Passover wines: Two small, two large Israeli wineries

• Published date: 26 April 2024
• Author: LINDA GRADSTEIN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

I've chosen four wineries – two of Israel's smaller wineries and two larger – to highlight this year. All the wines I recommend are kosher for Passover. And they can also be enjoyed all year round

Small and large wineries

The first is Raviv Winery, a small family-run garage winery that is literally run out of the family's garage in Ness Harim in the hills outside Jerusalem. Ofir Raviv is the winemaker, and Dina Raviv handles the business side. They make 6,000 bottles a year, both red blends and single varietals. They also sell wine to several restaurants.

The Judean Hills in the area between Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh recently became Israel's first wine appellation, and the labels of the Raviv Winery reflect this designation. I especially enjoyed the Petit Verdot, which was aged for 18 months in oak barrels. Petit Verdot is one of the five varieties allowed in Bordeaux wines, and it has bold flavors with dark fruits. At NIS 90, it's a great deal; but you have to be in Israel to buy it, as it's not sold abroad.

The other smaller winery I chose is Yatir in southern Israel, which is Israel's up and coming new wine region. Yatir, which was founded in 2001, is led by talented winemaker Eran Goldwasser. I have yet to meet a Yatir wine I don't like. This year, they have released a new wine called Goblet Wine, in which the vines grow in the shape of a goblet sheltering the grapes from the sun. The wine is an interesting blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Carignan and is aged in oak for a year. It's got a wonderful aroma and is not too heavy. It's a bit pricey at NIS 190, but if you're looking to treat yourself, this is a good way to do it.

Moving on to larger wineries, I suggest looking at wines from Recanati, which...