Carmel Winery has decided to concentrate on its core business of grape related products in future and will therefore continue to produce table wines, kiddush wines, grape juice & brandy. However the number of products has been rationalized & Carmel has withdrawn from the olive oil, vinegars, gourmet, spirits & liqueurs market (apart from brandy & Sabra.)
Carmel has also decided to focus its resources on under ten countries in export instead of the forty it sold to previously.
The main brands now sold in export include:
- Table Wines – Single Vineyard, Appellation, Private Collection, Vineyards Selected
- Sacramental Wines – King David, Palwin
- Grape Juice – Tirosh
- Quality spirits – 777 Brandy, Sabra Liqueurs
Brief details are as follows:
TABLE WINES
LIMITED EDITION – Carmel Limited Edition is a Bordeaux blend – the Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Galilee, the Merlot from the Shomron & the Cabernet Franc from Judean Hills. This is a de luxe, ‘stand alone’ wine. The first release had rave reviews. The 2003 is thought to be even better.
SINGLE VINEYARD (Kerem in Israel) – Carmel was the first winery in Israel to come out with a range of ‘single vineyard wines.’ These wines come from a particular vineyard, which is selected for its quality. If the resulting wine matches up to the required standard, it is released under the Single Vineyard label. If it falls short, it is not released, but blended into a “regional’ wine. One of Carmel’s winemaking team takes responsibility of the whole winemaking process from the vineyard to the bottle. These wines are not produced in Carmel’s big wineries, but at one of Carmel’s boutique, smaller wineries: Ramat Dalton in the Upper Galilee, the Zichron boutique – part of the Zichron Ya’acov Winery, or at Yatir Winery at Tel Arad. All of the last wines released were notable for receiving a score of 90+ given by leading wine critic, Daniel Rogov. The wines are kosher, but not mevushal. The main vineyards are:
Zarit – from the Kadesh Valley in the Upper Galilee, on the northern border with Lebanon. The vineyard is 400 meters above sea level; The soil is a mixture of terra rossa & chalk. The Zarit Caberrnet Sauvignon is one of Carmel’s finest red wines – which seems to improve each year.
Ramat Arad – a famous, large vineyard of 75 hectares in the north-east Negev, situated at Tel Arad. Altitude 500 meters; The soil is loess, sandy loam. Ramat Arad Sauvignon Blanc is one of the best Sauvignon Blancs in the country.
Sha’al – high up in the northern Golan Heights, lies the Sha’al vineyard; 750 meters above sea level. The soil is volcanic, basalt stone. The newly released Sha’al Gewurztraminer Dessert Wine received 92 points from Daniel Rogov.
Kayoumi – a new vineyard, but potentially one of the very best, from the foothills of Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee. It is 750 meters altitude and the soil is a mixture of basalt stone & limestone. The Kayoumi Shiraz was voted first in a tasting of the best Israeli ‘futures’ by the Israeli magazine ‘Wine & Gourmet’.
Ben Zimra – One of Israel’s largest & most over-used vineyard areas - & Carmel has access to one of its higher quality plots. The vineyard is 750 meters high and has basalt, volcanic soil. Carmel produced a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from there in 2002 – and a Merlot in 2003. All depends on the quality of the vintage.
APPELLATION (Yayinot Eizory in Israel) – ‘Appellation’ wines correspond to the ‘Regional’ wines sold in Israel. A Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Chardonnay are exported under this label. The wines, which come from sub regions, represent excellent value for money. The labels feature a series of cartoon animals that feature in the Bible, including a deer, a camel, an ostrich etc. The Chardonnay produced from Upper Galilee vineyards only, has recently been released & the Cabernet Franc was quickly sold out both in Israel and the USA. The wines are 100% kosher, but not mevushal.
PRIVATE COLLECTION – This label was first launched in 1988 as an occasional de luxe wine, at a time when the ‘Rothschild’ label was the premier label of Carmel. Then it replaced the Rothschild series as the main label. Today in Israel, Private Collection wines represent the best premium wines in the mass market. The elegant, flange style bottle is very much associated with Private Collection. In Israel the label still shows portrait of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the founder of Carmel & of the modern Israel wine industry, but the export label is in a royal blue color, which gives an image of quality. The wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Merlot, Chardonnay & Sauvignon Chardonnay. For export, all Private Collection wines are mevushal.
VINEYARDS SELECTED (Selected in Israel) – ‘Selected’ is the biggest selling brand in Israel and it is a brand that has been around for over 25 years. In export the similar brand was called Carmel Vineyards – which even preceded the Selected. In recent years the two have been combined to Vineyards Selected. These are the fighting varietals in the export market place. The new silver labels were introduced after the 25 year anniversary.The wines include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Shiraz, White Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Emerald Riesling-Chenin Blanc and Moscato di Carmel. The wines are mevushal.
