Sumptuous and generous, this is well-structured to hold its weight. Boasts a brooding mix of mocha, blackberry paste and tobacco notes supported by fine-grained tannins and filigreed with herbs, tobacco leaf and anise. Shows a generous robe of cedar that will integrate with time. A well-executed version of the seductive, modern style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2035. 3,000 cases made, 1,100 cases imported.??–KB??Region: Israel / Judean Hills Select to Add

A brooding-style, with dense currant and cherry notes enhanced with herbal and mineral elements. Muscular tannins offer hefty support along with mocha, licorice, menthol and cedar flavors that linger along the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Kosher. Drink now through 2024. 3,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.??–GS??Region: Israel / Judean Hills Select to Add

The 2008 Yatir Forest is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Petit Verdot, and 5% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, aged for 16 months in French oak. This needed about 45 minutes of air to come around and then, another hour didn’t hurt and then...oh, my. It wasn’t a wine that was obvious at first – or ever, really. If you’re looking for a jammy fruit bomb, this ain’t it. It seemed merely suave and debonair, remarkably graceful and elegant, yet sexy and flavorful nonetheless. With air, some gamey and earthy notes popped up, the tannins emerged and it became more astringent, although not overly hard. This does not have a lot of depth, which did give me some pause and some concern for the future, but it is has elegance, a lingering finish and delicious fruit. It is so utterly charming that I have to lean up a bit. Notwithstanding the tasty fruit, make no mistake – this does have complexity as well. The longer I had it open, the more I liked it, a good sign. Drink now-2019. Yatir, Carmel’s prestigious boutique in the Judean Hills, does have an importer, but note that these 2008s will not be sold as they are from a shmitta year and its importer is a Kosher specialist.Importer: Royal Wine Corp, Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118.

The 2007 YATIR FOREST is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Petit Verdot, and 7% each Merlot and Malbec, aged for 12 months in French oak. Well, that hit the spot! Velvety in texture and clinging to the palate, it is complex and earthy, a bit of game showing, fairly deep and pointed, with fine fruit and good aging potential. Brooding at first, becoming ethereal as it airs out and caressing the palate in an utterly sensual fashion, it seems both intense and graceful at the same time, a hard feat to accomplish. This is a Yatir Forest that should merit its reputation and its price tag, and it has some upside potential, too. It was just a joy to drink. It was interesting this year to compare the Yatir Forest to its Northern high end sibling, the Carmel Limited Edition reviewed this issue. Their styles were quite similar and so were the quality levels; I had a minor preference here, largely on aromatics, which may yet evolve with a little time, but if you can’t find one, buy the other. Both were very fine performances. There were 25,000 bottles produced. I think it will be approachable soon, but give it a couple of years to settle down. Drink 2012-2020. Yatir, one of Israel’s best know boutiques, does have an importer, but not all of these may make it into the USA marketplace. In particular, I’m advised by the winery that the Shiraz will not be sold in the USA.Importer: Royal Wine Corp, Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118.

The 2006 YATIR FOREST, aged for 16 months in French oak, is a little different in style than normal. Typically Cabernet Sauvignon dominated, the blend this year drops the Cabernet Sauvignon percentage dramatically to 50%, and substitutes 38% Petit Verdot, along with 12% Merlot. Winemaker Eran Goldwasser indicated that he was impressed with the Petit Verdot quality in this year. Not surprisingly, with the Petit Verdot component, it has a certain herbal note on the finish and it broods a bit more than the 2004 reviewed this issue, being a little less sweet, a little more austere. It has fine mid-palate depth and is beautifully structured, though, even if it takes a little longer to appreciate. The next day it is give-a-little, take-a-little. I appreciated the more harmonious demeanor of the wine, as it showed beautifully on the palate, while still retaining some intensity and proving it can age for a considerable time in the cellar. I liked the structure and balance more and more. The nose, however, had become stinky to a fault. As this seemed to blow off, I’m going to stick with my original impression, given the beautiful structure and depth on this wine and its ability otherwise to show brilliantly on Day 2, but this will be something to watch as time goes on. On the whole, I think this is a very fine performance with some considerable upside. In this report, two of the finest Israeli Bordeaux blends—this and Castel’s Grand Vin—are featured, and they have dramatically different styles, this being dense, focused and a little brooding; the Castel more elegant and silky. They are both very fine—pick ‘em. There were 27,040 bottles produced. Drink now-2020. Yatir is and has been for some time Carmel’s wholly-owned boutique in the Judean Hills. A hop, skip and a jump from the Negev, it has interesting terroir and has had exceptional results. It has become one of Israel’s better known and higher quality wineries. The first vintage released was the 2001. The question has always been whether ownership by giant Carmel, Israel’s dominant winery, would make the boutique aspect a thinly veiled guise for just another arm of Carmel’s operations. The good news there at the moment is that Carmel’s own quality levels have been rising. Releases like the Kayoumi and Appellation series provide a lot of bang for the buck. So, perhaps this will be a moot point. The Yatir Forest bottling is the top of the line proprietary blend here. From the rich and sexy 2003, which to my mind was the first real success here, to the graceful and elegant 2005, this bottling has changed in style at times, but it continues to provide high quality wines. The 2006 is the latest release, once again different stylistically, this time with a significant Petit Verdot component. Some library wines are included in this issue as historical reference points. Production has steadily risen on this top of the line bottling, hitting a still-reasonable 27,000 bottles in 2006. I am advised that production will be around 25,000 bottles for the 2007, and that will be roughly where production levels will be kept for this bottling. I did not have pricing as yet for the 2006 as of this writing. The price indicated is based on the last vintage received.Importer: Royal Wine Corp, Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118.