Chillag Winery has produced a new quality wine made from the Petite Sirah variety. Chillag Petite Sirah 2006 was produced from a vineyard in the Jerusalem Hills at 750 meters above sea level. It was aged in oak barrels for 24 months. The good news is that it is another quality Petite Sirah. The bad news is that only 600 bottles have been produced, so it will be expensive and very strictly allocated.

Chillag Winery is based at Yehud, near Tel Aviv. It is owned by Orna Chillag, who trained in Italy, one of Israel’s most prominent women winemakers.

Petite Sirah is a variety that came to Israel in the 1970’s and it was mainly used in inexpensive blends. Since then more and more wineries see it as a variety which is very suitable for Israel’s hot climate. With low yields from old vine vineyards, it can produce a wine with individuality and character as has been shown by Carmel, Vitkin and Sea Horse wineries.