and a Burgundy, is definitely worth trying.  It shows how well the grape variety adapts to the area when the yields are low and the wine is made ​​well.  Enjoy now, as it is already drinking at its best.

Recommended with  “arroz caldoso“ with cod and prawns.