The Wine:
The 2016 Yarden Syrah shows off characters of ripe black and red fruits, along with notes of earth, smoke, spice and hints of anise seed. This full-bodied Syrah exhibits great varietal character and satisfying concentration of flavor.
Though enjoyable to drink upon release, the 2016 Yarden Syrah will continue to improve in the bottle, and should stay in excellent drinking condition for a decade or more. Try pairing the wine with rich beef cassoulet, grilled lamb chops with garlic and basil, or sautéed mixed mushrooms finished off with a bit of smoked salt.
The Vintage:
2016 was a remarkable vintage. After a routine winter, February saw average daily highs about 4oC (7oF) above normal, setting the stage for a warm spring. Lighter winter rains coupled with normal spring rainfall resulted in 75% of average annual precipitation. A mild summer was not enough to cancel out the impact of the warm spring, resulting in a fast and furious harvest – the shortest in 22 years. The beautiful summer led to wines of exciting quality, proving once again that the vagaries of a particular vintage do not prevent the Golan Heights from producing consistently exceptional wines.
The 2016 Yarden Syrah is produced solely from Syrah fruit grown in vineyards at elevations from 600 to 1000 meters (about 2,000 to 3,300 feet) in the central and northern Golan Heights. The wine aged in small French oak barrels for 18 months.
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