Expert’s Choice: Israel

Personality. I can think of few parts of the world of wine that possess as much of it, alongside individuality, as Israel. Its story needs to be heard. Wine has been central to this land since before it was even Israel, and Judaism celebrates with wine for much of its ritual.

Modern Israeli wine was born in the 1880s when Baron Edmond de Rothschild introduced mainly Bordeaux varieties to the region. Ambitious planting programmes took place a century later, and many Israelis studied winemaking abroad – particularly in California.

The 1990s saw a flourishing of innovative smaller wineries, though the most marked developments have occurred in the past 10 years.

Scroll down for Demetri Walters MW’s pick of the best 18 wines from Israel

As you might expect, Israel is the centre of kosher wine production. This adheres to Jewish kashrut dietary laws and is handled by observant Jews. However, it’s not all about the rising fortunes of kosher.

According to Adam Montefiore, journalist and author of The Wine Route of Israel, while some 95% of Israel’s wine is kosher, about 45% of the 300 or so wineries, mostly boutique operations, are non-kosher.

Small but mighty

For a diminutive country, Israel possesses an impressive diversity of microclimates and topography.

A Mediterranean climate persists across most of the country, with long, hot summers and cool, wet winters, and even snow on higher ground.

Annual rainfall varies from 1,000mm and up in the often cooler and more humid Galilee and Golan Heights, to about 50mm in the Negev.

Generally speaking, soils are volcanic in the elevated northern regions of Galilee and Golan (rising to 1,200m), with sandy red soils (including terra rossa) and alluvial soil on the Coastal Plain, and limestone and chalk in the Central Mountains, home to the celebrated Shomron, Mount Carmel and Judean Hills.

The Judean Foothills comprise more than a quarter of Israel’s 5,500ha of wine vineyards and are generally chalk and clay.

The Negev Highlands abound with vineyards up to about 1,000m and soils range from loess to sandy loam.

The focus in general is on sub-regions, but Israel’s winemakers are as yet largely unencumbered by appellation restrictions.

Though the trend is moving away from varietal wines towards blends, long-time residents include: Chardonnay, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Shiraz/Syrah; while Viognier, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre are growing in popularity.

So, too, are characterful native varieties of Palestine – whites Dabouki, Hamdani/Marawi and Jandali, and reds Baladi and Bittuni – although for now they exist in tiny populations. Israel’s own local red crossing Argaman performs excellently in affordable, deeply coloured, fruity wines.

This is a land with a very long vinous memory, though we’re witnessing many new initiatives in its current phase of history. You might say that this is an Old World country with a New World take on making wine. Ultimately it’s about wine quality. It’s never been better, and its delivery is engagingly bold and characterful.

With special thanks going to Moshé Cohen (inthevineyardwith.com) for ably assisting with samples not currently available in the UK. DW

See Demetri Walters MW’s pick of the best 18 Israeli wines

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