Vineyards in the Golan Heights by Flickr user Eagle XDV

Israel has recently become a major center on the world wine-making map. The country has more than 200 wineries scattered across the country, from the Tuscan-esque Galilee to the more barren Negev. Many of these wineries are very historic playing an important part in the formation of the State, whilst others are newer. AND…Most are open to visitors in one way or another, whether it be a visitors center in the larger wineries, or a visit to the makers home in a boutique winery!

The Golan Heights Winery by Flickr user KRS Juan

If you wish to include a visit to a winery into your visit, check ahead, and you’ll be sure to pass one (or more) on your journey around this super-cool country. A map of the Wine Route marking the wineries is produced by the Tourism Ministry. If you wish to make a day (or more) of it, we say you should aim to visit about four in a day, and no more than five. And remember, not to drink and drive, perhaps appoint a tour guide, or make sure someone doesn’t drink, no matter how tempting it might be!

Visiting Wineries in Israel

Golan Heights Winery Visitors Center

A high alititude, cold winters, lots of sun, and rich soil make the Golan Heights a perfect wine-making region. The Golan Heights Winery is one of Israel’s largest and most well-respected wineries producing under the Golan, Yarden, and Gamla labels. With a large visitors center, this is one of a few wineries really geared up to wine-lovers. Visits include a tour of the winery, as well as a movie, and wine tasting.

Visits should be booked: 04-6968435. Katzrin Industrial Estate, Katzrin (Map)

Binyamina Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

In the town of Binyamina, on the coastal plain close to Caesarea and Zichron Yaakov, the Binyamina Winery visitor center is in an old perfume factory established by the Baron Rothschild early on in the establishment of Israel. The visitor center is fairly  new, and visits include a tour, film explanation, and of course, wine tasting.

04-6388643, binyaminawines.com. Hanasi St, Binyamina (Map)

Tishbi Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

Located near Zichron Yaakov on the coastal plain, the Tishbi Winery was first established by the Baron Edmund de Rothschild over 100 years ago who commissioned the Tishbi family to grow grapes. The name has now changed, and the winery, tranquilly located at the base of Mount Carmel has one other unique feature. That is, visitors can come to the winery, and fill up containers of their own with Tishbi for 19NIS per litre. The center offers guided tours and also has a restaurant.

04-6288195, tishbi.com. Map

Tabor Winery Visitors Center (Lower Galilee)

A small, boutique winery, the Tabor Winery is located in the village of Kfar Tabor in the Lower Galilee with its vineyards growing on the slopes of Mount Tabor. This vineyard is very traditional in its agricultural methods, and only uses local materials including water. Next to the visitors center which offers full tours, is a marzipan museum and restaurant.

04-6760444, twc.co.il. Signed from entrance of Kfar Tabor (Map)

Vineyards in the Golan Heights by Flickr user Eagle XDV

Israeli wine has long stirred up associations with the syrupy libations of religious rituals, but modern techniques imported from top winemaking nations are now helping it find space on shelves from Paris to New York.

“Today, you’ll find that people are looking for Israeli wines that meet international standards and the good thing is we are actually producing wines like that,” Israeli wine critic Daniel Rogov says in an interview at a busy Tel Aviv wine shop.

“There is no contradiction between wines that are kosher and wines that are excellent.”

Israeli wineries, both industrial-scale and boutique, make over 33 million bottles a year, according to the Israeli Wine Council, but the vast majority of Israeli wine is kosher or made in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.

Whilst the rabbinical seal has long been associated with wines made to appeal to observant Jews rather than connoisseurs, the quality of Israeli wines is improving, helped by government incentives for smaller producers, and some vintages are now garnering international plaudits.

Robert Parker, among the world’s most influential wine critics, has heaped praise and points on some 40 Israeli wines. Fourteen of them won more than 90 out of a maximum 100 points in Parker’s rating system.

Wines from neighbouring Lebanon, which traces its winemaking industry back over 4,000 years, have been winning international awards for decades. Israel enjoys the same Mediterranean climate.

Weighing in with 93 points was the red 2003 Yatir Forest label from a subsidiary of Carmel Winery.

Founded by the Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, an early 20th-century Zionist philanthropist, Carmel is Israel’s largest winery, accounting for 40 percent of the Jewish state’s contemporary wine market.

But along with many of its 200-odd rival Israeli wineries, Carmel has recently been applying methods learned from France, Australia and California, to locally grown grapes.

“Our chief winemaker studied in France, so we’ve learnt from the traditions of France but we also make use of the technologies from places like Australia and California,” Adam Montefiore, marketing director for Carmel Winery, said at a wine festival in Jerusalem this month.

“We feel in the last 10, 15 years, Israeli wines are really making world class wines.”

Montefiore says Carmel produces a range of wines both for those who want to “drink wine without tasting it” and for connoisseurs. Prices range from $10 to $100 (6 pounds to 60 pounds) a bottle. Half of Carmel’s annual production of 15 million bottles is exported to the United States, Europe and Asia.

Israel exports roughly $22 million dollars worth of wine a year, according to the Central Statistics Bureau.

