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Arfi Winery Gabriel Merlot 2011 750ml

size
750ml
country
Israel
Image of bottle
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Arfi Winery Gabriel Merlot 2011 750ml

SKU 751830
Out of Stock
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barrel

Vintage: 2011

The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines. In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
green grapes

Varietal: Merlot

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.
fields

Country: Israel

The vineyards of Israel have long been associated with high quality wines, and the wineries which operate within the country use the fantastic Mediterranean climate and mineral rich soils to grow fine French grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc all over the country. Israel has five major wine regions; Galil, The Judean Hills, Shimshon, The Negev, and the Sharon Plain, with many of the most successful vineyards being located at high altitudes to benefit from the cooler temperatures and stronger breezes the vines need to produce better yields. Today, Israeli wineries are proving to be highly successful with audiences around the world, and the fact that the vast majority of Israeli wines are made to kosher requirements mean they are often in high demand amongst the worldwide Jewish population, although they are also highly popular with people of all backgrounds.