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Wine is an integral part of Jewish and Israeli culture.
Half of Jacob’s blessing to Judah was connected to wine:
כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ וּבְדַם־עֲנָבִים סוּתֹהן
In the days of King Solomon’s rule, there was peace:
“every man under his vine, and under his fig tree,.”
Micha’s vision for world peace reflects almost the same saying. Ancient Egyptian historians describe Canaan as the best place for wine. Roman historians describe the amazing quality of wine in the Land of Israel. The references go on and on.
A kosher wine tour can be a wonderful experience filled with history, laughter, and tasty delights.
I would like you to experience it in the best possible way.
There was a time when Israel’s wine industry was one of the best in the world. But all that disappeared during the centuries of Arab rule over the land of Israel.
Then the Jews returned home.
More than 150 years ago, Rabbi Yitzhak Shor and Rabbi Avrum Teperberg established the first wineries in Jerusalem. They discovered that the same characteristics of the land and the blessing of their forefathers still existed in modern times.
Today there are hundreds of boutique wineries all over the country. Most of them have been awarded international prizes, and all of them have a unique story.
There are several ways to do a wine tour:
- Go to the local liquor store, buy a few bottles of local wine and drink them in your hotel room. Did you really come all the way to Israel for that?
- Visit a winery and take a tour. You’ll walk around the winery shop, maybe see a short film about the winery’s history and enjoy a tasting of a few of the most popular wine varieties. If you find a wine you love, you can purchase a few bottles to take with you.
- My recommendation is to devote an entire day to the wine region and include a stop at an ancient site connected to the history of the land and winemaking. Take the time to have a tasting session at a few wineries and make sure to sit down for lunch at one of them. When choosing the wineries you’ll visit, make sure that there is a significant difference between the wineries and that you can walk out into the vineyards for a stroll.
Here’s an example of where I’d go during a wine tour in Binyamin. I’d start my day on the balcony of Psagot winery that overlooks the peaks where the Battle of Michmash took place between Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and the Philistines. After that, I’d visit the Huberta in Neve Tzuf, an ancient site where sweet wine was created by the sun.
Then we’ll stop at Gvaot winery to sample the wines made from ancient vine species from the days of the temple and have lunch at the local restaurant.
After lunch we can do to Shiloh the cite the tabernacle for 369 year
Next up would be a scientific vineyard in the area.
To finish the day we can stop at award-winning winery Tura and here it’s a fascinating story.
Just remember, if your designated driver tastes all the same wine varieties you did, you might not want him to drive you home. Seek out a local guide who is sober and can get you home safely.
L’Chaim,
Eli Riskin
Jewish Israel tours
