Israel
Quite possibly the region that wine was first drunk (or close to the region), Israel is not on the top of most
lists for best wine regions. In fact, the conditions in the country are perfect for growing grapes, but reasons
such as money, inexperience and apathy have kept the area from becoming a world-wide wine region. That said,
Israel makes some top-notch wines and the amount of vine area continues to increase.
Notable Facts
In the late 1800's, Baron Edmond de Rothschild gave a generous donation to wine making in Israel. He also sent
over some French grapes, including Carignan,
Chenin Blanc and
Muscat. These grapes are found growing throughout
the country. There are five main regions in Israel, the two best known being Galilee and Samaria. The region
with the most wineries and wine potential is Galilee. Within Galilee lies Golan Heights, both a sub-region and
a company. As a sub-region, Golan Heights has perfect altitude and soils to grow international varieties and
the wines coming out of the region are excellent. As a company, Golan Heights exports the most wine out of
Israel including Yarden, Gamla and Golan. Other notable producers include Recanati,Tishbi and Barkan. These producers
are making wines that are dry, complex and high-quality.
