Wine

Rosh Hashanah is the time when Israelis drink the most wine. Ahead of the holiday, we have put together a selection of ten local wines from the north and south of the country that are worth trying in the new year.

Vodka from Finland and France, rosé from the south of France, Gewürztraminer from the Golan, and a new Israeli sparkling wine from Teperberg have hit the shelves just in time. Cans are also taking a place of honor, with Spanish wines and cocktails, alongside colorful craft editions from Schnit. We tasted the new releases and checked what is worth the money.

Why does an affordable French wine costing 5.5 euros sell for 70 shekels in Israel? We traced the bottle's journey from the winery to the shelf and uncovered how logistics, taxes, and bureaucracy drive up the final price.

For years, Zion Winery was identified mainly with Kiddush wines and grape juice. In recent years, a completely different revolution has been quietly taking place there: wines at 40 and 60 shekels are repeatedly winning medals at the prestigious Decanter competition, including two gold medals this year.

Winemaker Shiri Rosenthal, owner of the 'Blendim' boutique winery, creates unique blends inspired by intuition and a scientific background. For her, the harvest and winemaking process have become a sanctuary from life's challenges.