Yarden Merlot (OK Kosher) 2006
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Robert
Parker
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While enjoyable now, the 2006 Yarden Merlot will continue to improve in the bottle for a number of years, and will remain in good drinking condition for up to a decade from harvest. Give it a try with a variety of beef dishes such as a rib-eye steak in a red wine or mushroom sauce, Beef Stroganoff or Beef Bourguignon.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 MERLOT (YARDEN) clocks in at 15%, but it seems to handle it quite well. Those looking at the price tags on the single vineyard Merlots reviewed this issue, might find some solace here, and in fact this might be the most complete wine of the group, free of flaws and nicely balanced. This is a beautifully constructed wine, focused, pointed and with a serious backbone. It does seem very new world, the oak a little too prominent (it spent 14 months in French oak, only 40% new), which constrained my enthusiasm a little. Yet it is hard to dislike this beautifully constructed wine. If the style is to your liking, you've got yourself a serious bargain here and you should stock up. I’m betting that it will age fairly well if well stored and handled. This 2006 is the current release on the shelves; the importer advises that the '07 will not be available until sometime next year in the USA. Drink now-2016.
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With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
With a rich history of wine production dating back to biblical times, Israel is a part of the cradle of wine civilization. Here, wine was commonly used for religious ceremonies as well as for general consumption. During Roman times, it was a popular export, but during Islamic rule around 1300, production was virtually extinguished. The modern era of Israeli winemaking began in the late 19th century with help from Bordeaux’s Rothschild family. Accordingly, most grapes grown in Israel today are made from native French varieties. Indigenous varieties are all but extinct, though oenologists have made recent attempts to rediscover ancient varieties such as Marawi for commercial wine production.
In Israel’s Mediterranean climate, humidity and drought can be problematic, concentrating much of the country’s grape growing in the north near Galilee, Samaria near the coast and at higher elevations in the east. The most successful red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, while the best whites are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Many, though by no means all, Israeli wines are certified Kosher.