When you think of good wine, regions such as Australia, Chile, France, Argentina, Italy, and South Africa would pop up in your head – which quite frankly is what should happen as these are the best places where you would find such great quality wines. However, did you ever consider Israel as one of them? Yes, I said it – Israel. For those of you who have tried Israeli wine, I am sure you would agree with me that the quality and taste is remarkable. And for those of you who haven’t, this is your lucky day. This month’s blog is a brief introduction on Israeli wines and focuses on Barkan Winery which is Israel’s second largest winery.
Israeli wines can be traced back to 3000 B.C. in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean region even before it reached Europe. Although still a tiny production compared to other wine regions, it has attracted a lot of attention from other wine regions around the globe. Today, Israel produces wines from hundreds of vineyards that range from small boutique wineries to big companies that are producing over 10 million bottles yearly.
When you talk about Israeli Wines, there’s always a mention of the wine’s being Kosher. Now, what is kosher wine? By most explanations, “kosher wine” is usually defined as wines that are produced according to the Jewish dietary laws. To be considered kosher, Sabbath-observant male Jews must manage the entire wine making process. No artificial additives or animal products come in contact with the wine. The general misconception about the wines from Israel is that all the wines produced are all Kosher, however; this is not the case. Not all Israeli wine is Kosher; but all of the large producers in Israel have kosher certification.
Grape Varieties:
The varieties of successful grapes grown in the Israeli region are:
Red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.
White wine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer
Grape Regions:
There are all together five chosen grape regions in Israel and they are:
Galilee (or Galil) – which is the most northern region and produces many of Israel’s best quality wines.
Judean Hills – includes the familiar cities of both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The nights are cool and crisp, and both Domain du Castel and Efrat are located within this area.
Shimshon (or Samson) – is the most widely planted region of Israel with almost 40% of the nation’s grapes being grown here.
Negev – this is a more arid, desert region of Israel. It is popular in biblical times for growing grapes.
Shomron (or Samaria) – this region makes up the biggest grape growing region in Israel.
BARKAN WINERY:
Barkan winery is the second largest winery in Israel and receives over 8000 tons of grapes during the harvest. The winemakers have gained world-wide reputation and won prominent awards due to the brilliant quality of wines and the amazing grape combinations.
The winery has a wide range of varietal wines and blends, which all have one thing in common – they all have a story to tell.
Today, we would like to focus on one of their wine series known as the classic series. This is because it has been really well received by the Thai people and for those of you who have not tried it, here’s your chance to know more about it. The Classic series consists of Classical varietal wines composing a collection of high-quality wines found in wine consuming countries and those that are familiar in Israel.
Below are some of the wines under the classis series that we carry. Have a read through their characteristics and tasting notes.
| Variety | Type | Characteristics | Tasting Notes | Serving Temp |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Red | Fruity, Light | Layers of oak, dark berry, and spice are supported by soft tannins and focused acidity. | 18° |
| Pinotage | Red | Fruity, Light, Spicy | Ripe plum and strawberry aromas. Structured with rounded tannins balanced with pleasant tartness. | 16° |
| Merlot | Red | Fruity and velvet-like, with a long and smooth finish. | Dark cherry, plum and cassis flavors, with rich cinnamon, herb and coffee notes. | 16° |
| Pinotage | Red | Crisp, Fruity, Light | Ripe plum and strawberry aromas. Structured with rounded tannins balanced with pleasant tartness | 16° |
| Sauvignon Blanc | White | Crisp, Fruity, Light, Smooth | Bright passion fruit, nectarine and green apple flavors that linger bracingly through the zingy finish. | 8° |
| Chardonnay | White | Crisp, Fruity, Light | Bright, crisp acidity wonderful pear and citrus fruit flavors full bodied, with long finish. | 8° |
To find out more about the classic series, please click on the following link: https://www.uv-intertrade.com/product-categories/classic-series/
We also carry many other series from the Barkan Winery. Please feel free to browse through the following link https://www.uv-intertrade.com/product-categories/wine/
Also, if you would like to read more about Barkan winery, you can click on this link here: http://www.barkan-winery.co.il/en
We hope you enjoyed our brief on Israeli wine and definitely; have a taste – its superb!
