February 2009 Golan Heights Winery Proudly Presents its Flagship Wine: 2004 Yarden Katzrin Golan Heights Winery announced today the release of 2004 Yarden Katzrin at a press conference held on Mount Bental on the Golan Heights. This release represents the first time ever that the Winery has produced its flagship Katzrin wine in two consecutive years, reflecting the superior quality of both the 2003 and 2004 vintages. Yarden Katzrin, which is produced only in years of exceptional grape quality, is the Winery's final red wine from the 2004 vintage. This harvest already has been crowned as one of the best ever for Golan Heights Winery, and was found particularly appropriate for creating this premier red wine. A super premium wine, 2004 Yarden Katzrin is the most outstanding expression of the philosophy and vision of Golan Heights Winery. "Yarden Katzrin conveys the rare quality of Golan Heights Winery. The wine blends together the best of various vineyards and varieties, articulating the creativity and excellence that lie at the heart of our Winery and the people who make our wines," said Anat Levi-Rushansky, CEO of Golan Heights Winery. "We believe that perfection is in the details, and therefore invest heavily throughout the creative process – from attentively caring for our vineyards, to carefully treating individual blocks, to meticulously producing our wines." 2004 Yarden Katzrin is the sixth Katzrin wine ever produced, joining its predecessors from the 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2003 vintages. Like these previous wines, which earned critical acclaim in Israel and abroad, 2004 Yarden Katzrin displays exceptionally rare qualities. "The final varietal breakdown of Yarden Katzrin is always a result of blending and is never predetermined. In the case of 2004 Yarden Katzrin, the wine comprises 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot," said Victor Schoenfeld, Head Winemaker of Golan Heights Winery. "The grapes come from our finest vineyards in the central and northern Golan, including El Rom, Allone Habashan, Tel Phares and Ortal, as well as the Ramot Naftali vineyard in the Upper Galilee. Wines derived from different vineyard blocks were aged separately in new French oak barrels for 18 months. We then prepared the final blend, which was returned to the barrels for another 6 months." 2004 Yarden Katzrin is being issued in a limited and numbered edition of only 12,000 bottles. The Wine 2004 Yarden Katzrin shows off ripe notes of black fruits layered with earth and tobacco, along with hints of orange zest and fresh herbs. The wine is deep, rich and complex, with full body and flavor. Delicious upon release, the wine will benefit from some aging, and will remain in good drinking condition for fifteen to twenty years. Yarden Katzrin is a special wine that is ideal for festive occasions, and thought should go into pairing it with fine food. One suggested dish to complement Yarden Katzrin is marinated lamb shoulder stuffed with wild mushrooms, roasted slowly over wood embers. The Vintage Colder-than-average temperatures and heavy rainfall typified the winter preceding the 2004 harvest. March and April brought unusually warm and dry weather, causing early budbreak in warmer vineyards. Relatively cool temperatures returned in May, putting the season back on track, which ended in a hectic, relatively short harvest. Very promising across-the-board quality and average-size yields characterized the vintage. The Analyses Alcohol (v/v) 15.0% Titratable Acidity (TA) 6.5 g/L pH 3.65 Sweetness (RS) Dry The Appellation The Galilee (or Galil) is the most northern, and generally considered the best, appellation in Israel. The highest quality area within the appellation is the Golan Heights (or simply the Golan), the coldest region in Israel. The vineyards on this volcanic plateau rise from 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level to 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) and receive snowfall in the winter.