Israeli wine is produced by hundreds ofwineries, ranging in size from small boutique enterprises to large companies producing over ten million bottles per year.
Wine has been produced in theLand of Israel sincebiblical times. Wine was exported toRome during theRoman period, but under theMuslim rulers the production was virtually wiped out. Under theCrusaders, winemaking was temporarily revived.
The modern Israeli wine industry was founded by BaronEdmond James de Rothschild, owner of theBordeaux estateChâteau Lafite-Rothschild. Today, Israeli winemaking takes place in five vine-growing regions: Galil (Galilee, including theGolan Heights), the region most suited for viticulture due to its high elevation, cool breezes, marked day and night temperature changes and rich, well-drained soils; theJudean Hills, surrounding the city ofJerusalem;Shimshon (Samson), located between the Judean Hills and theCoastal Plain; theNegev, asemi-arid desert region, wheredrip irrigation has made grape growing possible; and theSharon plain near theMediterranean coast and just south ofHaifa, surrounding the towns ofZichron Ya'akov andBinyamina, which is the largest grape growing area in Israel.[1]
In 2011,Israeli wine exports totaled over $26.7 million.[2] As of 2012, Israel had 12,355 acres of vineyards.
Viticulture has existed in the land of Israel since biblical times. In the book ofDeuteronomy, thefruit of thevine was listed as one of the seven blessed species of fruit found in the land of Israel(Deut. 8:8).[3] The location of Israel along a historic wine trading route betweenMesopotamia andEgypt brought winemaking knowledge and influence to the area. Wine played a significant role in the religion of the early Israelites with images of grape growing, harvesting and winemaking often being used to illustrate religious ideals.[4] InRoman times, wine from Israel wasexported to Rome with the most sought after wines beingvintage, dated with the name of thewinemaker inscribed on theamphora.
Winemaking, limited under Islamic rule, was temporarily revived in theCrusader states from around 1100 to 1300 but the return of Islamic rule and the subsequentJewish Diaspora extinguished the industry once again.[3]
In 1848, arabbi in Jerusalem founded the first documented winery in modern times but this establishment was short lived. In 1870, the first Jewish agricultural college,Mikveh Israel, was founded and featured a course on viticulture.[4] The root of the modern Israeli wine industry can be traced to the late 19th century when the French Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of the Bordeaux estate Château Lafite-Rothschild, began importingFrench grape varieties and technical know how to the region. In 1882, he helped establishCarmel Winery with vineyards and wine production facilities inRishon LeZion andZikhron Ya'akov nearHaifa. Still in operation today, Carmel is the largest producer of Israeli wine and has been at the forefront of many technical and historical advances in both winemaking and Israeli history.[3]
One of the first telephones in Israel was installed at Carmel and the country's firstPrime Minister,David Ben-Gurion, worked in Carmel's cellars in his youth.[5]
For most of its history in the modern era, the Israeli wine industry was based predominantly on the production ofKosher wines which were exported worldwide to Jewish communities. The quality of these wines were varied, with many being produced from high-yielding vineyards that valued quantity over quality. Many of these wines were also somewhatsweet.[3] Today's wine production in Israel comes fromgrape varieties traced to French varieties.[6] In the late 1960s, Carmel Winery was the first Israeli winery to make adry table wine.[5] It was not until the 1980s that the industry at large saw a revival in quality winemaking, when an influx of winemaking talent fromAustralia,California andFrance brought modern technology and technical know-how to the growing Israeli wine industry.[3] In 1989, the first boutique winery in Israel,Margalit Winery, was founded.[6] By the 1990s, Israeli estates such asGolan Heights Winery andDomaine du Castel were winning awards at internationalwine competitions.[3] The 1990s saw a subsequent "boom" in the opening of boutique wineries. By 2000 there 70 wineries in Israel, and by 2005 that numbered jumped to 140.[7]
Today, less than 15% of Israeli wine is produced forsacramental purposes. The three largest producers—Carmel Winery,Barkan Wine Cellars and Golan Heights Winery—account for more than 80% of the domestic market. TheUnited States is the largest export destination.[3] Even though it contains only around one-quarter of the planted acreage asLebanon, Israel has emerged as a driving force for winemaking in the Eastern Mediterranean, due to its willingness to adopt new technology and its large export market. The country has also seen the emergence of a modern wine culture with upscale restaurants featuring international wines dedicated to an ever-increasing wine-conscious clientele.[8]
