This wine is sourced from Barkan's choice Upper Galilee vineyards. These great terroirs, whose expression was brought to the fore by Barkan's team of growers and winemakers, have resulted in this special wine. The growing season of 2006 has been a challenging one, from several aspects. Despite the lowish yields and the good results obtained with Shiraz and Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon wines, our mainstay, were inconsistent, sometimes because of a heat wave at pre-harvest. Despite this fact, our high altitude vineyards were the ones who dealt best with the heat – Dovev and Alma to name two. As to our Dishon vineyard, located at 430 m. in the Kedesh Valley, its position caused its exposure to the sun to be shorter. The grapes finally harvested in these vineyards showed a remarkable accumulation of phenolics and aroma compounds, as well as a terrific balance. Very early on, the wines were showing impressive balance and elegance, which we didn't expect given this season's climatic events. Tasting notes: The wine boasts a deep, brilliant ruby hue, with traces of purple tint still evident. When first poured, the wine is very tight and unyielding. It then begins to unfold and open up in the glass. Initially the nose is dominated by deep oak resins, those not at all sweet but rather elegantly spicy. As the minutes pass, a far greater complexity of intense black fruit is revealed, with hints of black cherries, blueberries and blackcurrants as well as a touch of cloves, cigar box and a refreshing streak of eucalyptus. As the wine opens, the oaky layers recede, allowing this abundant fruit to take center stage. After four hours from opening, an enchanting floral note appears, together with a hint of strawberry confiture. The palate is redolent with intense, rich fruit, yet the main impression left is one of elegant, complex refinement. The wine is solidly structured yet amazingly soft-textured.