L’chaim! is a Hebrew and Yiddish phrase which is used in the place of Cheers! when making a toast. Meaning to life it is a fine example of the positive Israeli spirit which is frequently expressed. L’chaim is the phrase which I learned thanks to Yael Gai, International Sales & Marketing Manager of the Golan Heights Winery.
-I am responsible for our export markets-explaines Yael Gai from the Golan Heights Winery, ISRAEL. -When people think about wine, they often think only about wines from the “Old World”: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and so forth. Now, people are beginning to become more familiar with the “New World”: California, South America, Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zeland, and most importantly Israel-she adds.
Unfortunatelly, when one talks about Israel, wine is not the first thing that comes to mind. Before the French began to produce wine, before the Italians started to cultivate vine-grapes, and before mulled wine was served in Germany, wine had long been a very important drink in Israel’s Galilee region. There are many sources that attest to the earliest cultivation of the vine, for wine production, being in the Holy Land and the surrounding areas: Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Georgia. There are even hieroglyphics from Ancient Egypt indicating that wine was imported from Ancient Israel long before evidence of European wine.
-When you come to Galilee, you will be able to see the ancient wine presses-says Gai as she told a brief history of wine in the region. -If you read the Bible, you will find that the first thing that did Noah after leaving the arc was to plant a vineyard, and in turn, produce wine from the grapes. If you read the New Testament, you will see that the first miracle performed by Jesus was turning water into wine-she adds to tells the history details.
In ancient times, in that part of the world wine was a very important element of life. Even children, the elderly, and soldiers drank wine, considering it to be part of a healthy daily diet. Wine is present in Israeli culture from its very beginning. Israel can neither be considered a New World or Old World wine producer. It is an ancient wine producer in which the wine culture has been resurrected, hundreds of years after it ceased.
The Greeks in Israel celebrated and sacrificed with wine, the Romans, a few hundred years later, started to use it in their daily diet, and wine was considered healthy, especially when compared to the polluted water or unpasteurized milk which was the alternative option. It was the Romans who took the wines back to Europe.
When the Muslims conquered Israel they destroyed most of the vineyards since in Islam, it is prohibited to drink any kind of alcohol. The vineyards disappeared for almost eight hundred years, wine simply vanished. In 1883, following a slow revival of small vineyards dotted around the country, Baron Rothschild decided to renew the production of wine in Israel. He bought some land and then began to develop vineyards, bringing the know-how from his homeland, France.
At the beginning, for a hundred years, the wines produced were basic, of a poor quality and predominantly for sacramental purposes. The Golan Heights Winery was established in 1983 with the aim of producing top quality wines to compete with international standards. It was the first winery in Israel to strive for this goal.
The Golan Heights Winery is responsible for the quality revolution in the wine production in Israel. The winery was the first to plant many of the new, quality, varieties of grapes which are now popular in Israel. They started to age wine in French oak barrels, in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks during production and the winery offered the Israeli market both a new quality and a different style of wine. The Golan Heights Winery introduced Israel to sparkling, champagne-style, dry white wines, icewine-style wine and continues to be the market leader when it comes to quality, innovation, research and international awards.
The Golan Region is the subregion of Galilee. This small region has a volcanic plateau with different varieties of volcanic soil. At a distance of just 70 km from the south to the north of the Golan Heights one sees changes in temperature of over 6 degrees Celsius. Such varieties in heights and temperatures enable the winery to grow a range of wines more appropriate to a much larger region.
The winery takes great pride in introducing the Israeli wine market to a high level of wine knowledge from how to match wine with meals to how to make a wine list.
The Golan Heights Winery’s Hermon brand introduces a daily, easy to drink series of wines. Fresh, fruity, and very well harmonized. In a Hermon Red you can easily identify strawberry aromas and while it doesn’t have a very complex structure, it shows a nice body. It is good as an aperitif, and can be served with most simple dishes which you’d eat in jeans and T-shirt. Among the wine series of the Golan Heights Winery you can also find the brands: Golan, Gamla, and Yarden. The Yarden series is their premier label and their flagship brand. -The idea of different brands is connected with introducing the different styles and personalities of wine from the same region of the Golan Heights. Each brand brings a different experience-explaines Gai.
Now, it is time to simply pour a glass and enjoy the wine.
L’chaim! Cheers! Na zdrowie!
Maya M. Kowalczyk
Over the years, the distinctive wines of the Golan Heights Winery have become world-renowned, winning dozens of awards at prestigious international competitions. Indeed, the Winery has placed Israel on the world wine map.
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The Winery
Name: Golan Heights Winery
Location: Katzrin, Northeast Israel
Established: 1983
Owners: Galilee and Golan Heights Vineyards, Inc.
4 kibbutzim (collectives): El Rom, Ortal, Ein Zivan and Geshur
4 moshavim (cooperatives): Ramat Magshimim, Yonatan, Allone Habashan and Ramot Naftali
Subsidiaries: Galil Mountain Winery; Yarden, Inc. USA
Brands: Yarden, Gamla, Golan
Harvest: 6,000 tons
Market share: 20% of local market; 40% of Israeli wine exports
Exports: 20% of production, to some 30 countries in North & Latin America, Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific
Vineyards at a Glance
First planting: 1976
Vineyard area: 730 hectares/1,805 acres
Number: 28 on Golan Heights which is divided into 350 blocks
Altitude: 400-1,200 meters/1,300-3,900 feet
Terrain: Mild slopes of hills and plateaus
Climate: Dry summers, snow in winter, low nightly temperatures
Harvest: Mechanical and manual; night harvest for whites; from mid-August to late October
Soil: Well-drained, volcanic basalt
Grape varieties:
Northern Golan – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, White Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Viognier
Central Golan – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Gamay Noir
Southern Golan – Muscat Canelli, Muscat of Alexandria, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah