Many wine articles focus on matching wines to individual dishes. It is not that practical, because in real life, we tend to choose wines for a meal, and not for every course. For the first part of my professional career, I was involved with restaurants and hotels in the world of wine education, sommeliers and wine waiters. Matching wine to food was an intricate, fun and pretentious sport. All wine professionals did it. Often, we had to match wines to every course of a banquet. That was fun! To do this successfully, one would need to know the ingredients, cooking procedure and dominant features of each dish on the menu, and also be able to deconstruct the various aspects of the wines. The challenge of finding a match is to elevate both the wine and the food. When you get it right, both will taste better. It is a case of 1+1=3! The Sommelier Derek Todd has said “There is a magic space in that distance between the food and the wine. The ideal match fills in that space.”

Cheese is part of numerous cultures, but in each one it has a different place. In the west, it is normally part of a meal and there is usually a whole course devoted to it. As a Brit, I was brought up with the idea that cheese is eaten at the end of the meal, after the pudding or dessert. However, the French have a different custom. Their cheeses are served after the main course, but before the desserts. Both give a place of honor to cheese. The British way would enable them to enjoy a glass of port with their cheese, whilst the French practice allows them to continue to drink the main course red wine with the cheese. Whatever the custom, cheese has an important place in gastronomic circles. Posh restaurants will have a cheese trolley, and very, very posh restaurants may even have a cheese sommelier.

I was born and brought up in England and came to live in Israel.  Not a great combination of countries for gastronomy wonks. These were once considered two of the worst possible countries for fine cuisine. English cooking was the butt of jokes, especially by supercilious Frenchmen, and Israel was not much better. Bernard Lewin of The Times of London once visited Israel and he despaired of finding somewhere half normal to eat as he searched for a restaurant. His witty riposte was: “Doesn’t anyone here have a Jewish mother?”

We are in our seventh year of pandemic or war. I am not sure whether we are in a continuation of the October 7^th War, a repeat of the Second Iranian War or a never-ending sequel in the Third Lebanese War. Maybe it is a combination of all three. Covid was a peak time of domestic wine drinking at home. Unfortunately, with permanent ongoing wars, a blanket of anxiety has settled over the country. However, a glass of wine is recommended for a feeling of well-being. Drinking at home in moderation can be a pick-me-up and it can relax and soothe. I believe in the mantra: KEEP CALM, DRINK WINE AND CARRY ON!!

Passover is the main wine drinking time of the year in Israel and the Jewish world. We are commanded to drink Arba Kossot, four cups. It makes it a very important festival for wine marketers and wine drinkers.

With the importance of California and UC Davis (University of California at Davis) to the first part of the Israel wine revolution, it is often forgotten that the Israeli wine industry was initially built on French expertise, with French sponsorship and with a dollop of influence from Bordeaux.

Israeli wine began a quality revolution in the 1980s and took off in the 1990s and came of age in the 2000s. People forget though, the immense contribution of the man who founded the modern wine industry. The credit goes to the person who was in those days referred to as the Ha’Nadiv Ha’Yedua – the Known Benefactor. We know him better as Baron Edmond de Rothschild.   

The Negev Wine Club was founded in 2020. Its purpose is to market the Negev as a fascinating wine region, promote tourism and to give wineries a framework for development. At the outset there were just over twenty wineries or vineyards that signed up for the idea, but nothing creates interest like success. Now there are nearer fifty, as small wineries and farmers, as if coming out of the woodwork, became eager to join in. They have support from the very impressive Merage Foundation and professional guidance from wine educator / wine tourism expert, Guy Haran.  The wineries exhibit together, host joint tastings, participate in symposiums and undertake study tours overseas. Everyone is primed to talk up the main brand, which is Negev Desert Wines. It is all about selling your wine through marketing the growing region. It is well organized and offers a successful blueprint for other wine regions to follow. 

In 1976 I made my first steps in the drinks industry joining British brewer Bass Charrington in London as a business management trainee. Fifty years ago! Forgive me for indulging myself, but a fifty year anniversary is pretty rare. Now, when I look back at wine development here in Israel and I see that 1976 was a pivotal year. It was the year that showed the first twinge in the wine revolution that followed.

