Golan Heights Winery Sweeps Top International Prizes

NEW YORK, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Golan Heights Winery continues to pave the way for excellence in Israeli winemaking.  In 2008, Golan Heights Winery became the first winery from Israel to rank in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of the Year, an accomplishment which the winery will equal with Israeli winemaking "firsts" at the 2011 VinItaly competition and Les Citadelles du Vin in Bordeaux.

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In March 2011, Golan Heights Winery won the prestigious Gran VinItaly Special Award for Best Wine Producer of the Year at the 19th International VinItaly 2011 Wine Competition, held in Verona, Italy. The winery bested over 1,000 wine producers from 30 different countries, including France, Italy and Spain. Golan Heights Winery also received two Grand Gold Medals at VinItaly for the 2009 Yarden Odem Organic Vineyard Chardonnay and the dessert-style 2008 Yarden HeightsWine, an achievement that earned special recognition for most Gold Medals at this year's VinItaly.

"Winning the Gran VinItaly Award is yet another sign of respect for the Israeli wine industry, and Golan Heights Winery in particular, placing the country at the center of the international wine world," said Anat Levi, CEO of Golan Heights Winery. "As shown by this historic achievement, our wines are competing successfully with the world's top-quality wines, and representing us with honor. We are excelling internationally thanks to the intensive efforts of our world-caliber winegrowing and winemaking team under the leadership of Head Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, who has achieved our vision of quality and excellence for two decades."

On June 18, Golan Heights will receive the Citadelles du Vin 2011 Gold Medal for the 2009 Yarden Odem Organic Vineyard Chardonnay. Sister winery, Galil Mountain Winery, also received  a gold medal for the Galil Mountain Meron 2007. In addition, Golan Heights will accept a Special Prize for distinction for winemaking from Israel. Situated in Bordeaux, the Citadelles du Vin is a widely-acclaimed international competition that evaluates over 1,000 wines from 300 appellations and 20 countries in a blind tasting format. For more information, visit www.citadellesduvin.com.

"I am confident that Golan Heights Winery will continue to create remarkable wines," added Levi, "and bring the quality taste of Israeli wines to discerning wine enthusiasts in Israel and around the world."

SOURCE Golan Heights Winery