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:    4,000 hectares  (9,880 acres; 40, 000 dunams.)

Harvest (metric tons):

2007:   42,156   2006:   45,175     2005:    45,483   2004:  53,468;  2003:  45,242;  2002:  43,077; (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 & French Colombard, are usually only used in inexpensive blends. They are gradually being replaced by varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc.

Main Varieties used for Table Wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Shiraz / Syrah; Cabernet Franc; Pinot Noir; Sangiovese; Zinfandel; Petite Sirah; Carignan; Chardonnay; Sauvignon Blanc; Gewurztraminer; White Riesling; Emerald Riesling; Chenin Blanc; Semillon; Muscat Canelli; Muscat of Alexandria.

Varieties by Quantity (% of hectares):

Cabernet Sauvignon 22%; Merlot 16%; Carignan 16%; French Colombard 7%; Chardonnay 4%; Emerald Riesling 4%; Shiraz / Syrah 3%; Sauvignon Blanc 4%; Argaman 3%; Muscat of Alexandria 2%; Petite Sirah 2%; Semillon 1%; Chenin Blanc 1%

Varieties – Metric Tons at Harvest (%):

Carignan 20%; Cabernet Sauvignon 17%; Merlot 17%; French Colombard 7%; Emerald Riesling 5%; Muscat of Alexandria 4%; Sauvignon Blanc 4%; Argaman 4%; Chardonnay 4%; Shiraz/ Syrah 4%; Petite Sirah 2%; Cabernet Franc 1%; Chenin Blanc 1%; Others  9%

Other Varieties:

Gamay Noir; Gewurztraminer; Grenache; Muscat Canelli; Muscat Hamburg; Ruby Cabernet; Sangiovese; White Riesling

Recently Planted  International  Varieties – new to Israel:

Barbera;  Malbec; Nebbiolo; Petit Verdot; Pinotage; Tempranillo; Pinot Blanc; Viognier

WINERIES

The three largest wineries – Carmel, Barkan & Golan,  account for over 65% % of the harvest; the top 5 wineries total more than 82 % of the harvest and the top 10 account for 90%+.

Number of Commercial Wineries:                      27

Number of boutique Wineries & Garagistes:  200 +

Large Wineries – harvesting  more than 2,000 metric tons  (1.8 million  bottles + ):

1.      Carmel  Winery – Rishon Le Zion, Zichron Ya’acov, Ramat Dalton, Yatir

2.      Barkan Wine Cellars – Hulda

3.      Golan Heights Winery – Katzrin

4.       Efrat Wine Cellars – Tzora

5.       Binyamina Wine Cellars - Binyamina

Medium Sized Wineries – more than 500 metric  tons  (450,000 bots + ):

6.      Tishbi Winery; 7. Galil Mountain; 8. Dalton Winery; 9 Tabor Winery;

     10.    Recanati Winery.

Small Wineries  - between 100 – 500 metric tons  (90,000 – 450,000 bots):

     11. Hevron Heights;  12. Arza  Winery; 13. Hacormim; 14. Zion Winery;

     15. Yatir Winery;   16. Ella Valley Vineyards; 17. Domaine de Latroun;

     18. Domaine du Castel; 19. Flam Winery;

Commercial Boutique Wineries – between 50 – 100 metric  tons (45,000 – 90,000 bots):

    20. Tzora Vineyards; 21. Saslove Winery; 22. Amphorae Vineyard; 23. Tulip Winery;

    24. Cremisan;  25. Chateau Golan;  26. Clos de Gat;  27. Tsuba

Boutique Wineries – a selection of the most prominent, 15 – 50 metric tons (13,500 – 45,000 bots):

Alexander; Bazelet ha Golan; Ben Haim; Chillag; Gush Etzion; Hamasrek; Kadesh Barnea; Karmei Yosef; Margalit; Mony; Nachshon; Odem Mountain; Psagot; Ramim; Vitkin; Zemora

Garagistes – a selection of the most prominent,  less than 15 metric  tons (< 13,500 bots):

Agur; Alona; Assaf; Avidan; Ben Hanna; Ben Zimra; Bustan;  Gustavo & Jo; Hans Sternbach; La Terra Promessa;  Meishar; Pelter; Poizner; Ramat Naftaly; Ruth; Sde Boker; Sea Horse; Smadar; Somek; Sorek; Yaffo; 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; 25% white wines

EXPORT

Export of Israeli Wines ($million):

2006:   $ 14.2    2005:    $ 14.6 m.;  2004:    $ 13.7 m.;  2003:    $ 11.3 m.;  (2001: $ 8.01 m.)

Main Importers of Israeli Wines : 1. U.S.A;  2. France; 3. U.K.;  4. Germany;  5. Canada

Sales:  Over 55% of exports to North America; Over 35% to Western Europe; Remainder to more than 30 countries in 5 continents.

Main Exporting Wineries:

·        Carmel, Golan Heights & Barkan each export over $ 2.5 m. dollars worth of wine and have nearly 70 % of Israel’s exports

·        95% of Israel’s exports are from the following 10 wineries: Carmel, Golan Heights, Barkan, Efrat, Dalton, Binyamina, Tishbi, Galil Mountain, Castel & Recanati

ISRAELI  WINERY RANKINGS

  Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2008:

·        Four Stars:                 Castel

·        Two to Four Stars:    Golan Heights Winery

·        Three Stars:               Yatir

·        Two to Three Stars:   Flam, Galil Mountain,  Margalit

·        One to Three Stars:   Carmel

·        Two Stars:                  Clos de Gat, Ella Valley, Saslove

·        One to Two Stars:      Barkan; Dalton

·        One Star:           Amphorae, Bazelet ha Golan, Binyamina, Chateau Golan, Recanati,  Tabor; Teperberg, Tishbi,

     Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2008:

1. Golan Heights Winery; 2. Castel; 3. Yatir; 4. Margalit;  5. Clos de Gat;  6. Flam;  7. Galil Mountain; 8. Carmel; 9. Chateau Golan; 10. Ella Valley.

WINE REGIONS

Hectares of Vineyards by Wine Region (%): 

·        Samson  34%  -  vineyards in central coastal region, Shefela,  Judean Lowlands & Foothills

·        Galilee 38% - mainly Upper Galilee & Golan Heights

·        Shomron 16% - mainly in valleys around Zichron Ya’acov & Binyamina

·        Judean Hills 8% - mainly Jerusalem Hills, Gush Etzion & Yatir Forest - southern Hebron Hills

·        Negev 4% - mainly Ramat Arad, Sde Boker & Mitzpe Ramon