01.04.2012
VINEYARDS
Israel is usually regarded as being part of the Middle East. It may be more accurately considered as being situated in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region also referred to as the Near East or ‘The Levant.’
Climate: Mainly Mediterranean. Long , hot dry summers; short wet winters; snow on higher ground. Also semi arid & desert conditions in the Negev.
Soils: Volcanic in north ; sandy red soils on coast & chalk & limestone on hills.
Hectares: 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres; 50, 000 dunams).
Harvest (metric tons):
2010: 45,693 2009: 43,813 2008: 43,987 2007: 42,156 2006: 45,175 2005: 45,483
2004: 53,468; 2003: 45,242; 2002: 43,077; 2001: 44,653 (1995: 31,668).
Vintage: August to end of October - (often begins late July & occasionally ends early November); Machine & hand harvested.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Israel’s traditional volume varieties, Carignan & Colombard, apart from some quality old vine Carignans, are usually only used in inexpensive blends. They are gradually being replaced by international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc. Shiraz is proving both popular & suitable for Israel’s climate. Bordeaux varieties have been most successful to date, yet Mediterranean varieties may be more suitable in the longer term.
Main Varieties used for Table Wines:
Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Shiraz / Syrah; Cabernet Franc; Carignan; Petit Sirah; Argaman;
Pertit Verdot; Malbec; Pinot Noir; Sangiovese; Barbera; Zinfandel.
Chardonnay; Sauvignon Blanc; Gewurztraminer; Viognier; White Riesling; Emerald Riesling; Chenin Blanc; Semillon; Muscat Canelli; Muscat of Alexandria.
Varieties by Quantity (% of hectares):
Cabernet Sauvignon 25%; Merlot 20%; Carignan 16%; Shiraz / Syrah 7%; Sauvignon Blanc 5%; Muscat of Alexandria 5%; Chardonnay 4%; Colombard 3%; Argaman 3%; Petite Sirah 3%; Emerald Riesling 3%; Cabernet Franc 2%; Petit Verdot 1%; Viognier 1%.;
Varieties – Metric Tons at Harvest (%):
Cabernet Sauvignon 21%; Carignan 17%; Merlot 14%; Colombard 5%; Shiraz/ Syrah 6%; Emerald Riesling 4%; Muscat of Alexandria 4%; Sauvignon Blanc 4%; Argaman 4%; Chardonnay 3%; Petite Sirah 3%; Cabernet Franc 2%; Petit Verdot 2%; Malbec 1%; Viognier 1%;
Other Varieties:
Barbera; Chenin Blanc; Gamay Noir; Gewurztraminer; Grenache; Malbec; Muscat Canelli; Muscat Hamburg; Pinot Noir; Pinotage; Ruby Cabernet; Sangiovese; Semillion; White Riesling; Zinfandel.
New Varieties:
Mourvedre; Nebbiolo; Tempranillo; Pinot Blanc, Roussanne, Touriga Nacional
WINERIES
The three largest wineries – Carmel, Barkan & Golan, (along with their respective subsidiaries: Yatir, Segal & Galil Mountain) account for over 65% of the 2011 harvest.
The top 5 wineries total nearly 80 % of the harvest and the top 12 account for 94%.