HANDCRAFTED WINES OF ISRAEL – Carmel pioneered the idea of a large company representing a number of boutique wineries. This has since been copied by others both within Israel & export. The wines that remain in the group, which are marketed alongside Carmel wines in export markets, are:
Yatir Winery – A new boutique winery, 50% owned by Carmel. It is already ranked as one of thetop five wineries in Israel, exports to 11 countries and has won the top prize in wine tasting competitions both in Bordeaux & Tel Aviv. Yatir Winery is situated at Tel Arad in the Negev, and the vineyards come from Yatir Forest, in the southern Judean Hills, 900 meters above sea level. The wines exported are the premier label, Yatir Forest, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, & second label, Yatir Cabernet Merlot Shiraz. The wines are kosher, but not mevushal.
Guest Winemakers – Barry Saslove & Orna Chillag own high quality boutique wineries producing wines that are not kosher. In 2003 they made their first kosher wines as ‘guest winemakers’ at Carmel, both producing Cabernet Sauvignons from the Upper Galilee, which were quickly sold out in export markets. The K by Saslove Cabernet Sauvignon was made at Zichron Ya’acov Winery & the Orna Cabernet Sauvignon at Rishon Le Zion Winery. The wines are kosher but not mevushal.
SPARKLING WINE
PRESIDENT is a sparkling wine made by the charmat process from French Colombard grapes. Extra dry, it is suitable for weddings, celebrations etc.
SACRAMENTAL WINES
KING DAVID – King David is the biggest selling brand of quality sacramental and kiddush wines in Israel & in export markets. The wines are used by Jews as Kiddush Wines and by Christians as ‘Altar Wines from the Holy Land.’ The wines for export are made by a mistelle – grape juice is added for the sweetness. There is no added sugar. Concorde & Sacramental are the most popular.
PALWIN - Palwin wines are the biggest selling brand of kosher wine in England. It is also arguably the oldest kosher wine brand in the world. The name comes from the Palestine Wine & Trading Company founded by Carmel in London in 1898. The wines are identified by numbers, (ie. No. 10 being the biggest seller, No.4a – having higher alcohol), as was necessary in those days when it was easier for new immigrants to pronounce a number than a name.
GRAPE JUICE
CARMELTIROSH GRAPE JUICE -- Carmel’s grape juice is sold to Jewish & Christian communities around the world, and to the health market. The grape juice is pasteurized and is 100% pure & natural with no sugar, preservatives or color added. Carmel’s Tirosh is one of the most successful brands in the Israel beverage market. The rose is predominantly made from Carignan grapes, the white from French Colombard & Muscat.
SPIRITS
777 BRANDY - Carmel brandies are regular gold medal winners and in 1998, Carmel Brandy 100, 9 year old, won the Trophy in the IWSC in London, as “Best Brandy Worldwide.” The 777 is made at the Rishon Le Zion distillery from French Colombard grapes, and is a blend of 30% pot still brandy and 70% continuous still brandy. It is aged for three years in French Limousin oak barrels in Rishon’s hundred year old brandy cellar.
SABRA LIQUEURS – Sabra liqueurs are known as ‘The Liqueurs of Israel’. The brand was first produced by the Canadian drinks giant Seagram in the early 1960’s. Carmel began producing Sabra on behalf of Seagram in the early 1990’s and purchased the brand in 2003. The Sabra Chocolate Orange, recognized as one of the world’s unique liqueurs, and the Sabra Coffee have won gold & silver medals in the IWSC London in competition with the world’s finest liqueurs.
Carmel was founded in 1882 by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of Chateau Lafite in Bordeaux. It owns the two largest wineries in Israel at Rishon Le Zion and Zichron Ya’acov and boutique, small wineries at Ramat Dalton, Zichron & Yatir (50%). Its export company, Carmel Wine Co., was first set up in 1895, opening offices first in Warsaw, then Vienna, London & New York. Carmel was Israel’s first ever exporter and remains the number one exporter in wine, sacramental wine & grape juice. Carmel’s Rishon Le Zion Winery is Israel’s oldest industrial building still in use.
In Daniel Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2006, Carmel was chosen as the ‘Fastest Improving Winery’ for the second consecutive year and was selected as one of the ‘Top Ten” Israeli wineries for the first time.
In Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2006, Carmel was awarded a star for the first time. Hugh Johnson wrote: “No. 1 producer & exporter founded by a Rothschild. Gd wines at all levels. Excellent B’x blend (02), single-v’yd Ramat arad Cab Sauv (00 02) and Zarit Cab Sauv. Fragrant Ramat Arad Sauv Bl.”
