2 gold medals, 40 shekels: The Israeli winery surprising experts around the world

The Decanter international wine competition is likely the most professional and respected competition in the world, or at the very least, the Oscars of the wine world. Unlike many other competitions, which are often marketing-oriented, the tastings at Decanter are blind and objective, and its gold and platinum medals are highly valued by wine experts globally.

Quite a few Israeli wineries participate in the competition, and their wines sometimes receive respectable scores. But in recent years, one Israeli winery stands out in particular—one that you probably wouldn't have thought would consistently win medals and high scores with its standard wines, available in almost every supermarket.

To be honest, receiving a medal for a wine that costs 150 or 200 shekels is impressive, but a wine that costs 39 shekels, and even less during holiday sales, receiving such a score? That is serious.

95 points for 60 shekels

Here are the results: two gold medals, representing a phenomenal 95 points out of 100, were awarded to Zion Winery brands at the Decanter 2026 competition. One of them is for the "Capital Lion's Gate 2024" wine, priced at 60 shekels. Another, "Shiraz Estate 2024" at 40 shekels, has been receiving a silver medal for three years in a row, meaning a score of over 90 points.

Yes, this is the same veteran Zion Winery, which was identified for years with archaic Kiddush wines, grape juice for children, and simple table wines. Who would have believed it?

It is hard to understand why this achievement flew under the radar. Their quiet work is deep and precise, and the approach that closely connects land, vineyards, and meticulous winery work yields impressive results. Much more famous and coveted wineries that sent wines to the competition settled for good but more modest scores.

And that's not the end. The second gold medal was received by "Orient Red" from the 1848 wine series, the winery's elite brand. Another wine whose price is stated in only two digits, but that is a story for a separate article.

The man hiding behind the vines

Behind this revolution stands winemaker Zvi Shor, the sixth generation of the winery's founders, together with a talented and super-modest team. If you didn't know this name, it's not by chance. Zvika's modesty hides him behind the vines, for whose cultivation and management he is responsible.

"When you know the plots and the development method of each variety in each growing region in depth," he says, "you understand exactly what potential comes from each vineyard. We identified that Mediterranean varieties thrive in our climate, and our goal is to take these fine grapes, accompany the ripening process, determine the optimal harvest timing, and bring them at their best to the bottle."

How do you manage to produce wines that win such fantastic scores and are still priced as popular wines?

Zvi: "Since we started the quality revolution, my emphasis is on the raw material. We planted vineyards in optimal regions for each variety, accompanied by expert agronomist Dr. Pini Sarig. Even the vineyards intended for the basic series receive the same treatment as the premium ones."

"We have quite a few vineyards in the Golan Heights, where basalt soil combined with topography brings amazing results. We also have vineyards on the Sirin Plateau, where basalt soil gives mineral notes to the grapes. It continues to the Lower Galilee, Kochav HaShachar, the Tel Arad area, the southern Hebron Hills, and more."

"I personally make sure to arrive at the vineyards to see the phenolic ripening and to feel every grape before the harvest. Together with me is Ilan Asulin, our additional winemaker, who brings his unique Bordeaux style and experience—we complement each other."

From Cabernet to Mediterranean varieties

You mentioned that you produce modern wines from Mediterranean varieties. What do you mean?

Zvi: "We learned to know the local terroir and to plant varieties suitable for each region. We don't have Cabernet today in the Judean Lowlands or in the Lower Galilee, but only in the high places. Mediterranean varieties like Caladoc, Syrah, Grenache, and Marselan were planted in the Lower Galilee and Judean Lowlands, and they are happy to receive the sun and heat that help us produce charming results."

"Today we are producing about 3 million bottles of wine, excluding grape juice. In the last decade, the share of sweetened Kiddush wines has been shrinking, and the vast majority of production is quality wines. We introduced large wooden barrels, foudres, and modern stainless steel tanks, and we are on the verge of upgrading to a more modern facility."

40 shekels, 90 points: Now we taste

To be sure, we tasted the winning wines ourselves:

• Capital Lion's Gate Red 2023: A unique blend based on Marselan, Grenache, and Caladoc grapes grown in the Jerusalem Hills and Galilee. Aged for ten months in small oak barrels. Deep color, aromas of fresh forest fruits, juicy plum, and soft spices. Elegant and precise, possessing quiet power and impressive complexity (60 shekels).

• Shiraz Estate 2025: A dry red wine, young, powerful, and full of character. Produced from Shiraz grapes grown in the Galilee, it features an intense purple color and aromas of ripe black cherry, meatiness, and black pepper (40 shekels).

• Chardonnay Estate 2025: A charming and fresh Chardonnay prepared with a few Colombard grapes (8%) to enrich the flavors. Classic aromas of green apple, pear, and citrus. Crisp acidity that blends wonderfully with fruit flavors. A wine bomb for the summer! (40 shekels).