Tal Gal-Cohen*
VINEYARDS
Israel apart from being part of the Middle East is also often regarded as being part of the Eastern Mediterranean; Near East; or The Levant.
Climate: Mediterranean; Long, hot dry summers; short wet winters; snow on higher ground.
Soils: Volcanic in north to sandy red soils of coast & chalk & limestone on hills.
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Syrah; Cabernet Franc; Chardonnay; Sauvignon Blanc; Gewurztraminer; White Riesling; Emerald Riesling; Muscat Canelli, Muscat of Alexandria.
Harvest 2004: 52,000 tons.
Vineyards: 4,000 hectares; 10,000 acres; 40,000 dunams.
Vintage: August to end of October; Machine & hand harvested.
WINERIES
The five largest wineries account for 87% of production; the top 10 wineries total 95% of production.
Large Wineries (million bottles +):
1. Carmel – Rishon Le Zion, Zichron Ya’acov,Yatir, Ramat Dalton;
2. Barkan – Hulda, Barkan;
3. Golan Heights – Katzrin, Yiron;
4. Efrat - Motza
5. Binyamina - Binyamina
Medium Sized Wineries (450,000 bottles +): 6. Tel Arza;
7. Tishbi; 8 Galil Mountain; 9. Dalton; 10. Recanati.
Small Wineries (100,000 bottles +): 11. Hacormim; 12. Zion
13. Tabor; 14.Yatir 15. Ella; 16. Latroun; 17. Tzora; 18. Domaine du Castel; 19. Amphorae.
Boutique Wineries (some of the 150 boutique wineries): Alexander; Bazelet ha’Golan; Ben Haim; Carmei Yosef; Chateau Golan; Chillag; Cremisan; Deux Paysans; Flam; Gush Etzion; Gustavo & Jo; Harel; Margalit; Mayshar; Meron; Saslove; Sde Boker; Sea Horse; Sorek; Zauberman.
Main Exporting Wineries: Carmel, Golan Heights; Barkan; Tishbi; Efrat; Dalton; Recanati; Binyamina; Galil Mountain; Domaine du Castel.
MARKETS – ISRAEL & EXPORT
Wine Market in Israel: 150 million dollars. (20% imports.)
Consumption: 6-7 liters a head
Export of Israeli Wines 2003: 11.3 million dollars – to 40 countries
ISRAELI WINERY RANKINGS
Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2005:
1. Domaine du Castel; 2. Golan Heights Winery; 3 = Flam;
3 = Yatir; 5. Margalit; 6. Amphorae
Daniel Rogov’s Wine Guide 2005:
1. Golan Heights Winery; 2. Domaine du Castel; 3. Flam;
4. Amphorae; 5. Margalit; 6. Dalton
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WINE REGIONS
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Region in Hebrew |
Name in English |
Vineyard Areas |
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Galil |
Galilee |
Upper Galilee
Lower Galilee
Golan Heights |
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Shomron |
Samaria |
Mt. Carmel
Sharon |
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Shimshon |
Samson |
Dan
Adulam
Latrun |
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Harey Yehuda |
Judean Hills |
Beth-El
Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Hebron |
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Hanegev |
Negev |
Ramat Arad
Central Negev |
*Tal Gal Cohen - The Author of " The Wine Route - The Wineries of Israel"
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