There is a great deal of doom and gloom in the global wine industry these days. Sales are on the downturn. The next generation just seems to be less interested in wine than their forebears. Paradoxically, at the same time, wine tourism is blooming. Woe betide those wineries that do not invest in wine tourism and it seems as though they are, in each famous wine region in turn.

Usually, a wine writer writes about wineries and wines, but occasionally it is a vineyard the catches the eye. There are some famous vineyards in Israel, which shine like beacons because either the story, wine quality or the attention they generate. The El Rom vineyard on the Northern Golan Heights, the Kayoumi vineyard (in the early 2000s) in the Upper Galilee, the Shoresh vineyard in the Judean Hills, and the Nana vineyard at Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev are in this category. I recently visited what maybe the latest addition to the club.

The mountainous area running down the spine of the country is part of what is known internationally as the West Bank. Those on the right of the political scene call the region Judea & Samaria, names which emphasize Jewish roots, from the time of the Israelites and Judeans. Whether you call it the West Bank or Judea & Samaria (Yehuda v’Shomron), depends where you stand politically. These are politically charged names which when used, which will instantly betray your political persuasion. Personally, I prefer to call the region Central Mountains. This is a description that explains the topography, which is wholly appropriate for a wine region.

To pilot any company for over three centuries is an extraordinary feat. I am in awe of the history of Taylor’s Port which has navigated all the pitfalls of a turbulent history and independent, family ownership. To put it in perspective, in Israel we have Zion Winery, our oldest existing winery, which was founded by the Shor family in 1848. There, after 177 years, the owner, the senior management and the winemaker are still from the family. Carmel, the historic winery of Israel, was founded in 1882 and while it was a cooperative, its shareholders were largely the same families for five generations.

I have been in Israel for 36 years. In the UK I was the Jew, but here I am the Brit. Something to do with the accent which I would still have even if I lived here 100 years. Time does not assuage the longing for some things I left behind in Britain. The list won’t surprise other Brits. They include Tetley’s tea, Coleman’s mustard, Branston pickle, Chivers marmalade and something most people outside the sceptered isle, can never understand, Marmite. I would have to add mature cheddar cheese and ripe stilton to the list. If I delve further I would include cricket at Lords and Real Ale (aka cask conditioned ale) in a British pub. Delving into the wine trade, which is the bubble I live in, I so much miss the easy availability of Port, Sherry and Madeira, which I love.

I have written in the past that Portugal is the next big thing in wine countries. I still believe this today. It is a country with many different and unique wine regions, their own indigenous grape varieties and wines to satisfy all tastes. Prices are also very reasonable. The problem is that so much good wine is made in Europe, demand if anything is dropping and it is hard for the Portuguese to muscle their way onto the stage. However, if there was ever a country that merits exploring for the wine lover, it is this one.

It is not just Rosh Hashanah this week, but also International Negroni Week. Two important occurrences coincide! Negroni Week lasts from September 22-28th. This is the most famous Campari cocktail, which most probably was adapted from an Americano, a cocktail of Campari with sweet vermouth and soda water. The unsubstantiated folklore says a Count Camillo Negroni from Florence, was unsatisfied with alcoholic punch of his Americano. Therefore, he ordered his own version, asking for gin in place of the soda water. That was estimated to be 1919, and the Negroni cocktail was born.

Many families still use Kiddush wines for Shabbat because of tradition. These are the sweet red sacramental wines that really gave kosher wines a bad name. Those in wine education have always tried to upgrade these, reminding people that there is nothing written that a wine for Kiddush has to be sweet and poor quality. In fact, I remember a Haredi wine lover who taught me a lesson. He would buy 52 bottles of Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon each year and make Kiddush using a Riedel glass just to honor Shabbat.

I love Guinness. I like the sturdiness and bitter character of the traditional bottled Guinness and the smoothness and creaminess of the draught, on tap or in a can. Most of all I am a Guinness voyeur.  I like to watch Guinness settle in the glass, eventually arriving at an impenetrable black liquid, with two fingers of that white, tight bubbled, creamy frothy head.  Though I love Real Ale, or what is also called in Britain, a pint of Bitter, I am mainly a lost cause having reverted to wine. But if I do have a beer, it is likely to be Guinness and sometimes when I see it is available, I can’t resist it!

