After nearly all of my visits to the Yatir winery, I make my way with winemaker EranGoldwasser to a local pub, there to sit out-of-doors, the two of us feasting on 350 gram medium-rare hamburgers and generous plates of French fried potatoes. Truth be told, we don't generally drink wine at those meals but go for half liter glasses of draught beer. None of that is to be held against the Yatir wines because after major wine tastings about the last thing one wants to drink is wine, no matter how excellent those wines may be. Another truth be told, even though I don't have the foggiest idea of the name of the pub they make damned good burgers. And indeed whatever it is that Goldwasser is doing at Yatir, he is doing it very well indeed currently producing wines that comfortably compete with the very best, not only of Israel but of the rest of the world as well.

Two of the Yatir wines have just been released, the Yatir Forest and their Petit Verdot. Five other wines are also now being released but I'll let my reviews hold for a larger and overall article in HaAretz (that scheduled to appear on 11 July in Hebrew and 13 July in the English edition)

Best
Rogov

Yatir Forest, 2008: Phenomenal!. A dark, almost impenetrable garnet blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 58%, Petit Verdot 32%, Merlot 5% , Malbec 3%, Cabernet Franc 2%., full-bodied, with soft, gently grippng tannins and notes of sweet-and-spicy cedar. On first attack traditional currant and blackberry fruits, those followed by purple plums, bittersweet chocolate, espresso coffee and, on the finish, that goes on and on, seemingly without end, tempting notes of anise and black olives. Approachable now but best 2013-2022. Perhaps the best yet from Yatir and by any standards one of the best ever Israeli wines. NIS 260.Score 95. K

Yatir, Petit Verdot, 2008: A blend of 85% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the varieties developed separately in one year old oak. Dark, almost impenetrable garnet, full-bodied, with still-gripping tannins waiting to settle down but already showing fine balance and structure. Opens with aromas and flavors of black fruits, those yielding to notes of bittersweet chocolate and roasted herbs. On the long, long finish notes of what at one moment seem like black olives and another like eucalyptus. Fascinating and, for my two cents, delicious. Best 2013-2018. NIS 140. Score 93. K