TNWG Wine Times: Ep 53: Wines of Israel
- aplofthouse
- Oct 20
- 5 min read
ANNOUNCEMENTS/EVENTS
💥 The Wine and Cheese Network is back in SEPT 💥
That's right folks, after the summer pause, we are back with a bang in September and what better way to start than to have Wake Smith Solicitors as our keynote speaker and Paces as our charity that we are all sponsoring via 10% of your ticket price for the month of September.
To grab your ticket, please head to the website via this link to make sure you book your place, as we head back into full steam ahead mode for the month of September:
💥 Wine Waddle 2.0 💥
What is the Wine Waddle?
It is a walk and a drink with like minded South Yorkshire business folk who want to network.
It supports local hospitality, by visiting new and different locations around Sheffield.
Part of the small donation to join goes to a charity!
It starts the weekend in the correct way, 3pm onwards on a Friday
Friday 17th October is the next one - book here for your ticket: https://www.thenorthernwineguy.co.uk/event-details/wine-waddle-2-0
For the future dates for your diary, till the end of the year - here are the Wine and Cheese Network and Wine Waddle Dates:
Thursday 30th October 2025 - keynote speaker required.
Friday 14th November - Wine Waddle 3.0
Thursday 27th November 2025 - keynote speaker required
Friday 19th December 2025 - Christmas Special Edition (in collaboration with the Wine Waddle)
BIG NEWS - TNWG WINE DISCOVERY BOX IS COMING!!
OCTOBER is the FIRST month where you will be able to enjoy a 'Discovery Box' from The Northern Wine Guy - 6 bottles of wine, hand chosen by TNWG with tasting notes and food pairings referenced too. This is for those who like to discover different wines and want to improve their palate, want to try different wines and have fun without the need for subscriptions. No obligation to buy each month, but will be available from October!
Watch this Space!
👉 PRIVATE CELLAR BUILDS, PRIVATE SOMMELIER and IN-HOUSE DRINKS EVENTS👈
We offer a great range of additional services at The Northern Wine Guy including building wine cellars for private clients - that can be as little as 12 bottles upwards (the more the merrier!).
We can provide private sommelier services at your offices or at your private residence for large parties, gatherings or entertaining clients.
In-house staff engagements, meetings or socials. If you have a client you want to impress, then why not consider a Wine and Cheese Event?
Or maybe you would like a Whisky and Cigar session? Rums? Sakes?
You name it, we can look at creating it for you.
Just drop me a DM, connect with me here on LinkedIn or go to my website (www.thenorthernwineguy.co.uk) and create an enquiry.
🎄🎄CHRISTMAS - THE C WORD 🎄🎄
It is only September...BUT here is the thing...venues and events are being booked up and if you haven't thought about your Christmas Party yet, then you really need to get a move on!!
ALL Thursdays I am booked out until Christmas in the evenings now ALREADY!
For Christmas - here are some thoughts from me:
Make sure you have your drinks ready for Christmas - dont leave it till the last minute and hit those big queues.
Give The Northern Wine Guy a shout and we can discuss your requirements and get it to you with plenty of time before the main event. Staff Christmas parties?
If you have them, then lets get a venue sorted and a Wine and Cheese or Wine paired meal setup. Whisky Tasting? Have you tried Sake? In-house event? No problem, bring the drinks expert to you - we can do this too!
FOCUS: Wines of Israel
Not famed for its wine scene and yet in 1990 this was true, with only 10 wineries in the country, with the oldest one, Carmel, actually founded way back in 1890! The fun fact is that with the advancement of technologies, the likes of the Golan Heights, with the coastal breezes and the desert plains creating a unique growing eco system for wines in Israel.
Back in the 1980s the first modernised winery was established way up in the Golan Heights with altitudes upwards of 1,200 metres. Since then, with the further technological advances available, vineyards have sprouted up in lower lying areas of Israel too. Extensive work with Californian wine experts has also aided their rise. The increase has led to now more than 300 wineries being established (as at 2018) !
Having mentioned Castel before, we should say that they are one of the pioneers of the industry and have, alongside around 30 wineries, been built in the wooded hills of the Upper Galilee, Golan Heights and Judean Hills, all which benefit from the sea breezes over limestone escarpments.
There have also been developments in the Shomron Hills and even in Negev desert too.
Grape Varieties in Israel:
There was a reasonably heavy bias towards Cabernet Sauvignon by many, not probably too surpising given the advice and knowledge from California. However, many are now seeking out more land based signs of varieties that work within their eco system. In addition to this, Baron Rothschild brought with him cuttings from Chateau Lafite in the 1890s to cultive Bordeaux varieties too.
Local consumption grapes were originally flooded with local indigenous varietals like Hevroni, Dabouki, Marawi, Halbani, Sharwishi, Hamdani, Jandali amongst the whites and Zeitani, Karkashani, Razaki, Karashi, Baladi amongst the reds. And there is a movement that is seeing some of the indigenous varietals of the region return, however the reality is that the below make up the majority of the grapes found in Israel:
The 3 most planted black grape varietals in Israel:
Carignan 🍇
Merlot 🍇
Cabernet Sauvignon 🍇
Followed up with:
Shiraz 🍇
Argaman (only 4% of total varietals but a type of 'indigenous' varietal, created more recently in the 1990s as a hybrid of Carignan and Souzao. 🍇
Petit Sirah🍇
There is also little pickets of things like Barbera, from Italy now in the ground too.
For WHITE wines:
🍇Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the most prevalent in terms of plantings.
However, you will also find plantings of Reisling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier, Colombard, and Muscat of Alexandria.
Top Wineries in Israel to Visit:
Tzora Vineyard - a stunning winery on the Judean Hills - producing wines across their 'Misty Hills', 'Shoresh' and 'Judean Hills' ranges.
Binyamina Winery - situated on the coastal plains, but actually established way back in 1952. Sourcing wines now from all of the above regions mentioned to create immaculate wines.
Gush Etzion Winery - another winery in the Judean Hills with vines up in some of the highest spots in the region. A truly great winery to see the diversity of wine production.
Ben Zimra Winery - up in the Upper Gailee region and founded as late as 2003 at 850m above sea level.
Netofa Winery - If you are in the Gailee region then this is situated at the Lower Gailee and at the base of Mt Tabor, another great meeting place of minds as well as for sampling wines too!
Note, there is no markets information this week as I am not in the office this week, all communication will be back from 15th September when we go BIG for the last quarter of the year!
And don't forget to book holidays and travel with me under The Northern Travel Guy !
Best Regards
Andy a.k.a. The Northern Wine Guy and The Northern Travel Guy
Comments