YOU CAN FIT THE STATE OF ISRAEL ONTO VANCOUVER ISLAND.
Vancouver Island has 30 wineries; Israel has over 300 - including a proliferation of boutique and garagiste operations that produce, collectively, over 40 million bottles a year.
Winemaking in Israel dates back 5,000 years. According to the Bible (Genesis 9:20-21), Noah planted the rst vineyard and got drunk— which is completely understandable, given he had to spend one year + 10 days in a oating zoo. Humanity’s rst cruise … and Captain Noah needed to erase the memory.
The logo for the contemporary Israel Ministry of Tourism also has a biblical connection: it depicts Joshua and Caleb, the two spies whom Moses sent out to scout the land of Canaan. They returned carrying an enormous bunch of grapes, so big and heavy they had to suspend it from a pole on their shoulders.
As the late Daniel Rogov wrote in his Guide to Israeli Wines, “Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the owner of the famed Château Late in Bordeaux…nanced the planting of the rst vineyards near Rishon LeZion, on the coastal plain…. He brought in experts from Europe and imported grape varieties from the south of France, including Alicante Bouschet, Clairette, Carignan, Grenache, Muscat, and Semillon.”Rothschild founded two wineries there—Rishon LeZion in 1882 and the Zikhron Ya’akov on Mount Carmel in 1892 (now Carmel Winery). I visited both these facilities in 1967 for an English language radio program on Kol Israel.
From memory, the wines then—all kosher—were less than memorable. Last summer, I returned to Israel with my wife to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. And what a dierence!
Today, the favoured grape varieties are the noble European vinifera: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer.
During our two-week stay, I visited three wineries and ordered Israeli wines in restaurants.
We began at Tzora Vineyards in a kibbutz (type of settlement) high up in the Judean Hills. Winemaker Dan Scheinman had spent several years in Burgundy. His wines were rst rate, especially Tzora Shoresh Blanc 2021, a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc with 20% Chardonnay, and Misty Hills 2020, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Our next visit was to one of Israel’s nest wineries, Domaine du Castel in Ramat Raziel. Michal Kalisher, the young woman who makes the wines here, has done a fabulous job, maintaining the quality of Israel’s most celebrated winery. We started o by tasting Rosé du Castel 2021 (a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec), followed by La Vie Blanc du Castel 2021 (a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer), C Blanc du Castel 2021 (100% Chardonnay), La Vie Rouge du Castel 2020, Petit Castel 2020 (a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec), and the winery’s agship red, Domaine du Castel Grand Vin 2020—a magnicent Bordeaux blend. We nished with the winery’s second label, Razi’el Red 2020 (a blend of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvèdre). A stunning portfolio.
Our final stop was Kitron Winery in the Galilee region, Israel’s rst gravity winery. Here we tasted their Kitron Chardonnay Reserve 2017, Shiraz 2016, Tigra 2016, and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2017.
The food scene in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is as dynamic as the wine scene. At Shila restaurant in Tel Aviv, we enjoyed Clos de Gat Chardonnay 2020 and Tzora Misty Hills 2020.
At Hiba, an Israeli-Arabic fusion restaurant in Tel Aviv, we had a world-class tasting menu matched with Sphera White Signature 2021, Clos de Gat Sycra Chardonnay 2019, Ashkar Shafaya Special Edition 2020.At Chakra in Jerusalem, we ordered charcoal-oven sea bass and green salsa, and wild sea bass llet with homemade gnocchi and tomato sauce. The accompanying wine was Yarden Katzrin Chardonnay 2020 that came on like a Grand Cru Burgundy.
I asked a local wine store in Tel Aviv to recommend three whites I could take home with me. They oered Sphera White Concepts Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Shvo Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2020, and Assaf Sauvignon Blanc 2021.
New world wines with ancient roots.
Tony Aspler, Order of Canada recipient, has been writing about wine since 1975. He is the author of 18 wine books, including The Wine Atlas of Canada and three wine murder mystery novels. The best concert he ever attended was Rush with the Tragically Hip as the opening band. His favourite comfort food is milk chocolate and his cocktail of choice is a Kir Royale. At home, he drinks wine (lots of wine).