Once upon a time in ancient Judea, the slopes of Mount Carmel were covered with vineyards. Wine vessels dating back several thousand years are still found by scientists in different parts of Israel. Judea was famous for its fine wines. Unfortunately, the conquerors who came to the promised land (Arabs, Romans, the Ottoman army) mercilessly cut down and destroyed the famous vineyards. But already in the 19th century, through the efforts of Baron Rothschild, the history of winemaking in the Jewish land gave a new round.
Today in Israel there are 5 conditional zones where they grow grapes and make wine: Shamron, Samson, Negev, Judean hills (Jerusalem), Galilee (north of the country).
The vast majority of grown international varieties: Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Chardonnay. But the ancient varieties are not forgotten - Dabuki, Hamdani, Jandali. Moreover, after conducting complex research on the remains of wine on the walls of the found ancient vessels, scientists were able to restore the recipes of some wines. In those days, Jews added honey and herbs to their wines to make them taste brighter and sweeter.
More than half of the country's vineyards are located in northern Israel. Here the most favorable climate and conditions for the growth of vineyards. Conventionally, the north is divided into upper and lower Galilee, as well as the Golan Heights. Here are the vineyards of the three largest suppliers and producers of Israeli wines. Their products occupy a record 65% of the country's wine market.
Thanks to the height and rocky terrain of the terroirs, as well as abundant rainfall, northern wines are bright and sparkling with freshness. The local varieties are of French origin and are highly valued not only in the domestic but also in international markets.
The Samson region stretches from the foot of the Jerusalem mountains through the central part of the Seaside Valley. The soil here is fertile due to silt deposits and alluvial clay from the hillsides. Warm and moderate winters give way to hot summers with high humidity. Samson occupies an honorable second place among the wine-growing regions in Israel. It produces excellent Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Judean hills, although they do not have such an area as Galilee, are rich in their historical heritage. The first mention of the local vineyards date back to 1700 BC. e. The presence of limestone in the soil and low night temperatures, as well as the special terrain, give excellent results that reflect the wines produced here. For the most part, two varieties are cultivated in the Judean Hills: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vineyards located in the Negev desert grow at an altitude of 700-800 m above sea level. Thanks to the mist that descends in the predawn hours on the mountains of the desert, the vineyards have time to absorb moisture before the hot sun rises over them. At night, the temperature drops sharply, which also gives the vineyards the opportunity to recover from the sizzling heat. In addition to these factors, an artificial computerized reclamation system is used in the vineyards. It is hard to believe it, but scientists have enough evidence and archaeological finds to claim that winemaking in the Negev desert is over 6,000 years old and that this is one of the first wine-growing regions in the world. Merlot and Chardonnay varieties are grown here.
The Shamron or Samaria region in ancient times was a place where wines were made for ritual ceremonies. Local winemakers are making every effort to recreate the recipes of the ancient wines of the region. It has a favorable Mediterranean climate with warm summers and rainy winters. Merlot and France Cabernet are produced in the region.
A distinctive feature of many varieties of wines made in Israel is their kosher quality. Only Shabbat-observant people can work at the winery. Non-believers cannot even touch the equipment. You can not use grapes in the first three years after planting the vine. And every seventh year is given to the vineyard to rest. No products of animal origin are used in the preparation process. These rules are strictly observed at 19 of the 20 largest wineries in Israel.
And another interesting fact of the annual 1% of the wine produced must be destroyed in the presence of the Rabbi.
Of course, not all wineries produce kosher wine. But it is curious that when tasting sommeliers at international exhibitions, they singled out kosher wines, while not knowing about their kosher.
In general, Israel is rapidly conquering the international wine market. There are about 300 small and large wineries operating in the country, and all of them have significant success. The price tag for a bottle of wine can range from 20 shekels to several hundred. Especially expensive wine is offered by small wineries. Their productive capacity per hour is only a few hundred bottles of wine per year. But it is precisely from this that the price is formed, all stages are strictly controlled, there is no flow here, and literally every bottle keeps the warmth of human hands. Often such small wineries experiment and produce not only grape, but also, for example, pomegranate wine.