Israel has a distinctlyMediterranean climate, with the country located along roughly the samelatitude asSan Diego and theMexico – United States border. There are two primary seasons - a hot, humid summer season running from April to October with very littleprecipitation and a cold, rainy winter season from late October to March. During winter, average precipitation is around 20 inches (50 cm) with some areas seeing as much as 35 inches (90 cm) annually.[4] Some vineyards in the higher elevation regions of Golan Heights can see snow in the winter months. With a drygrowing season,drip irrigation is essential to sustaining viticulture. Vineyard managers will utilize pruning andcanopy management techniques to maximize shade production from the sunlight.Harvest will often take place during the cooler temperatures of night time.[3] The dryness of the growing seasons serves a protective barrier to manygrape diseases that thrive in damp weather and allows vineyard managers to control vigor and yields with by irrigation.[4]
Israel is roughly equal in size to the state ofNew Jersey and is bordered byLebanon andSyria to the north/northeast, theMediterranean Sea to the west, the deserts leading to the border withEgypt to the southwest, theJordan River andDead Sea region along with the border toJordan comprise the country's eastern boundaries.[5] Vines are grown throughout the country ranging from the mountain ranges along the Lebanon, Syria borders down toBeersheba andArad in the south. Small plantings are also found on theMizpe Ramon plateau and atNeot Smadar in the desert north ofEilat.[4] The vast majority of Israeli winemaking takes place in the more temperate northern climate: Galilee, Sharon Plain, Samson, Golan Heights, and the Judean foothills in theWest Bank.[3]
Across Israel there is a wide range ofmicroclimates due to differingsoil types andtopography. Most areas havelimestone based soils with layers ofmarl and harddolomites. The color of the soils range from redterra rosa inJudea and Galilee nearMount Tabor to gray in the mountain ranges stretching fromMount Carmel toZikhron Ya'akov.Marine sediments are found in theloam soils of the coastal plains and at the base of the elevated foothills aroundBinyamina-Giv'at Ada andLatroun. The Golan Heights and parts of the Upper and Lower Galilee regions have significant layers ofbasalt deposits ofclay andtuff created by centuries ofvolcanic activity and lava flows. Wind blown sediment deposits help create theloess based andalluvialsand soils of the Negev area.[4]
After many years where in Israel the wine industry was almost non-existent, the past twenty years herald a change in path. In the late eighties there were only a couple of wineries in Israel, making mostly boiled wines for sacramental use. That is part of the reason why wines from Israel are mistakenly considered to be boiled wines and Israel is not yet considered and recognized to be a wine region as many other countries are. Over the last twenty years, the Israeli wine industry has grown tremendously and today there are around 300 wineries of different sizes in all areas of Israel.[1][9][unreliable source?]
Israeli wine is produced in five regions: Galilee (which includes the sub-regions of theGolan Heights,Upper Galilee andLower Galilee); the Samson region, located between the southern West Bank and the Coastal Plain; the Negev desert region; theWest Bank, and the Sharon plain located near the Mediterranean coast and just south of Haifa. As of 2012[update], Israel has 50,000dunams of vineyards.[10][unreliable source?] More than 80% of the vineyards planted in Israel are located in the southern West Bank, Samson and Galilee regions.[3]
The Golan contains some of the highest elevated vineyards in Israel, with vineyard planted upwards of 4,000feet (1,200 metres) from theSea of Galilee towardsMount Hermon.[8] There are seven Israeli wineries in the Golan Heights that cultivate a total of 1,600 acres (647 ha). These include four boutiques, andChâteau Golan, Bazelet Hagolan, and the Golan Heights Winery whose Yarden, Gamla/Gilgal, Harmon, and Golan labels enjoy international renown.[11]
