Israeli Wine
Around for
Hundreds of Years
By Rita Cook
F
or wine-o-philes looking
for something different,
sommeliers these days will
often direct those wine
drinkers with a discriminating
taste to a variety of wines they have
known about for years. Those wines
are from the country of Israel.
The Holy Land might be known for
religion, but more folks are making
the trek to places like Golan or the
Judean Hills to discover more than
a religious experience. Wines the
thing for these various regions now.
Explore these regio ns below and
make a few stops of your own, as you
learn that indeed, the best wine
might just come from Israel after all.
There are five wine regions in Israel;
Galilee-Golan, Shomron, Samson,
Judean Hills and Negev. There
are a variety of grapes, ranging
from white like Riesling and
Gewurztraminer, which are the
most prominent, to the reds that
include Syrah and Malbec.
Grapes have been a part of what is
especially good Malbec. Wines are
aged in 100% new French oak for
20 to 24 months.
Judean Hills
now the land in Israel for centuries.
Some might even consider it one of
the birthplaces of wine, so today it
is no surprise that there are about
400 wineries in the country. With so
much to choose from, it’s easy to
find the perfect wine no matter
what your taste buds require.
The Galilee- Golan region is north,
in the country located just north
of Nazareth. The region actually
borders Lebanon too. You will find
that the Upper Galilee is 2,400 feet
and the Golan area reaches 3,600
feet, and for many, this climate
makes it a favorite wine region. This
area is considered the premium wine
growing area in the country. It is
here that you will find the largest
number of vineyards and wineries.
This area is nearby Jerusalem, in fact
close enough to make it an easy day
trip. The wineries sit on surrounding
hills or in the valleys west and south
of the city, and grapes are grown on
the terraces of the valleys. The thin
and stony soil makes it perfect for
varieties that include Chardonnay and
Merlot, and most of this wineries in
this region are kosher. Visit Domaine
du Castel, a boutique winery with an
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Galilee-Golan