Three weeks vacation and fortunately my policy of always summer holidaying outside of Sweden has proved right once again. A nod of disbelief is all I offer friends who cheerily exclaim “Stockholm is the best place to be in the summer, if the weather is good”. That is a big IF.
As a firm non-If believer, we shuttled the family off to the land of milk, honey and wine. Few people will associate Israel with quality wine but my tour of the leading wineries of this small Mediterranean country offered many surprises. From the Judean Hills outside Jerusalem, the harsh Negev desert and the lush Golan Heights, Israel has a range of climates and dare I say terroir that are perfect for making excellent wine.
The boutique wine industry in Israel is only around 10 years old and has helped pull the whole industry away from the focus on the sacramental wine market which even die hard believers would not tolerate more than a few sips of each week! Huge (in Israeli terms) investments are now being made as large drinks companies and wealthy individuals realise the potential for producing export quality wine for winelovers all over the world.
Sitting outside under the vinecovered patio with Yonathan Tishbi and his winemaker son Golan at their family winery which his grandparents planted in 1882, eating woodfired pizza, home marinated vegetables and a fresh gorgonzola and pear salad was a memorable experience. Golan learned his trade at wine university in NZ (most winemakers in Israel are educated in France, Italy, Australia or NZ) and together we tasted through more than a dozen wines which were unique but still appealing using popular grapes such as Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and even Pinot Noir! A 37 degrees day is not the ideal temperature to taste many of these wines even if they did start out chilled from the fridge.
I was impressed to see Golan’s commitment to quality closures with many wines under screwcap and their entry level wines under Diam (cork taint free) corks. Hopefully the premium wines will change closure soon too!
My favourite among the many favourite wines of the tour was from a small winery in the Judean Hills near Jerusalem called Tzora Vineyards. Started as part of a kibbutz and recently sold to a private investor, its single vineyard Chardonnay Neve Ilan Blanc 2008 was an austere, minerally wine in the best traditions of Chablis but with a distinct warm climate nuttiness. 1000 bottles are exported a year, hopefully they will put some aside for us.
And what is the last wine you expect to find in one of the world’s greatest hotspots? Ice wine of course. Tzora makes a traditional ice wine with grapes harvested and put in the deep freeze for 3 weeks before crushing and fermenting. I purchased a single bottle of the 2008 vintage and look to trying it for if nothing more than curiosity’s sake!
Israel is offering modern, well made and unique wines as well as an amazing wine tourism experience for those needing a few day’s respite from the historical/biblical sites or the heat of the beaches of Tel Aviv. Or just an escape from the rain and dampness of a Stockholm summer!
Thanks for Michal Neeman from the Israeli Export Institute for organising the visits.
Cheers – L’Chaim
Mark
