The Middle East was once the cradle of wine production, and ancient Israel (back when it was still called Cana'an) was one of the earliest countries to cultivate wine -- over 2,000 years before Europe (presumably, it was harder to find cabernet sauvignon back then).

The winery fills a total of 800 casks each year. Yatir produces 120,000 bottles annually, about 20 percent of which get exported to the US, Canada, the UK, and France. American wine critic Robert Parker gave a top mark of 93 to the red 2003 Yatir Forest wine.

Parker's other favorite was the 2005 Gewurztraminer Heights wine Yarden. Golan Heights wine is Israel's most famous wine product, jointly owned by eight kibbutzim and moshavim (agricultural settlements) that supply the grapes. Golan Heights Winery produces six million bottles annually, 30% for export. Their three labels are Yarden, Gamla and Golan. As for me, if I had to make a recommendation, I say-- forget grapes a minute. Golan now makes POMEGRANATE wine. I had some last summer, and it is DELICIOUS. Strongly recommend spending the money on it, they have it in very reasonable price ranges.

A kibbutz called Tzora along with three vineyards in the Judean Hills region produce around 80,000 bottles of wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer grapes.

A Judean Hills winery, you might get the opportunity to try their Chardonnay on El Al Airline's first-class wine list-- which one best in first class wines of all the airlines.

Israel's oldest winery began as a wine cooperative in 1906, with lots of help by French financier Baron Edmond de Rothschild. Carmel produces 30 million bottles of wine each year, including their mass-market labels such as Selected, and their premium wines such as Carmel Limited Edition.

Tulip Winery has drawn praise for establishing a winery in Kfar Tikva, a residential community in the Jezreel Valley for adults with special needs, and working closely with members of the community, some of whom work at hte winery. The family-run business produces approximately 8,000 cases of wine each year.

Based in the Judean Hills, the winery produces about 50,000 bottles each year. Wine critic Daniel Rogov believes that the success of the small winery is owed to WInemaker Eyal Rotem's extensive knowledge of the soil and weather conditions of his vineyards, as well as the use of minimal watering to allow the roots of the vines to reach the natural water table. (You can probably guess why use of minimal watering is a technique Israeli winemakers prefer to rely on where possible.)

Finally, Sea Horse Winery on Moshav Bar Giora, near to Jerusalem's southwest, has been growing organic Syrah and Zinfandel grapes in its vineyard since 2000. All the farming is organic, contributing to its unique taste.
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