The Wines of Galilee and the Judean Hills in Israel

Galilee (near Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee on the map) and the Judaen Hills (near Jerusalem) are the locus of Israel’s new boutique wineries, which are making world-class wines. Small producers like Margalit, Flam, Tulip, Pelter, Tzora and Adir are making delicious wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. We’ve tasted a number of these wines recently and are impressed by their quality. Many, but not all, of the wines are imported. While prices are high in general, good values can be found. The superb red blend Margalit 2006 Enigma Kadita & Binyamin Vineyards from Galilee costs $80, but we gave it a very high 92 points on our 100 point scale. On the other hand, we also gave 92 points to the most excellent Tulip 2007 Syrah Reserve from Galilee, and it costs just $39. Full reviews can be found on our home page.