Number of Commercial Wineries: 35
Number of boutique Wineries & Garagistes: 250 +
Large Wineries – harvesting more than 2,500 metric tons (2.1 million bottles + ):
1. Carmel Winery – Zichron Ya’acov, Rishon Le Zion, Kayoumi, Yatir
2. Barkan Wine Cellars – Hulda
3. Golan Heights Winery – Katzrin
4. Teperberg 1870 – Tzora
5. Binyamina Wine Cellars - Binyamina
Medium Sized Wineries – more than 800 metric tons (672,000 bots + ):
6. Tishbi - Binyamina
7. Zion – Mishor Adomim
8. Galil Mountain – Yiron
9. Recanati Winery – Emek Hefer
10. Tabor Winery – Tabor
11. Dalton Winery – Dalton
12. Arza – Mishor Adomim
Small Wineries - between 100 – 800 metric tons (90,000 – 450,000 bots):
Hebron Heights; Jerusalem; Latroun; Ella Valley; Mony; Yatir; Flam: Cremisan; Castel; Tzora; Tulip; Hacormim;
Commercial Boutique Wineries– between 50 – 100 metric tons (45,000 – 90,000 bots):
Psagot;; Saslove; Pelter; Odem Mountain; Bazelet Hagolan; Chateau Golan; Tzuba; Clos de Gat; Shilo; Alexander; Amphorae; Kadesh Barnea;
Boutique Wineries – a selection of the most prominent, 15 – 50 metric tons(13,500 – 45,000 bots):
Adir; Agur; Assaf; Avidan; Ben Haim; Chillag; Gush Etzion; Hamasrek; Karmei Yosef; Margalit; Sea Horse; Tanya; Vitkin. Yaffo;
Garagistes – a selection of the most prominent, less than 15 metric tons (< 13,500 bots):
Ben Hanna; Bustan; Gustavo & Jo; Gvaot; Hans Sternbach; Lewinsohn; Meishar; Ramat Naftaly; Red Poetry; Ruth; Sde Boker; Somek; Sorek; Shvo; Trio; Zauberman;
ISRAELI MARKET
Wine Market in Israel: $175 million dollars annually
Imports: 20%, mainly from 1. France; 2. Italy; 3. Chile
Consumption: 4 liters a head
% Red v’s White Wines: 75% red wines; 20% white wines
EXPORT
Export of Israeli Wines ($million):
2008: $ 26.7m. 2007: $ 21.1m. 2006: $ 14.8m. 2005: $ 14.6 m.; 2004: $ 13.7m.; 2003: $ 11.3 m.; (2001: $ 8.01 m.)
Main Importers of Israeli Wines :
1. U.S.A; 2. France; 3. Holland; 4. U.K; 5. Canada; 6. Germany
Sales: 55+% of exports to North America; 35+% to Western Europe; Remainder to more than 30 countries in 5 continents.
Main Exporting Wineries:
· Barkan, Carmel & Golan Heights each export over $ 2.5 m. dollars worth of wine and have the majority of Israel’s exports
· 90% of Israel’s exports are from the following 12 wineries: Barkan; Binyamina; Carmel, Castel; Dalton; Ella Valley; Galil Mountain; Golan Heights, Recanati; Tabor; Teperberg; Tishbi.
ISRAELI WINERY RANKINGS
Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2011:
· Four Stars: Castel
· Three to Four Stars: Yatir
· Three Stars: Clos de Gat; Golan Heights, Margalit
· Two to Three Stars: Carmel,Chateau Golan, Flam, Galil Mountain, Pelter
· Two Stars: Barkan-Segal, Ella Valley; Pelter, Recanati, Saslove, Tulip, Tzora
Vitkin
· One to Two Stars: Agur, Alexander; Avidan; Binyamina; Chillag, Dalton, Ella Valley, Sea Horse, Tabor,
· One Star: Bazelet ha Golan, Mony; Teperberg, Tishbi, Zion
Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2011:
