Israel: Modern wine production

Small wineries continue to proliferate. The 21st century brought new investors: Carmel was bought by an international consortium; Barkan was purchased by Israel’s largest brewery; and Tabor by Israel’s largest beverage company. By 2013 the 40 commercial wineries harvesting more than 50 metric tons a year were complemented by hundreds of small wineries and producers of garage wines. The three largest wineries were Carmel, Barkan, and the Golan Heights, which together controlled 65% of the Israeli market, followed by Teperberg, Binyamina, Tabor, Tishbi, Galil Mountain, Dalton, and Recanati. These ten wineries have well over 90% of the market and most of the exports. Reputable small wineries include Clos de Gat, Domaine du Castel, Flam, Margalit, Tzora, and Yatir. Most wineries are modern, the technology is advanced, and internationally trained winemakers predominate.