I myself am partial to a good Malt Whisky. I was weaned on the sherry cask whiskies of The Macallan, and I have my favorites which I drink in thistle glasses with a drop or two of mineral water to bring out the aromas. These are whiskies to savor over an evening or to share with like-minded friends. Sharing the experience is always more satisfying than drinking alone.

For all whisky mavens, The Macallan has a pride of place. This is also true amongst Jews, for whom Scotch, in general, and Single Malts in particular, has become the chosen spirit. Looking back, it is amusing to relate that I have had a personal happening with The Macallan Whisky approximately every twenty years. Though the distillery has changed, grown and developed, it still maintains its position on a pedestal as one of the very finest Single Malt Whiskies.

Cyprus is a beautiful place to visit. It is a country with beautiful beaches, expansive resort hotels, great restaurants, even casinos. There are plenty of good hiking opportunities and Cypriots are as a people relaxed, friendly, and always ready with a warm welcome and a smile. By far the majority of tourists visiting Cyprus are from Great Britain. There is a historic reason for the popularity with the Brits. Once it was a British colony. Second on the list are Israelis, probably because of its close proximity. It is quicker to fly to Larnaka than to Eilat. Let me say on behalf of all Israelis, we hope we arrive politely and leave a good impression. We have not always travelled with our manners, but let’s hope we are learning and that our image as tourists is improving.

I was pleased to be part of the Circle of Wine Writers visit to Cyprus. It included members from Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK. So, it was quite an international gathering.  The Circle of Wine Writers is based in England and is an organization of wine writers, wine educators and wine communicators. There are only 270 members worldwide. One of the benefits of being on a tour with other wine writers, was to meet, share and schmooze with others in a similar field, but from all over.

Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost. It is the second harvest festival commemorating the wheat harvest. It commemorates the giving of the Torah, and many will stay up all night studying. We traditionally eat only dairy produce and white wines go best with the foods offered, especially if cheese is on the menu. Many wine folk will therefore be organizing cheese and wine parties and for this I recommend a variety of white and rose wines at different price points

The essence of Kashrut in wine may be found in the phrases Yayin Nesech and Stam Yeinam. Both are prohibited to wine drinkers who follow the Jewish Dietary Laws. Yayin Nesech is a wine poured in a libation by idol worshippers. Stam Yeinam is a wine owned, touched or moved by non-Jews. Quite often I am asked if a small winery I have written about is Kosher or not. Often I answer that though it is not, the wine is made by a Jew who is not an idol worshipper. It is meant to be tongue in cheek, but if we are talking tachles, then this sort of winery is not covered by the prohibitions of either Yayin Nesech or Stam Yeinam. In fact Kashrut in wine has been a moveable feast, changing over the years.

Yom Ha’atzmaut demands a spirit of togetherness which creates a sense of enjoying the moment and looking forward. We will celebrate it this year, not forgetting anything, but old habits die hard. This is Israel Independence Day, a time of celebration and happiness. However, we will be hoping and demonstrating for the return of the hostages both before, maybe during and after this special day. I hope not, and that they return beforehand. It does not bear thinking about that this is the second Yom Ha’atzmaut where Israelis are held in captivity in terrible conditions in underground tunnels. Once upon a time in Judaism, redeeming the captives was considered sacred and the Israeli ethos of not forgetting anyone and not leaving anyone behind, was a source of great pride. What happened? Where did these noble principles go to? They seem to been sacrificed on the altar of waging a permanent war.

At the recent Sommelier Trade Exhibition in Tel Aviv, I came across an Armenian winery. That piqued my interest. Armenia is one of those countries in the southern Caucasus, where wine had its beginnings. They are new here, but part of the Ancient World of winemaking…..and we are too!

Passover is known also as the Festival of Spring and the Festival of Freedom. It is certainly the spring season. To see that, one only has to visit a vineyard. The vines are budding and the vineyards are covered in wild flowers. It is our annual lesson, that wine goes on despite the surrounding noise. Nature is not affected by mood. It presses on regardless. The Festival of Freedom is harder to celebrate this year, with those kidnapped still held in Gaza. Redeeming the captives is an important facet of Judaism, and the Israeli ethos is not to leave anyone behind. So, it is very hard to understand why they have been abandoned twice, firstly on October 7th and then since.

I recently wrote an article in the Jerusalem Post and the person editing the article questioned the use of the word ‘garagiste’ saying Americans would not know what it was. In fact, it was at the peak of the influence of American critic, Robert Parker, that the word garagiste first became used. It described the French domestic artisan winery that was small enough to fit in a garage. Some of these produced wines in the Parker style and he fanned the new interest by giving them high ratings. The French term garagiste winery was born.

Purim this year occurs in the second week of March. The vines will be budding, the vineyards will be covered in spring flowers and local fauna will be darting between the vines, using the vineyard as a playground. Spring is here. But that is growing wine here and now. We will shortly be celebrating the Festival of Purim that relates back to wine a long, long time ago in Persia, approximately BCE 5,000. The background to the Purim story unfolded during Persian wine infused banquets that were all the rage in those days. In a nutshell, the Persian Jews were saved from the evil Haman who wanted to destroy them. Purim is also known as the Feast of Lots, because Haman drew lots to help
decide which day the massacre would take place. The story is retold in the Book of Esther in the Bible. In the end Haman was hanged and Mordechai, the Jew, replaced him as First Minister. The
hero of the story is Esther, who became queen by marrying King Ahasuerus, and plucked up courage to tell the king of the plot. Thereby saving the Jewish people.

Terravino 2025 has awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award to Tali Sandovski of the Golan Heights Winery. Terravino is the only international wines & spirits competition in Israel. The competition is celebrating its 20th year. The idea and concept was created and developed by Haim Gan, and since then it has been organized by him strictly according to OIV guidelines.

Israel is the Start-Up Nation known for breathtaking advances in medicine, agriculture and technology. There is simply no-one on earth who uses a telephone, computer or who visits a hospital, that does not benefit from Israeli inventions, innovations and research. I recently stumbled across a fascinating new initiative called Vinotherapy, a method of treatment for individuals suffering from Post Trauma. It could be a veteran or simply a person who is a survivor of a terrorist attack in the streets where they live. The trials and research are being done here and to my knowledge it is the only place in the world exploring the idea of treating those coping with Post Trauma through the process of viticulture and winemaking.

Once a year we celebrate Tu Bishvat, the New Year for Trees. Children go on tree planting outings. Families will mark the festival by eating nuts and dried fruits. Those abroad will send donations for a tree to be planted in their name. This is the first festival of the new calendar year. Yet there is some dissonance with the timing. Why on earth do we observe Tu Bishvat in the winter? One would expect the spring to be a far more suitable time.

When we have a wider family get-together, we number twenty three adults, ranging from 18 to 86 years old. Of these, eight are serious dedicated wine drinkers, who will taste every wine I bring….and I bring a few. A further five will take a glass of their favorite wine and it will last the whole evening. Most won’t finish it. Another will only drink white, because red gives her headaches. The two octogenarians will look up hopefully when I arrive and will ask “do you have a wine for us?” They are referring to Moscato. By chance last time, I took a bottle of a wine made in the style of Asti Spumante (sweet fizz). A further four people became animated and exclaimed: “Finally you bring a wine we like!” The remaining three people won’t touch wine, even if I paid them.

The north of Israel has been bereft of wine tourism for over a year. Tourists stopped coming, winery visitors’ centers were closed and residents were evacuated. Now is the time to go north again and support our wineries, particularly in the Galilee.

The ABC revolution (Anthing But Cabernet or Chardonnay), giving life to other lesser known varieties, began with the founding of a small winery situated in the Sharon Plain, called Vitkin Winery. They themselves call it ABU, Anything But Usual. They chose any grapes other than those noble varieties which were the basis of the quality revolution in Israel. The big four grape varieties that dominated quality wines at the time were Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Furthermore, most of the wines were varietals, being named after the dominant variety.

I have just come up to my 15th year as wine writer for the Jerusalem Post. That is a lot of articles! Every December, every year, I write an article on sparkling wines for the end of year celebrations. That was until last year. I just could not bring myself to write about partying with a war going on and hostages not yet home. This year I feel the same. I never believed a year ago, that the war would still be going on a year later, that the hostages would still not be home, and so many of our finest would have been killed and maimed in the October 7th War. The country seems to be in a collective depression. It feels disingenuous to write about celebration, when the mood is rock bottom, but maybe an excuse to party is a good thing.

Wine has featured strongly in Jerusalem since the time of King David. The Kings of Judah were said to have owned vast vineyards and stores for wine. King David’s wine holdings were so substantial that his court included two special officials to manage them. One was in charge of the vineyards and the other in charge of the cellars. These may have been Israel’s first viticulturist and first sommelier!

When I came to Israel the main spirits were made by the wineries. Carmel Mizrahi made a product from imported molasses called ‘Tehila’, which was a poor imitation of Tequila. They also had products like Captain Rum and Lord Gin. You get the idea and can imagine the quality. All these disappeared when the import gates opened and the big global brands arrived. When that happened, the feinschmeckers chose Scotch whisky and the prize for volume went to vodka. It was only in the last 15 years that a local artisan distillery trend began, but on a very small scale. Julius Distillery led the way, followed by the likes of Golani, Pelter, M&H and Yerushalmi. The one that reached the furthest in international circles is the M&H Whisky Distillery that has brought Israeli whisky to the world.

Despite the sea of Kosher wine being made in Europe, there are only four wineries there that are Kosher all the way, from the roots up. Two of these are in Italy, one in France, and the other is in Spain. The Spanish winery was the creation of a scientist and artist. It was the first Jewish owned Kosher winery in Spain since the Inquisition expulsion in 1492. It was owned by a wandering Sephardi family, who returned to Spain. The first Jewish owned Kosher winery for over 500 years.

Israel Flam has celebrated his 80th birthday joining other famous wine octogenarians like Eli Ben-Zaken of Domaine du Castel and Yair Margalit of Margalit Winery, not forgetting Mimi Ben-Joseph who is in his nineties. Flam worked for 35 years at Carmel Winery, the largest winery in Israel, and is the now the patriarchal figure of Flam Winery, one of Israel’s very finest small wineries.  During his career, he has overseen enormous changes in the wine scene in Israel. 

Baron Edmond de Rothschild founded the Israeli wine industry by planting vineyards in the coastal plain. These were in the valleys of the southern Mount Carmel, and south east of what was to become Tel Aviv.  When the quality revolution took place from the 1980s onwards, Israeli wine gradually moved northwards and eastwards in search of altitude. At high elevation, the climate was cooler, the growing season was longer and this was more conducive to a quality product. Today, more than 40% of Israeli vineyards are situated in the Galilee which borders on Lebanon, and on the Golan Heights, which borders on Syria.

Yatir Winery is approaching its 25th year anniversary. During all this time, the same CEO and winemaker have steered the winery. That is rare continuity amongst Israeli wineries. As a result of their skill and a unique terroir, Yatir has become one of our finest small wineries and it is the undisputed star of the south. Yatir Winery was founded in 2000 at Tel Arad in the northeastern Negev Desert. The winery overlooks the traditional Ramat Arad vineyard and close by there is a swathe of newly planted vineyards which hint at success, growth and a productive future. All is overlooked by the Tel Arad Citadel, an archaeological site with 3,000 years of history. Wine was part of the story even then. An ancient papyrus was found there with the important message scratched on it by a soldier: “If there is wine, send quantity.” This was dated 2,600 years ago!

It is hard to believe nearly a year after October 7th, that we are still at war in Gaza, that Israelis in the north are still living like refugees in their own country and that the hostages are still not home. The country has never been so split. We are going through the worst times since the founding of the State and a collective depression has descended on Israelis everywhere.

Quite apart from anything else, Israeli wine has been under attack. A winemaker was killed; wine hobbyists kidnapped and murdered in captivity; a winery destroyed; vineyards burnt and other vineyards abandoned for security reasons; winery workers called up; visitors centers closed and wineries operating on a security footing. The damage to the Galilee and Golan has been eco terrorism at its worst.

A similar article first appeared in the Jerusalem Post

Olive oil and wine are the exalted products produced from the humble olive and grape. They are symbols of ancient Israel as much as of the Start Up Nation of today. The ancient Israelites and modern day Israelis would have been equally familiar with the importance of olive oil and wine, both for nourishment and trade. The olive grove and vineyard have always been planted where the soils were too stony or unfertile for other crops and fruit trees. To see a vineyard and olive grove in close proximity is always a thing of great beauty in my eyes. They are partners in crime and go together like salt and pepper or tehina and hummus. The Book of Deuteronomy refers to a land of olive oil and wine. Both were one of the Seven Blessed Species. In fact the vine and olive tree are symbols not just of Israel but of the Mediterranean as a whole. Thucydides wrote that man became civilized when he began to cultivate the olive tree and vine. 