During centuries of Islamic rule, alcohol production was banned as part of theIslamic dietary laws. Ancient vineyards that were grown in the country under Muslim-rule were not used to produce wine, but used strictly for food consumption.[12] The Arab geographeral-Muqaddasi (985 CE) wrote that, in his day, the best raisins inPalestine came from the species known asʻAinūnī andDurī, prepared from grapes that grew inBayt ʻAinūn andDura, places lying respectively to the northeast and southwest ofHebron.[13] In the mid and late 19th century, the names of the varieties of grapes grown by Arab husbandmen included names such asHevroni,Dabouki,Marawi (also known asHamdani),Halbani,Sharwishi,Jandali amongst the whites andZeitani,Karkashani,Razaki,Karashi,Balouti (Baladi) andBituni amongst the reds.[14] Most were grown in theBethlehem orHebron areas primarily by Arabs and the names reflect their Arab origins. These varieties were sold to the few Jewish wineries that existed at that time.[15] Today, the wine industry produces primarily French grape varieties imported during the late 19th century. The most widely planted varieties includeCabernet Sauvignon,Chardonnay,Merlot andSauvignon blanc. Emerging varieties that have recently been increasing in popularity includeCabernet Franc,Gewurztraminer,Muscat Canelli,Riesling andSyrah. Other varieties planted to some significant degree includeEmerald Riesling,Muscat of Alexandria and thecrossingArgaman.[3]
A primary concern in Israeli wine production is maintainingacid levels to balance the naturally highsugars that the warm climate of the region produces. Vineyards at higher elevations, as opposed to the lower coastal plains, have more consistently produced wines with the necessary acid balance.[3] Cabernet Sauvignon has shown the greatest aging potential thus far. The smooth texture andripe tannins of Israeli Merlot has increased that wine's popularity in the market. Chardonnay grown in Israel has shown itself to be highly reflective ofterroir and reflective of the particular characteristics of vineyard soils. It is also the primary grape used in Israelisparkling wine production made according to themethode champenoise.[4]
As of 2012[update], the Israeli wine industry produced an average of 36 million bottles of wine annually in a variety of styles ranging from red, white,rosé, still, sparkling and dessert wines.[10] There are 35 commercial wineries in Israel, and over 250 boutique wineries.[2] The 10 largest wineries in Israel, in terms of production volume, are Carmel, Barkan, Golan Heights,Teperberg 1870,Binyamina Wine Cellar,Galil Mountain,Tishbi Winery,Tabor,Recanati andDalton Winery.[10] The industry is fairly concentrated, with 75% of the nationwide production coming from the top 5 producers.[16]
Annual wine consumption among Israelis averages 4.6 liters of wine per person.[17]
It was announced in early 2008 that a 150-acre (0.61 km2) wine park would be created on the slopes betweenZichron Ya'akov andBinyamina in order to promote tourism in the area andenotourism in Israel in general.[18]
Another center of enotourism in Israel is the Ramat Dalton Industrial Park, a green industrial park located nearDalton andKerem Ben Zimra in theUpper Galilee. As of 2024, the park hosts seven wineries: Adir,Dalton, Feldstein, Luria,Recanati, Rimon (Northern Lake Winery), and Kamisa. The area also supportsagritourism, providing various guesthouses (tzimmers) for accommodation.[19]
Hamas terrorists killed vintner Gideon Pauker in the 2023Nir Oz attack. In 2025 his grandson opened the Pauker Winery to visitors, making available Pauker's 2022 Nir Oz Red.[20] A 2025Times of Israel story on the Galai Winery, part of the fifty-member Negev Wine Consortium, reported that tourists were "slowly returning" to the winery and its restaurant after theOctober 7 attacks.[21]
Annually from 2005 to 2012Daniel Rogov, Israel's leading wine critic and Food & Wine Critic forHaaretz, ranked Israeli wines in hisRogov's Guide to Israeli Wines. In the 2012 edition, Rogov describes, sorts and ranks more than 2500 wines from over 150 Israeli wineries.[22]
Today Israeli wineries receive recognition from the worldwide wine industry as they are highly rated and win the most important wine awards. One of the first accomplishments by an Israeli winery in the global world of wines was made by Domaine du Castel when their white wine was chosen as one of the best new releases in 2001. In 2012, Golan Heights winery received a Wine Star award fromWine Enthusiast magazine.[23] The Golan Heights winery has also won the Gran Vinitaly Special Award as the best wine producer title inVinitaly competition of 2011.
The wine advocateRobert Parker has been rating Israel's wines for more than five years now,[24] when many Israeli wines received a score of more than 90. Yatir Forest wine by Yatir winery scored above 90 points for seven consecutive vintages, the same was achieved by Domaine du Castel's Grand Vin wine. The Cabernet reserve of Flam winery of the Judean Hills, was included in the FrenchLa Revue Du Vin France magazine list of 100 outstanding wines.
Galil Mountain winery won two awards in the Citadelles du Vin 2011 competition which was held at the Vinexpo 2011 in France. In Hugh Johnson's wine pocket book, written by the British important wine critic, Domaine du Castel winery received the full 4 stars and Yatir winery 3-4 stars,[25] the highest rating available, since 2008. Hugh Johnson has also selected Domaine du Castel's Grand Vin wine to be one of his personal 200 favorite wines from all around the world.
