WINE REGIONS

Carmel has extensive vineyards throughout Israel, including some of the finest individual vineyard sites in the country. Israel has five registered wine regions:

GALILEE
This region, made up of the Upper and Lower Galilee and the Golan Heights, extends southwards from the Lebanese border and covers the north of Israel. The Upper Galilee and Golan are generally accepted as Israel’s finest wine growing areas, because of their cooler climate and higher altitude. Elevations can be up to 1,000 meters above sea level, with snow in winter. Soils vary between being gravelly, volcanic, basalt, limestone and terra rossa.
Carmel is the leading winery presence in the premium Upper Galilee, following an extensive planting program. Many of Carmel’s finest wines come from Upper Galilee vineyards and after harvesting, the grapes are sent to the nearby Kayoumi Winery.

SHOMRON
This is Israel’s most historic wine growing region, benefiting from the Carmel Mountain range and breezes off the Mediterranean Sea. The main concentration of vineyards is in the valleys surrounding Zichron Ya’acov. Soils are heavy, limey and the climate typically Mediterranean. Baron Edmond de Rothschild fell in love with this scenic area at the end of the 19th century. It was here he chose to plant vineyards in the 1880’s and to build Israel’s largest winery in the 1890’s. It was also where he was eventually buried. It remains the heart of the Israel wine industry. Carmel’s many vineyards in the area are in close proximity to Zichron Ya’acov Wine Cellars.

SAMSON
The central coastal plain, Shefela and the gently rolling hills of the Judean Lowlands make up this region. The soils are limestone, alluvial clay and loam and the area has a coastal Mediterranean climate: hot, humid summers and warm, mild winters.
The fruit from the Samson vineyards are sent to Rishon Le Zion Wine Cellars.

JUDEAN HILLS
The Judean Hills, west of Jerusalem and the southern Judean Hills have proved to be good wine growing regions for production of high quality wines. The region is characterized by warm days and cool nighttime temperature. The soils are thin limey, stony and the higher mountains receive snow in winter.
Carmel has premium vineyards in both the Judean Foothills and in Yatir Forest, the largest forest in Israel, which is situated in the southern tip of the Judean Hills. The Yatir Forest vineyards, which are up to 900 meters above sea level, also supply the boutique Yatir Winery.

NEGEV
A popular area for vine growing in ancient times has recently been planted with vineyards in the higher regions. These range from the central Negev Hills, which is desert, to the semi arid north-eastern Negev. Soils are sandy to loamy. The temperatures range from very hot during the day, with cooler evenings and cold nights. Humidity is low, but the vineyards are often shrouded in mists during the morning hours.
Carmel is the pioneer of the Negev with its Ramat Arad vineyard, planted in 1988, situated in the north-east Negev plateau – 500 meters above sea level. Yatir Winery is situated at Tel Arad.