Israeli Wine – at a Glance History Ancient History

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ISRAELI WINE – AT A GLANCE HISTORY ANCIENT HISTORY: 5,000 years of winemaking. A golden age in Biblical times. MODERN HISTORY: 700 CE onwards: Wine trade forsaken; Prohibition of alcohol. Vineyards uprooted. 1880’s-90’s Modern wine industry founded by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of Ch. Lafite, with French expertise. 1980’s New World technology introduced to Israel with Californian expertise. 1990’s Beginnings of a small winery boom. 2000’s Israeli wine receives international recognition at the highest level. VINEYARDS CLIMATE: Mainly Mediterranean. Long, hot dry summers; short wet winters; snow on higher ground. Semi-arid & desert conditions, in the Negev. SOILS: Volcanic in north; sandy red soils on coast; chalk & limestone on the hills. HECTARES: 5,500 hectares (13,585 acres; 55,000 dunams). HARVEST: 55,000 metric tons VINTAGE: August to end of October - (often begins late July & occasionally ends early November); Machine & hand harvested. GRAPE VARIETIES VARIETIES – METRIC TONS %: Cabernet Sauvignon 18%; Carignan 17%; Merlot 13%; Shiraz/ Syrah 7%; Petit Verdot 5%; Colombard 4%; Muscat of Alexandria 4%; Argaman 5%; Chardonnay 3%; Petite Sirah 2%; Sauvignon Blanc 2%; Emerald Riesling 2%; Cabernet Franc 2%; Malbec 2%; Tempranillo 1%; Mourvedre 1% VARIETIES WITH LOCAL INTEREST: Argaman, Baladi Asmar, Hamdani/ Marawi, Jandali WINERIES NO. COMMERCIAL WINERIES: 70 NO. OF WINERIES: 300 + ISRAELI MARKET PRODUCTION: 40-45 million bottles of wine CONSUMPTION: 5 liters a head EXPORT EXPORT OF ISRAELI WINES: US$ 42 million MAIN IMPORTERS OF ISRAELI WINES 1. U.S.A; 2. France; 3. U.K; 4. Canada; 5. Poland, 6. Germany; 7. Holland EXPORT SALES 55+ % of exports to North America; 35+ % to Western Europe. Remainder to more than 30 countries in 5 continents. WINE REGIONS HECTARES OF VINEYARDS BY REGION (%) · GALILEE 41% - mainly Upper Galilee & Golan Heights · SAMSON 27% - vineyards in central coastal plain, Judean Lowlands, Judean Foothills · SHOMRON 17% - southern Mt. Carmel - mainly in valleys around Zichron Ya’acov · JUDEAN HILLS 10% - Jerusalem mountains, Gush Etzion & Yatir Forest · NEGEV 5% - mainly Ramat Arad, Sde Boker & Mitzpe Ramon .

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