Israel
Wine has been made in Israel
since ancient times, but most of the present wineries were established
after 1948, when Israel became an independent nation.
Israel's semi-arid climate
is similar to that of other wine producing regions, like California,
France, and Italy. Grapevines thrive on rocky slopes with good drainage,
which is one of the reasons that they do well in the local topography.
The wines produced in ancient
times in Israel were not very good at all. Those shipped to ancient
Egypt needed to be seasoned with honey, pepper, and juniper berries,
and those made during the time of the Roman Empire were extremely thick
and sweet. Thankfully, things have changed. Many of the local dry red
and white wines are just as good as the fine wines of California, and
Australia, and some Israeli wines are even compared favorably to the
wines of France. Finer varietal grapes, and modern technology have helped
create crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, and rich red wines including
Cabernet Sauvignon.
