Yarden Inc. encompasses Golan HeightsWinery and Galil MountainWinery, located in the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee regions of Israel. Golan Heights Winery is considered Israel’s leading winery in quality, technological innovation and new variety development. The Yarden portfolio includes the leading brands of Yarden, Gilgal and Mount Hermon. Founded in 1983, Golan Heights Winery is celebrating 40 years of winemaking and has played a significant role in nurturing Israel’s current wine culture and firmly placing Israel on theworldwine stage.
GOLAN HEIGHTS
THE GALILEE
The Galilee (or Galil) is the most northern, and generally considered the best, appellation inIsrael.Thehighestqualityarea within the appellation is the Golan Heights (or simply the Golan), the coldest region in Israel. The vineyards on this volcanic eastern plateau rise from 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level to 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) and receive snowfall in the winter. Golan Heights Winery is in the town of Katzrin incentralGolan.
GALIL MOUNTAIN
UPPER GALILEE
The Upper Galilee mountain range to the west of Israel is home to Galil MountainWinery, an innovativelydesignedwinery committed to revitalizing the region’s rich history of winemaking. The mountain range rises to heights of more than 1,000 meters above sea level.
Golan Heights Winery, Israel’s leading producer of quality wines, was established in 1983 by four kibbutzim and four moshavim (cooperative communities). From its foundinguntiltoday,theWineryhasmadeitsmarkandexpandeditsinfluenceonthe Israeli wine world. Its establishment changed the local wine map and shaped the perception ofwine qualityin the mind of the Israeli consumer.TheWineryproduces threelabelswitharangeofvarietiesandstyles:Yarden,GilgalandHermon.
VINEYARDS & TERROIR
AttheforefrontofGolanHeightsWineryistheshareddesiretoexpressterroir-driven wines. Golan HeightsWinerymaintains about 1,557 acres of ownedvineyards, planted across28sitesanddividedintoroughly450blocks.Theuniquevolcanicsoils,extreme winter and summer climate, and varying elevations from 1,300 to almost 4,000 feet lend exceptional identity and range to the Golan Heights terroir. Head Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld joined the winery 30 years ago and has attained world-renowned status for his ability to harness the Golan Heights terroir through constant study, precisionviticultureandtechnologicalinnovationfromvineyardtocellar.
Under the guidance of Schoenfeld and his team, Golan Heights Winery has been fearlessinitspursuitofintroducingnewvarietiessuchasSyrah,PinotNoir,Sangiovese and Gewürztramineraswell as pioneeringwine styles,which include Israel’s first icon wine,YardenKatzrin,thefirsttraditionalmethodsparklingwines(suchasYardenBlanc de Blancs); Moscato made through cryoextraction; Port from original Portuguese varieties; and single vineyard wines that consistently rank among the most awarded wines from Israel. Technology and innovation are always at the forefront for Golan Heights, among the most studied and analyzed agricultural sites in Israel. The team practice precision agriculture with the most sophisticated irrigation management and green practices such as composting and wind-generated electricity. Each vineyard block is mapped and catalogued, with constant monitoring of key variables such as temperature,soilconductivity,growthandwater.
QUALITY & SUSTAINABILITY FIRST
A driving force for quality standards, Golan Heights Winery created a Nursery & Propagation Block, partnering with world leaders ENTAV-INRA to supply clean virus-free plant material to the emerging Israeli wine industry. Most recently, Golan Heights was the first Israeli winery to adopt the LODI RULES from California, the globalstandardinsustainablecertification.
“Wine
conveys a sense of place. It’s possible to sense a wine’s terroir in its flavor, aroma and color.Wine expresses a place’s culture, language and people.”
