HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog

Notes & Favorites from Day One of the 2nd Annual Jerusalem Kosher WIne Festival Even though I just started this year to score wines after spending years writing hundreds of essays and articles, I hope to refrain from scoring wines at festivals since there’s so much additional stimuli to distract from focusing in on the […] I was happy to have the opportunity to attend the first (trade-only) day of IsraWine Expo and determined to take full advantage, arrived as […]

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by Amos Ravid Amos Ravid is Wine Education Manager of Carmel Winery. This article first appeared in Wine, Gourmet & Alcohol and Wines Israel. Although Israel has a long history of winemaking, the country does not have its own indigenous grape varieties. The Ottomans, when in control of Palestine, virtually only permitted the planting of […] Living in Israel and not having been abroad for two years gave me a warped perspective on Israeli wine. Not bad, of course, but […]

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Although there are wine events and festivals all year long in Israel, the largest tend to happen outside during our dry season (which happens historically between Passover in the spring and Sukkot in the fall). In the beautiful climate of a Mediterranean region, enjoying wine outside during the evening seems a natural inclination and entitlement […]   Recanati Winery in Emeq Hefer (in the Industrial Park off Rt. 4) Plenty of food (dairy) and a wide selection of wine for […]

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One Week of Festivities, One Great Winery If you have a chance, don’t miss the 30th Anniversary celebration for the Golan Heights Winery (Yarden, Gamla & Golan labels) being observed the next week at the port on the boardwalk in Tel Aviv. It’s free to just show up and mingle and hear the music as […] Being the only winemaker at a winery making a million bottles of wine a year is enough work for any one man. For instance, […]

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This post includes the best Israeli wines I tasted in 2012 (for a more comprehensive list, including non-Israeli wines, check out my website). As with prior years, in addition to the “best” wines of 2012, I have also included a list of the most interesting and exciting wines I tasted this year – many of […] While this site is not a kosher wine site, with many Israeli wine not being kosher and much kosher wine not being Israeli, I […]

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The ‘New Israel Wine Guide’ has published its preview. Interestingly, it lists ‘The Top Twenty Israeli Wines’, divided into red and white wines. The best two whites on the list were from the same winery.  Tzora Winery’s Shoresh, a Sauvignon Blanc, and the Neve Ilan, a Chardonnay, were in first and second place. The best […] This post includes the best Israeli wines I tasted in 2012 (for a more comprehensive list, including non-Israeli wines, check out my website). As […]

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The ‘New Israel Wine Guide’ has published its preview. Interestingly, it lists ‘The Top Twenty Israeli Wines’, divided into red and white wines. The best two whites on the list were from the same winery.  Tzora Winery’s Shoresh, a Sauvignon Blanc, and the Neve Ilan, a Chardonnay, were in first and second place. The best […] The 2013 winners of the annual Eshkol Hazahav Awards were announced at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv, June 3rd to a good […]

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In the past decade Israel’s wine making has transformed from a hobby into a major industry. Today, there are some 200 boutique wineries in Israel, each one doing their best to make quality wines. The BBC has a great profile of Domaine du Castel, a great winery that I discovered several years ago. When you think of the world’s great wine producers Israel is not a name that often crops up. But Eli Ben Zaken is trying to change that. […]

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This post includes the best Israeli wines I tasted in 2012 (for a more comprehensive list, including non-Israeli wines, check out my website). As with prior years, in addition to the “best” wines of 2012, I have also included a list of the most interesting and exciting wines I tasted this year – many of […] Since 2007, there have been annual tastings of Israeli wines by the Wine Advocate, the mouthpiece of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential wine […]

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Located between Zichron Ya’acov and Binyamina at Ramat Hanadiv Gardens, possibly Israel’s most majestic private park this park could have gone by many titles. Ramat Hanadiv, Mt. Carmel, Zichron Ya’acov could have easily found their way into the name of the Ramat Hanadiv Wines & Plenty Festival. The park is situated just south of Zichron […] The Tishbi Winery recently released their newest addition to their Single Vineyard series their 2007 Tishbi Single Vineyard Old Vine Carignan. This 100% Carignan […]

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