Israel's reds, whites and rosés also have been praised byRobert Parker andOz Clarke. When Parker first reviewed Israeli wines in 2007, he awarded 14 of them more than 90 out of a maximum 100 points, rating them world-class.[26] Clarke included two Israeli wineries, Domaine du Castel andYatir Winery, in hisPocket Wine Book 2010. Kim Marcus, managing editor ofWine Spectator magazine, was not impressed by Israel's wineries in the 1990s, but in 2008, he wrote that quality had improved immensely, especially the red wines.[27]
To be considered kosher, a wine may only be handled by observant Jews from the time the grapes are crushed. If, however, the wine is boiled or pasteurized, it may subsequently be handled by anyone without losing its kosher status.[28] Additionally, kosher wine cannot contain any non-kosher ingredients or fining agents such as isinglass, gelatin or casein.[29] Although not all Israeli wine is kosher, virtually all of the large producers in Israel have kosher certification.
There are at least twoIsraeli Arab wine producers, both Christians. They run respectively the Ashkar winery near the border with Lebanon and the Jascala winery. The winery inKafr Yasif is run by descendants of the Christian villagers ofIqrit. The Jascala winery is based inJish. The wine is non-kosher and the producers cater both to Arab restaurants in places like Nazareth, Haifa, Ramallah, Jerusalem and Acre, and to non-Kosher restaurants in Tel Aviv. The Israeli chefYotam Ottolenghi is reputedly one of their clients.[30]
Several wines such as the one coming from the "Judean Hills" and the Golan Heights, may actually refer to areas that areIsraeli-occupied territories.,[31][32] which is a subject of legal contention abroad.
In a 2011 report drawn up by theCoalition of Women for Peace, the researchers concluded that all major Israeli wineries use grapes harvested from the occupied territories of theGolan Heights and theWest Bank.[34] Taking advantage of tax breaks, Israel's largest producer,Barkan Wine Cellars, which grew out of an old winery inPetah Tikva established a plant in the West Bank'sBarkan Industrial Park. By 2011 it was estimated that the West Bank had 29 wineries run by Israeli entrepreneurs, as opposed to 14 in the Golan Heights.[35] One of the largest of the West Bank operations is in the area circumscribed by the settlements ofShilo,Eli, Rechlim andMa'ale Levona, on land owned or claimed by Palestinians.[36] In the case of theYatir winery, technically it is located within Israel's recognized boundaries, but the grapes are grown in West Bank settlements across the divide such asBeit Yatir,Carmel,Ma'on andSusya.[37]
In November 2015 theEuropean Union determined that settlement products could not use the label "Made in Israel".[38] In July 2019 theFederal Court of Canada, following up on a complaint of false labelling made by David Kattenberg, a son of Holocaust survivors,[39] ruled that characterizing wines produced in Israeli settlements as 'Israeli' was "false, misleading and deceptive."[38] Kattenberg's original complaint had been accepted by theCanadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), only to be overruled within hours, with the CFIA affirming that theCanada–Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) overrode domestic consumer protection laws.[39]
The Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since theSix-Day War in 1967, are located northeast of Israel proper, though Israel considers it a sub-region of the Galilee.The legal status in international law of the Golan Heights has resulted in controversy on the export market. In one example, following domestic demand for kosher wine, a number of Golan Heights wines were marketed bySystembolaget,Sweden's state-owned monopoly alcohol retailer, as "Made in Israel" on shelves and in the sales catalogue. Following customer complaints and consultation with Sweden's foreign ministry, Systembolaget changed the shelf labelling to read, "Made in Israeli-occupied Syrian territories."[40] However this prompted further complaints, from some customers and aMember of Parliament. Systembolaget's solution was to simply remove all reference to the product's country of origin on shelves and in catalogues, classifying the wine as of "other origins."[41][42] The actual bottles remained unchanged throughout the controversy, and carried the producer's English-language labels.
On 12 February 2013,Der Spiegel reported that Israel falsely labels products from Golan as "made in Israel", mentioning wine as one example.[43]
In June 2019 theAdvocate general of theEuropean Court of Justice set forth his advisory legal opinion that a decision made by a French court in 2018, which waived the requirement to identify the origin of Israeli wines in the West Bank, was invalid.[44] A binding decision was deferred to November 12, 2019,[45] at which date the court confirmed that retailers must specify in their labelling when selling foodstuffs if they come from the occupied territories, includingEast Jerusalem,[46] and whether they are produced in an Israeli settlement.[47][48][49]
In 2020, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority warned theChristian Zionist organisation "Christenen voor Israël" for selling wines produced inKiryat Arba (nearHebron) with the designation "Made in an Israeli village inJudea and Samaria", already having been changed from "Made in Israel".[50]