–Head
Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, Golan Heights Winery
HEAD WINEMAKER, VICTOR SCHOENFELD
Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld is regarded as one of Israel's most influential winemakers. Schoenfeld graduated from UC Davis in 1988with a degree in Enology. Heworked at Robert Mondavi, PrestonVineyards, and Jacquesson & Fils, the esteemed 200-year-old Champagne house, before moving to Israel. In 1991, he joined Golan Heights Winery with a profound winemaking ethos to produce high quality wines that reflect a sense of place. A pioneer in the application of new technology and winemaking techniques, Schoenfeld helped develop Israel's most sophisticated climactic and precision viticultural analysis, irrigation management, and green practices such as compostingandwind-generated electricity.
THE WINES
YARDEN
Yarden is the premier label and flagship brand of Golan Heights Winery.Eachyearthefinestgrapes from the best vineyards are reserved for Yarden wines.
“Yarden” is the Hebrew word for Jordan River, which bisects the Golan Heights from the Galilee. The label features a symbol of ancient Israel: an oil lamp decoratedwithmosaictile.
YARDEN CRU ELITE
Is the first single-vineyard single-blockwineofGolanHeights Winery, launched for the 40th anniversary.
MOUNT HERMON
Named for the highest peak in Israel in northern Golan Heights, the Mount Hermon wines over-deliver on quality, flavorandaffordability.
To lead Israel’s quality wine culture is not a slogan forus; rather, it is ourpurpose andway of life for each one of us at Golan Heights Winery. Itbeginswiththestudyofourterroir, continues through the creation of our wines, and underlines the special activities we undertakeforconsumersofhigh-qualitywines and wine industry professionals. We strive to produce quality wines that express the distinctive features of the Golan Heights: our unique volcanic soils; our snow storms in winter, and long hot days and cold nights of summer; our windy and sun-drenched vineyards; and our team of winegrowers and winemakers, each with impressive experience, abilityandcreativity.
Despite an ancient winemaking history, the modern era of Israeli winemaking is relatively recent. For the past 40 years, Golan Heights Winery has led the way with a constant vision to develop expertise in every endeavor from viticulture and clonal selection to fine winemaking, sustainability and technology, efforts that have elevated Israeli wines to the highestlevelsofinternationalrecognition.
ABOUT GALIL MOUNTAIN WINERY
Unique. Sustainable. Inspiring.
The UpperGalilee mountain range is much more than an abode for Galil Mountain Winery; it’s the Winery’s heart and soul. Sitting in a breathtaking spot atop the Upper Galilee mountain range, the innovativelydesignedwineryiscommittedtorevitalizingtheregion’s richhistoryofwinemaking.Over2,000yearsago,themountainrange –oneofIsrael’shighestatmorethan3,300feetabovesealevel–wasa choice location for the cultivation of quality grapevines. Today, the area’s topography, soil and climate make it an ideal home for the vibrantGalilMountainWinery.
Established as ajointventure in 2000 bytheworld-renowned Golan HeightsWineryandKibbutzYiron,GalilMountainWineryunitesthe best of tradition and technology. Leveraging six area vineyards, a state-of-the-artproductionplantandprovenexpertise,GalilMountain Winery offers an inspired selection of award-winning wines that remainstruetoitsroots.
Uniting the best of tradition and technology, the Galil Mountain vineyardswerethefirsttobecertifiedsustainableinternationallyunder therigorousandrenownedLODIRULESprogram.
Aviv is a highly anticipated new line from Galil Mountain Winery designed for new and casual wine drinkers. Inspired by the Hebrew word for "spring,” Aviv offers a fresh and invitingselection of red, white, and rosé wines and an accessible introduction to the celebrated winemaking traditions ofIsrael’sUpperGalilee
THE VINEYARDS
Galil Mountain cultivates six vineyards with varying topographical and climatic conditions that all contribute to high-quality winemaking. Reaching elevations of 2,800 feet, thevinesenjoywarmsummerdays and cool nights, with snow and frostinwinter.Thesoilsvaryfrom limestone to flint, terra rossa and basalt. Sharing a commitment to sustainability with Golan Heights Winery, the vineyards of Galil MountainWinerywere the first to receive accredited sustainable certificationundertherigorousand renownedLODIRULESprogram.
