Israel — wine

Golan Heights

Israel's most prestigious wine region, occupying the basalt plateau at 400–1,200m elevation in the north of the country, adjacent to the Syrian and Lebanese borders. The Golan Heights' volcanic soils, continental climate, and significant altitude produce wines of surprising freshness and complexity — the antithesis of what international audiences expect from Israeli wine. Golan Heights Winery (Yarden wines) established the region's reputation in the 1980s, demonstrating that serious fine wine could be produced from the volcanic basalt terroir.

Year Rating Notes
2021 Outstanding vintage — long cool season producing wines of exceptional freshness for the region.
2020 Good vintage with high natural acidity from altitude. Chardonnay and Cabernet of good structure.
2019 One of the decade's finest vintages. Altitude wines of remarkable freshness and longevity.
2018 Reliable vintage across all varieties. Syrah and Cabernet of good concentration.
2017 Classic Golan Heights vintage — balanced wines with the volcanic basalt mineral character well expressed.