One has to leave Tel Aviv at a fairly ungodly hour to arrive at Kibbutz Yiron and the Galil Mountain Winery for an early morning tasting but so be it and all is well, especially when winemaker Gaby Sadan is prepared to supply unlimited cups of espresso on arrival. Whatever, on Thursday, 23 February, my day was largely devoted to tastings of the wines of 2003, 2004 and 2005 at the winery.

With its physically beautiful state-of-the-art winery located on Kibbutz Yiron in the Upper Galilee, this joint venture between the Golan Heights Winery and the kibbutz has vineyards located in some of the best wine-growing areas of the Upper Galilee, including Yiron, Meron, Misgav Am, Yiftach and Malkiya.

Californian and French trained and thoroughly talented winemaker Gaby Sadan is currently producing distinctly terroir-based wines in two series. The first label, Yiron, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and the second, the Galil Mountain series, contains varietal releases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sangiovese, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Production from the 2000 vintage was about 300,000 bottles. Since then the winery has grown to an output of between 650,000-700,000 bottles annually and expects to meet its target production of 1–1.2 million bottles annually by 2010.

Most important, what becomes evident after having tasted the wines of this still young winery since its inception is that Galil Mountain has moved into and clearly intends to remain one of the best producers in the country. To add charm to that, the wines remain reasonably enough priced to be excellent value for money. My tasting notes for the day follow.

Best
Rogov

Galil Mountain, Yiron, 2003 (Advance Tasting): A blend this year of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Syrah. Young and vibrant but already showing complexity, depth and elegance. Dark royal purple, with firm but nicely integrating tannins, generous but judicious wood and layers of spicy currant, anise, tar and cedary oak aromas and flavors blending nicely on the long finish. Elegant and deep. Drink from release -2010. Score 92. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Yiron, 2002: A medium to full-bodied oak-aged blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Merlot. Deeply aromatic, dark purple toward black in color, with still muscular tannins but those now integrating well, the wine shows an abundance of blackcurrant, plum, black cherry and berry fruits as well as sweet-cedar wood. Generous and mouth-filling finish with an appealing light herbal-earthy overtone on the finish. Drink now–2009. Score 90. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Yiron, 2001: Dark garnet, showing somewhat more full-bodied than in its youth, this blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot offers still generous tannins and oak but those now in fine tune with blackberry, currant and black cherry fruits. Also on the nose and palate gentle spiciness and now showing a hint of tobacco. Maturing beautifully and with elegance. Drink now-2008. Score 90. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Deep and dark, with full-body and generous near-sweet tannins highlighting ripe plum and berry fruits, spices and a tantalizing overlay of porcini mushrooms. Tentative Score 89-91. (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Dark garnet red, with near-sweet tannins already integrating nicely, and traditional Cabernet currant, berry and light herbal aromas and flavors. Approaching elegance. Best from 2007. Tentative Score 87-89. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Merlot, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Still in embryonic form but showing remarkably deep, almost inky black garnet in color. Full-bodied, with ripe berry, green pepper and light herbal aromas and flavors, those with the promise to come together in a deep and complex terroir-driven wine. Best from 2008. Tentative Score 89-91. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Merlot, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Dark ruby towards garnet, medium-bodied, with soft tannins, and with berry and plum fruits, all on a light peppery background. Round and smooth. Best from release–2008. Tentative Score 87-89. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Pinot Noir, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Still in its formative stages but already showing deep garnet in color, medium-bodied, with firm but nicely yielding tannins. Concentrated and with just enough muscle but subtle and graceful with multiple layers of wild berry, black cherry, currant, raspberry violet and mineral notes. With the definite potential for cellaring. Best from 2007. Tentative Score 91-93. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Pinot Noir, 2004 (Advance Tasting): Showing even better than at barrel tastings. Dark ruby towards garnet in color, with firm tannins well balanced with wood, the two needing time to come together with red berries and plums, black cherries, light herbal notes and, on the finish, fresh strawberries. Concentrated and with the definite potential for length and elegance. Score 90. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain Syrah, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Depth, darkness and light earthy-mineral overtones in this remarkably full-bodied and still firmly tannic wine, but with that enviable balance and structure. In its infancy now but already showing a generous array of black fruits, Oriental spices and black pepper. Not Rhone, not Australia but Galil Mountain! I very rarely quote winemakers in my notes but I have to agree with the winemaker in this case when he describes this as "impressive stuff". Tentative Score 91-93. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Syrah, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Dark, full and bold, with layers of blackberry, blueberry, cocoa, mineral and chocolate complemented by hints of smoky oak. As this one develops look for hints of anise and licorice unfolding on the palate. Best from 2007. Tentative Score 89-91. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Syrah, 2003 (Advance Tasting): Made entirely from Syrah from a very low yield vineyard, full bodied, deep, tannic and concentrated, with generously but not overpoweringly oak, all integrating nicely to show peppery black fruits, hints of grilled meat, and an appealing herbal-chocolate finish. Drink from release-2009. Score 90. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Petit Verdot, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): An experimental wine, still waiting to go into oak that may or may not see the light of day as a varietal release. At this early stage dark, full-bodied, and boasting ripe raspberry, cassis, black pepper and floral notes. Tentative Score 90-92. (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Sangiovese, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Super-dark, almost impenetrable garnet in color, rich, complex and with remarkable finesse for a pure Sangiovese. On the nose and palate plum, cherry, blackberry, anise, currants and wild berries. If this one is going to be released as a varietal it's going to be a beauty! Tentative Score 91-93. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Tasted from yet unblended components now developing in Ameican oak. Concentrated blackberry, blackcurrent and black cherry fruits here, those weaving together beautifully with spicy, peppery notes. All of the potential for a complex, elegant and cellar-worthy wine. Best starting in 2008. Tentative Score 90-92.K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc, 2005 (Advance Tasting): Delicious! Medium-bodied, pale greenish yellow, with a generous citrus nose and on the palate passion fruit, flinty minerals and the hint of an English rose garden after a summer shower. Crisp, lively and elegant. Drink from release-2008. Score 91. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc 2004: Light straw in color, with orange and green reflections, this medium bodied unoaked white shows fine balance between crisp acidity and fruits. On the nose and palate peach, melon and, towards the finish a hint of grassiness that comes in to tease and tantalize. Drink now-2007. Score 89. K (Re-tasted 23 Feb 2006)

Galil Mountain, Rose, 2005 (Advance Tasting): A blend of 65% Sangiovese, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Syrah. On the nose and palate strawberries, wild berries, spices and a hint of mint that comes in on the finish. Medium-bodied and crisp and, with its 13.5% alcohol content, this wine will stand up beautifully to seafood or grilled fish dishes. Lovely and with far more than we have the right to hope for from a rose. Perhaps the best rose ever from Israel. Score 90. K (Tasted 23 Feb 2006)