Wine tourism in Israel: The Negev wine route

The Negev Desert is the only dry place in the world where wine grapes are grown. The wine-growing region is located on the outskirts of the Syrian Desert, where rainfall is around 100 mm per year. The Negev produces wines with a rich taste from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay-Sauvignon-Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Syrah/Shiraz.

The uniqueness of Negev wines

Given the microclimate of the region, it is difficult to imagine that the Negev desert has been a place for growing grapes since ancient times. According to some reports, this is one of the very first wine-growing regions in the world (about 6 thousand years old). Temperatures in the Negev reach high levels during the day and drop sharply at night, allowing the vines to recover. Sharp daily temperature fluctuations are almost always positive for kosher wineries in Israel. On days when the heat and cold are critically different, the vines are actually “close”, which reduces the chance of growing grapes with balanced sugars and acids.

Best wine tasting in israel:

• Netofa winery
• Galilee wine region

The solution, which would solve the problem of ripening grapes corresponding to quality for consumers, was to move the vineyards away from the lowlands of the desert to the Judean Hills. Fog descends on the Negev Uplands every morning, which replenishes the vineyards with moisture before the onset of heat. They also use modern reclamation systems with a computerized water supply program, with the help of which a level of wine quality is achieved that justifies high prices.

Amazing wine route Israel in the Negev

Wine Tour to the Negev Desert is one of the most popular tours in Israel, consisting of a route through the desert highlands through 20 wineries in Israel, where you can taste “ancient” wines.

The first winery to open in the Negev was the Sde Boker winery, located in the former laundry room of Kibbutz Sde Boker, where David Ben-Gurion, the main proponent of the development of the Negev region, lived. The largest winery, Carmel, is a pioneer in the Negev wine industry. The company founded its vineyard in Ramat Arad in 1988, at an altitude of about 500 meters above sea level.

Wine tour from Tel Aviv to northern Israel ➤