Many people have dreams and ambitions, but few articulate their plans so clearly from the very beginning. The first steps are normally taken gingerly and quietly, so mistakes can be learnt from without being under the microscope. A brand is built slowly layer upon layer over years. There is no rush. From the time you plant a vineyard, you can’t use the grapes until the 4th year. Then you may put your precious red wine into barrel to mature for 18 months, and then leave it another six months’ bottle age before release. As a marketer and the builder of a wine brand that gives you time. As a businessman it is nightmare. There is no cash flow, just outgoings and expenditure. The accountant will not be pleased.  It may be 6-7 years before you can sell your precious wine, and who knows when you will be paid.  Building a winery is long term, everything is in slow motion. Patience is not a virtue, it is a necessity. There is no alternative.

Let me tell you about a wine of defiance, hope and resilience. It will not win gold medals or high scores. The international wine critics will not have heard of it. It was only produced in miniscule quantities. But no doubt in my mind, this is one of the ‘Israeli Wines of the Year.’ This is a story of unspeakable horror, unbearable tragedy, but also of redemption, rejuvenation and an underlying optimism. It spreads a feeling of strength in adversity and hope. It tells the story of the biggest tragedy to befall the Jewish people since the Holocaust, in a bottle of wine. A message in a bottle.

Tom Carbone is a blend of Australia and Italy. Two stellar wine producing countries. His mother came from Sydney, his father from Rome. He studied viticulture and oenology in Milan and recently launched a first wine. It was sold out within a very short period of time. None of this would cause much interest, if the words ‘Be’eri’ were not written on the label. This is the kibbutz in the northwestern Negev, where the very worst of the atrocities took place on October 7th. Tom Carbone has Be’eri imprinted in his very DNA. It is where he grew up and in these days of recovery and hopefully rejuvenation, he is the absolute essence and spirit of the place. Yet today, he and his young family, are living in a Dead Sea hotel. He travels from the Dead Sea to Be’eri in the north western Negev to work in the Be’eri Dairy.

Eshkol Ha’Zahav, Israel’s premier wine competition was held for the 22nd year. Eshkol Ha’Zahav means The Golden Cluster.This year, 266 wines were registered for the competition. The wines were tasted by a forum of judges comprising 24 winemakers, sommeliers and wine professionals. The competition’s chairpersons were Mr. Haim Spiegel and Adv. Nachman Cohen Tzedek. The competition is organized each year by Studio Ben Ami, owned by famous sommelier Avi Ben Ami. He also organizes the Best Value Competition and the annual Sommelier Trade Show.

Despite distinct changes in both the quality and popularity of both rosé and white wines here, Israelis still predominately drink red wines. Also in the international Kosher wine market, red wines are king. Whether in America, France or England, the wines the Jewish community are buying, tasting and talking about are reds. It is in their genes. Red is the default choice without thought. Not for nothing the two biggest brands in Israeli wine, are not Carmel and Barkan, or Yarden and Castel, but Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The bias goes back to the very beginning. 

I had seen wines around with the brand name ‘Oblass’ on the label and was curious. Wine lovers were mentioning them in passing, and some people I respect in the industry were listing them. It bothered me that I, who was meant to be up to date, had not come across the wines. I decided to investigate and invited Zlil Oblass for an interview.

The Golan Heights Winery taught the Israeli wine industry about state-of-the-art viticulture and New World winemaking technology. It also taught the wine trade about marketing a quality product of prestige and value. This included selling an image rather than just cases of wine, and emphasized the importance of wine education, professional wine service, gastronomy and wine tourism as integral parts of the overall effort. This was a revolutionary message in Israel at the time. Up front, above all else, was the concept of success through people. The winery understood it was part of the people business, not just the wine business. After all, everything is personal in the end. Whether it was co-opting growers to grow wine, creating a sense of family at the winery, moving closer to the end customer or maintaining positive relationships with retailers and sommeliers, the Golan Heights Winery was the first to teach the industry that the personal approach is how it is done.