Winemaker Notes
In 1925, Yankel Hirsh Segal and his family emigrated to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv. Brothers Elhanan and Yehezkel established Israel's first distillery in the German colony known as Sharona, or Kirya, in Tel Aviv. Their experience and reputation led them, in the 1930s, to be asked by the French rulers to set up distilleries in Beirut and Damascus. In 1954 the family decided to concentrate on wine production. The winery moved to Ramle, and was called the Zvi Vineyard. The name was later changed to Segal Wines. All the winery's bottles bear the Segal wine logo, reproduced in Zvi Hirsh's own handwriting.
In 2001,Segal's was bought out by the Barkan Group. The new management recognized the quality and tradition of Segal's wines, and allowed it to be managed as an independent winery, with separate cinders and installations and it's own unique production process.
Winemaker Avi Feldstein is a former poet, journalist and barman. He first started out as a tour guide, later becoming a professional manager in charge of development. Avi had the best training possible for becoming a winemaker, learning everything in the vineyards from experienced winemaking veterans.
With a rich history of wine production dating back to biblical times, Israel is a part of the cradle of wine civilization. Here, wine was commonly used for religious ceremonies as well as for general consumption. During Roman times, it was a popular export, but during Islamic rule around 1300, production was virtually extinguished. The modern era of Israeli winemaking began in the late 19th century with help from Bordeaux’s Rothschild family. Accordingly, most grapes grown in Israel today are made from native French varieties. Indigenous varieties are all but extinct, though oenologists have made recent attempts to rediscover ancient varieties such as Marawi for commercial wine production.
In Israel’s Mediterranean climate, humidity and drought can be problematic, concentrating much of the country’s grape growing in the north near Galilee, Samaria near the coast and at higher elevations in the east. The most successful red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, while the best whites are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Many, though by no means all, Israeli wines are certified Kosher.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.