Israel, history, archaeology, wine and boutique vineyards … What is the connection?
Israel's wine history began when Noah planted the first vineyard after leaving the ark and when Moses sent twelve spies across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Even the Pharaohs enjoyed the Canaanite wines and in Roman times, growing grapes for wine was a very profitable industry. The modern Israeli wine industry was founded by Baron Edmond James de Rothschild in the late 19th century and flourished from the 1980s. By October 2013, the expected amount of grapes for wine production is 62,000 tons. In 2013, Israel aimed to produce 42 million bottles, 77% red wines, and 23% white.
Tour the well established and boutique vineyards in the Galilee and the Golan Heights, around Jerusalem, in land and along the coast and in the south of Israel and you will discover amazing labels, taste the creations for which winemakers have won international prizes and at the same time learn about the history and tourist sites of Israel. There won't be a dull moment as there are approximately 300 wineries spread around Israel (40 commercial wineries, and hundreds of boutique wine producers which harvest grapes from 57,000 dunams).
Let's start in the Galilee and the Golan Heights region. The wineries in this region include many boutiques as well as Chateau Golan, Bazelet Hagolan, and the Golan Heights Winery with the Yarden, Gamla, and Golan labels. This area has 1,600 acres of vineyards planted at heights of 4,000 feet.
As you travel from one winery to the other you can visit any one of the tourist sites around the Sea of Galilee, along the Jesus Trail, in the Hula Nature Reserve, the artist colonies in Safed and Rosh Pina, the Circassian and Druze villages and the Old City of Acre.
South of Haifa, along the Carmel mountain range to the Sharon Region (Shomron), close to the Mediterranean Sea, is Israel’s largest wine growing region. The main concentration of vineyards is around the winery towns of Zichron Yaakov (the Carmel and Tishbi labels) and Binyamina (the Binyamina label).
If you would like to concentrate on wineries in Jerusalem and the surrounding Judean Hills, you should know that the first recorded winery was opened in 1848 in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Tzora Vineyards is one of the pioneers of winemaking in this area and there are also many boutique wineries in the vicinity. Many of the vineyards are grown on terraces or in narrow valleys. There are small areas of vineyards north of Jerusalem, extending to south of Hebron. Some boutique wineries are Castel and Efrat.
If you are already in Jerusalem, you have to see the religious and archaeological sites for the three main monotheistic religions in the Old City, the New City's museums, Mini Israel, the Israeli Parliament building. You can’t miss the Dead Sea, where you can enjoy the mineral mud in the sea as well as amazing spa treatments.
The Samson region of wine growing includes the coastal plain and the Judean lowlands and is named after Samson, the biblical hero. This region includes the Carmel and Barkan vineyards around Rishon Lezion, Latrun Monastery and Rehovot. This region is of course a short drive away from Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps, with its numerous beaches, night life venues, shopping, restaurants and museums.
The southern most region is that of the northern Negev desert hills where new vineyards have been planted. Carmel, Tishbi and Barkan have planted vineyards here. The aroma and flavors of the wines from this semi-arid area with extreme day and night temperatures are something to be experienced.
Le Chaim!!! To Life !!!