EXPERTS AND EXPORTS

Founded in 2002, the family-owned Pelter winery in the Golan Heights benefits from the cool climate and water-rich soil of the plateau, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed in 1981 — a move rejected by the United Nations.

Sam Pelter, whose son Tal founded the winery after extensive wine-making studies in Australia, says he combines Australian techniques and technology with Golan grapes. His wines sell at $18-$50 a bottle and are sold in the United States and Europe.

Some 18-20 percent of Israeli wine comes from the Golan, according to wine critic Rogov, though wines made on disputed land can sometimes invite controversy.

Last December, Syria protested to U.N. leaders that Israel had distributed Golan wine as year-end holiday gifts to U.N. staff. In 2006, Israel complained that Sweden was labelling Golan wines as coming from Israeli-occupied Syrian territory.

Israeli settlers also make wine on occupied Arab land in the West Bank, sometimes drawing boycotts by peace activists.

Political sensitivities have not stopped Pelter’s wines making a splash abroad.

Pelter’s most famous wine is Trio 2007, which took a double gold award at Finger Lakes competition in New York. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc grapes aged 14 months in French oak barrels, it has hints of fruit and cocoa.

Chris, an American visitor attending the Jerusalem festival, described Trio 2007 as a “different and surprising” wine.

Other tourists also expressed surprise over the lightness of Carmel’s red wines, and the sweetness of their whites.

“For my taste, (the red wine is) a little on the light side. I’m looking for a red wine that has the kind of body that I would find in, say, a good robust Australian red wine,” said Malcolm Kessin of Atlanta, Georgia.

While Israel’s wine industry is growing, Rogov says vintners have yet to sort out the best of Israel’s 42 grape varietals.

“We have to find out which grapes are most suited to our particular sub-climates, different regions of Israel, et cetera, which is no sin,” said Rogov. “Remember — we’re still young.”

Article: Reuters

An event not to be missed. Currently in its fifth year, the Jerusalem Beer Festival will display over 100 different types of beer from Israel and around the world

Beer from premium breweries, boutique breweries and home made beers will be featured in a variety of flavors, including herb beers. For one night Independence Park in Jerusalem will be converted into a giant bar with additional entertainment such as great music with live entertainment by various artists, street events and cultural activities.

From all accounts the history of Beer Festivals can be traced back to Munich in 1810 as part of the wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. The Royal Court, the Royal Family, city officials and townspeople all gathered at one of Munich’s many gates for post-wedding celebrations. Evidently, it proved to be a very bawdy affair. It was followed immediately afterwards by horse racing events attended by all the guests.

The Municipality of Jerusalem who are hosting the event are encouraging all visitors to come early to this event which will be held at Independence Park on August 26, 2009 from 6 pm to 11:45 pm

Admission until 6:30 pm will be free and NIS 20/25 thereafter.

On an added note on interest, the world’s largest Beer Festival, Oktoberfest, is still held annually in Munich, oddly enough in September. It attracts more than six million visitors each year. With an influx of tourists of that order, perhaps they can be forgiven for some confusion with the months.

Source: Forward

Related article: Micro-breweries in Israel

Okay, people dont tend to go on holiday to look around breweries as they might wineries, but Israel has recently developed a superb collection of micro-breweries which are perfect if you are a beer connoisseur (or British!)

The two most well-respected micro-breweries are the Golan brewery based in Katzrin in the Golan Heights. Only here can you taste the beer which is served on tap. The Dancing Camel Brewery is based in Tel Aviv and has some cool and unique flavours. This can, however, be found in some bars and restaurants across the country.

Israeli breakfasts are fresh, light, and big! by Flickr user Or Hiltch

Over the past ten years or so, Israel has experienced something of a culinary boom. Off the back of Israel’s hi-tech boom which has led to the country being dubbed Silicon Wadi, have modern, international restaurants opened there.

Many restaurants in Israel are kosher. This means they conform to Jewish food laws serving only meat killed in a special way, and not serving both dairy and meat products. This does not diminish their quality, although it is worth pointing out that most of the selection in dairy restaurants will be suitable for vegetarians, whilst there are usually some options suitable in meat restaurants.

Fresh juices are very popular by Flickr user Shayan (USA)

Having said this, many of Israel’s trendiest restaurants are not kosher and thus serve meat and dairy products, with some going as far as to serve even pork and shellfish which are forbidden in kosher restaurants.

Restaurants in Israel only survive if they are good. They say that if a restaurant survives two years, it is good, and if it survives, ten, it is an institution! Whilst as a tourist you don’t know what’s been around for how long, we have to say that the standard of food in Israel is generally high, especially in Tel Aviv, which we want to nominate as a world center of gastronony!

Israel’s National Dish?

Israel’s national dish is undoubtably regarded to be falafal although there is more to this than meets the eye. The sheer diversity of Israel’s population means that all varieties of cuisine can be found here, cooked often by people who have lived in the country itself. Recipies in restaurants as diverese as Ethiopian, Iraqi, and American, are often handed down through generations to the family members who run the restaurants today.

Image by Flickr user tomerlichtash

Drinking in Israel

Israel isn’t a country of drinkers, although has recently built up a reputation for its micro-breweries and wineries.