1. Golan Heights
2. Yatir
3. Margalit
4. Castel
5. Clos de Gat
6. Flam;
7. Chateau Golan
8. Pelter
9. Carmel
10. Galil Mountain.
ISRAELI WINE SCORES
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – Scores of 91 points or above
Yatir Forest 2003 93 points
Castel Grand Vin 2008 93
Clos du Gat Sycra Muscat 2007 93
Castel Grand Vin 2004 92
Clos du Gat Sycra Syrah 2007 92
Tzora Or 2006 92
Carmel Limited Edition 2007 91
C Blanc du Castel 2005 91
Castel Grand Vin 2007 91
Yatir Forest 2004 91
Yatir Forest 2006 91
Yatir Forest 2007 91
Yarden HeightsWine 2005 91
Yarden Katzrin 2003 91
Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2011 – Scores of 93 points or above
Golan Heights Winery – 8 wines
Carmel – 5
Castel, Clos de Gat, Margalit – 4
Pelter, Yatir – 2
Parker’s Wine Buyers Guide No. 7
· Four Wines - 90 or more points: Castel
· Two Wines - 90 or more points: Carmel, Golan Heights, Yatir
· One Wine - 90 or more points: Clos de Gat, Galil Mountain, Margalit, Pelter, Tulip,
Tzora, Vitkin
· Other wineries listed: Alexander, Ben Hanna, Bustan, Chillag, Clos de Gat,
Ella Valley, Flam, Saslove, Tabor,
WINE REGIONS
Hectares of Vineyards by Wine Region (%):
· Galilee 41% - mainly Upper Galilee & Golan Heights
· Samson 27% - vineyards in central coastal plain, Shefela, Judean Lowlands
· Shomron 17% - southern Mt. Carmel - mainly in valleys around Zichron Ya’acov
· Judean Hills 10% - mainly Judean Foothills, Jerusalem, Gush Etzion & Yatir Forest - southern Judean Hills
· Negev5% - mainly Ramat Arad, Sde Boker & Mitzpe Ramon
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WINE REGIONS
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Region in Hebrew
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Name in English
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Vineyard Areas
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Galil
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Galilee
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· Upper Galilee
· Lower Galilee
· Golan Heights
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Shomron
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Samaria
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· Mt. Carmel
· Sharon
· Shomron Hills
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Shimshon
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Samson
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· Central Coastal
· Judean Lowlands
· Judean Foothills
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Harey Yehuda
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Judean Hills
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· Jerusalem
· Gush Etzion
· Yatir Forest
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Hanegev
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Negev
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· NE Negev
· Central Negev
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Wine regions in bold type are registered with the TTB (USA) and the European Community.
THIRD PARTY RECOMMENDATION
“The corner has clearly been turned qualitatively. Israel has a real wine industry that deserves consumer attention. There are attractive wines with typicity and some distinction….Many are classic and charming and the best will impress anyone.”
Mark Squires, Wine Advocate
“The…wines are getting better all the time and some of them are superb”
Robert Parker, Business Week
“New vineyards with classic varieties and a focus on cool climate, high altitude regions…has transformed Israeli wines, as has modern technology and internationally trained winemakers.”
Hugh Johnson, Pocket Wine Book
“Modern winemaking techniques are most apparent… resulting in a dramatic improvement in wine quality”
Jancis Robinson MW
"Israel is on track to make wines with a distinctive style and taste. Its an amazing turnaround for a nation that has been mostly overlooked in the world wine sweepstakes."
Kim Marcus, The Wine Spectator
“Israel’s best Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots are exceptional”
Andrew Jefford, Wine Magazine
“Israel has developed a wine industry that will confound preconceptions.”
Mark Squires, Wine Advocate
“Israel is a rising star of the wine world”
Oz Clarke, Wine
“ In such a climate, tending vineyards and producing wine is an act of courage and of optimism. I have enormous admiration for the majority of Israel’s winemakers…. Surrounded by anger, dogma, devastation, deprivation, mutual suspicion and….politics, they offer the possibility of hope for a better future.”
Tim Atkin MW, The Observer/ Off Licence News
“Once recommendation of Israel wines was mostly of a sentimental nature. That is no longer necessary.”
Frank Prial, New York Times
“No-one should avoid wines simply because they have kosher certification. It seems generally irrelevant.” Wine Advocate
SOURCES
Israel Wine & Grapes Board (Ministry of Agriculture);
Israel Wine Institute; Israel Export Institute (both Ministry of Trade & Industry);
Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2011, Daniel Rogov (Toby Press)
The Wine Route of Israel, Eliezer Sacks (Cordinata)
The Bible of Israeli Wines, Michael Ben-Joseph (Modan)
The Book of New Israeli Food, Janna Gur (Al Ha’Shulchan)
Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide No. 7, Robert Parker (Simon & Schuster)
Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2011, Hugh Johnson (Mitchell Beazley)
The Oxford Companion To Wine, Jancis Robinson MW (Oxford)
Wine Report 2009, Tom Stevenson (DK)
The Vine & Wine in Archaeology of The Land of Israel, Prof. Amos Hadas (Kronenberg)
Drink & Be Merry, Michal Dayagi-Mendels (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem)
Features on Israeli In Wine Magazines/ Journals
Wine Advocate written by Mark Squires
Wine Spectator by Kim Marcus
Decanter by Stephen Brook
Wine & Spirit by Tim Atkin MW
Harpers W & S by Adam Montefiore
The Wine News by Howard Goldberg
Wine Magazine by Andrew Jefford
Drinks International by Adam Montefiore
I buy Israeli wines in my country (Not for Israelis)
