Winemaker Arieh Nesher: "…a full-bodied aroma, strong fruity and vibrant grape flavors with a rich color were what I set out to attain when I acquired the Merlot grapes from a small, old, low yield vineyard at the end of October 2003. The harvest having been hand picked and completed late in the season brought me almost totally shriveled up grapes, dark in color, especially sweet and with an intoxicating ethereal quality. All I had to do was to transform this exceptional raw material into wine…"
The nighttime harvest brought the grapes to the winery when they were already at the beginning stages of shriveling up. The stems were separated before morning and afterwards the grapes were transferred to the fermentation tanks, while being heated to a temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade to bring out their full aroma, tastes and color. This was not done through fermentation but through a special heating process (thermo-vinification).
After several hours the grapes were cooled to 20 degrees Centigrade and were then soaked with their skins (Skin Contact) in order to lend an added dimension of crimson to the Must. Extended aging of two years in used French barrels enhanced the kosher wine and transformed it into a rich bouquet of tastes and aromas.
Recommended to serve at 6 degrees
Winner of a silver Medal in "Eshkol Ha'Zahav" competition 2007- Israel
