About White Wines from Israel

About White Wines from Israel
As a wine-producing country, Israel has reinvented itself, moving away from the sweet, grapey concord wines for religious celebrations to an industry that now is known for complex, well structured red and white table wines. Today in regions such as Galilee and the Judean Hills, beautifully crafted versions of several red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are being produced. Quality is very good to excellent, with prices ranging from inexpensive to the high $20 range for American retail shelves. While most wines in Israel are still kosher, there are some that are not; these are small lot production, often made by garage winemakers. The bottom line is that Israel has been accepted as a quality wine producer for several years and things will only get better in this regard.

Top Picks for Israel

White Wines

Yarden 2020  Sauvignon Blanc
93 points
$19
Best Buy
An elegant Sauvignon Blanc in a refined and distinctive style; this is an exciting, somewhat Francophone take and is well worth a try for any lover of the varietal.
Awards: 2021 Best Israeli White '2021 World Value Wine Challenge-Top 5 White Wine $20 and Under'
93 points $19 Best Buy
Yarden 2019  Chardonnay
91 points
$22
A fruit forward Chardonnay that will bring interest to pairings.
Golan Heights Winery 2020 Gilgal Chardonnay
84 points
$18
A nice dry, Chardonnay with savory, smoky notes well-suited for grilled fish and fowl.