Month: November 2025

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.