Gush Etzion Winery

Gush Etzion winery: on the highest are in Israel

Gush Etzion is located south of Jerusalem in a mountainous area, one of the highest in the Land of Israel. This area of land has been known for thousands of years as a vineyard and wine production area and has received a special wine blessing that The Patriach Jacob gave to his son Yehuda.

The scene, so typical of the areas of Bordeaux and Provence, is now typical of Gush Etzion as well

Starting with wine from blackberries

Shragya, Gush Etzion’s owner, first started making wine from the blackberries from his backyard. In 1995, the family decided to aim to produce more wine and to devote more time to it and produced around 5,000 bottles of wine. In 2005, a new boutique winery was inaugurated – The Gush Etzion Winery. At first only five acres of wine vineyards were grown. Today, over 800 dunams of vineyards are planted in Gush Etzion.

Day-to-night temperature differences, chalk soil, well-drained vineyard slopes, an average height of 900 meters above sea level, all but create ideal growing conditions and terroir for wine production. On the slopes that descend to the stream, bordering the town of Ephrata, vineyards of the varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Vordo and Grenache are planted.

Enjoy a beautiful stay at site

They have also built a tourist center beside the winery which includes a dairy and fish restaurant, an event garden, a tourist vineyard, and a gift shop with wine and delicacies. The Visitor’s Center has daily wine tours and tastings as well as an archeological garden that teaches about ancient wine making and it shows the great similarity between the traditional wine making process and its parallel of the modern process.