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72-710: Outside of the Rhône, Viognier can be found in regions of North and South America as well as Australia, New Zealand, the Cape Winelands in South Africa, south Moravia region in Czechia, Israel and in Austria at Weingut Roland Minkowitsch. In some wine regions, the variety is co-fermented with the red wine grape Syrah where it can contribute to the color and aroma of the wine. Like Chardonnay , Viognier has

144-531: A Member of Parliament . Systembolaget's solution was to simply remove all reference to the product's country of origin on shelves and in catalogues, classifying the wine as of "other origins." The actual bottles remained unchanged throughout the controversy, and carried the producer's English-language labels. On 12 February 2013, Der Spiegel reported that Israel falsely labels products from Golan as "made in Israel", mentioning wine as one example. In June 2019

216-704: A distinct effect on the Viognier vineyards in the Northern Rhône. The wind tempers the Mediterranean climate of the region, and cools the vines down after the severe heat of summer. Wine expert Remington Norman has identified two distinct strains of Viognier — an "Old World" strain, most common in Condrieu, and a "New World" strain, which is found in the Languedoc and other areas. Although made from

288-471: A little bit better. The highly aromatic and fruit forward nature of the grape allows Viognier to pair well with spicy foods such as Thai cuisine . Israeli wine Israeli wine is produced by hundreds of wineries , ranging in size from small boutique enterprises to large companies producing over ten million bottles per year. Wine has been produced in the Land of Israel since biblical times . Wine

360-431: A maximum 100 points, rating them world-class. Clarke included two Israeli wineries, Domaine du Castel and Yatir Winery , in his Pocket Wine Book 2010 . Kim Marcus, managing editor of Wine Spectator magazine, was not impressed by Israel's wineries in the 1990s, but in 2008, he wrote that quality had improved immensely, especially the red wines. To be considered kosher, a wine may only be handled by observant Jews from

432-494: A number of Golan Heights wines were marketed by Systembolaget , Sweden 's state-owned monopoly alcohol retailer, as "Made in Israel" on shelves and in the sales catalogue. Following customer complaints and consultation with Sweden's foreign ministry, Systembolaget changed the shelf labelling to read, "Made in Israeli-occupied Syrian territories." However this prompted further complaints, from some customers and

504-779: Is a wine merchant and author who has written books on Burgundy and Rhone style wine. He became a Master of Wine in 1984 and resigned from this Institute in 2004. He is a two-time winner of the Andre Simon Prize . In 1996, his contribution to wine knowledge and appreciation was recognized when he was elected to the Academie Internationale du Vin.[3] Remington Norman was educated at Harrow School and Oxford University where he obtained Doctorate of Philosophy and taught. He opened up fine wine shops in London, England and expanded his interest to writing. He

576-427: Is also highly dependent on viticultural practices and climate, with the grape requiring a long, warm growing season in order to fully ripen but not a climate that is so hot that the grape develops high levels of sugars and potential alcohol before its aromatic notes can develop. The grape is naturally a low-yielding variety, which can make it a less economically viable planting for some vineyards. The origin of

648-404: Is around 20 inches (50 cm) with some areas seeing as much as 35 inches (90 cm) annually. Some vineyards in the higher elevation regions of Golan Heights can see snow in the winter months. With a dry growing season , drip irrigation is essential to sustaining viticulture. Vineyard managers will utilize pruning and canopy management techniques to maximize shade production from

720-446: Is fairly concentrated, with 75% of the nationwide production coming from the top 5 producers. Annual wine consumption among Israelis averages 4.6 liters of wine per person. It was announced in early 2008 that a 150-acre (0.61 km ) wine park would be created on the slopes between Zichron Ya'akov and Binyamina in order to promote tourism in the area and enotourism in Israel in general. Another center of enotourism in Israel

792-621: Is in the area circumscribed by the settlements of Shilo , Eli , Rechlim and Ma'ale Levona , on land owned or claimed by Palestinians. In the case of the Yatir winery , technically it is located within Israel's recognized boundaries, but the grapes are grown in West Bank settlements across the divide such as Beit Yatir , Carmel , Ma'on and Susya . In November 2015 the European Union determined that settlement products could not use

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864-883: Is married to Geraldine Norman and lives in Wiltshire, England . In 1992, his book The Great Domaines of Burgundy won the Andre Simon Prize for the best wine book of its year and was awarded the gold medal of the German Gastronomic Society . His second work, Rhone Renaissance published in 1996, won the Andre Simon Award, Le Prix du Champagne Lanson and the Glenfiddich Prize . His third book, Sense and Semblance - An Anatomy of Superficiality in Modern Society -

936-600: Is not yet considered and recognized to be a wine region as many other countries are. Over the last twenty years, the Israeli wine industry has grown tremendously and today there are around 300 wineries of different sizes in all areas of Israel. Israeli wine is produced in five regions: Galilee (which includes the sub-regions of the Golan Heights , Upper Galilee and Lower Galilee ); the Samson region, located between

1008-455: Is oily and lacks perfume. Winemakers in the Condrieu often pick the grapes with a level of sugar that will produce wine with alcohol in the 13% range. When fully ripe the grapes have a deep yellow color and produce wine with a strong perfume and high in alcohol . The grape prefers warmer environments and a long growing season, but can grow in cooler areas as well. In France, the Mistral has

1080-538: Is reputedly one of their clients. Several wines such as the one coming from the "Judean Hills" and the Golan Heights, may actually refer to areas that are Israeli-occupied territories ., which is a subject of legal contention abroad. In a 2011 report drawn up by the Coalition of Women for Peace , the researchers concluded that all major Israeli wineries use grapes harvested from the occupied territories of

1152-688: Is the Ramat Dalton Industrial Park, a green industrial park located near Dalton and Kerem Ben Zimra in the Upper Galilee . As of 2024, the park hosts seven wineries: Adir, Dalton , Feldstein, Luria, Recanati , Rimon (Northern Lake Winery), and Kamisa. The area also supports agritourism , providing various guesthouses ( tzimmers ) for accommodation. Annually from 2005 to 2012 Daniel Rogov , Israel's leading wine critic and Food & Wine Critic for Haaretz , ranked Israeli wines in his Rogov's Guide to Israeli Wines . In

1224-539: The Advocate general of the European Court of Justice set forth his advisory legal opinion that a decision made by a French court in 2018, which waived the requirement to identify the origin of Israeli wines in the West Bank, was invalid. A binding decision was deferred to November 12, 2019, at which date the court confirmed that retailers must specify in their labelling when selling foodstuffs if they come from

1296-529: The Golan Heights and the West Bank . Taking advantage of tax breaks, Israel's largest producer, Barkan Wine Cellars , which grew out of an old winery in Petah Tikva established a plant in the West Bank's Barkan Industrial Park . By 2011 it was estimated that the West Bank had 29 wineries run by Israeli entrepreneurs, as opposed to 14 in the Golan Heights. One of the largest of the West Bank operations

1368-645: The Golan Heights ), the region most suited for viticulture due to its high elevation, cool breezes, marked day and night temperature changes and rich, well-drained soils; the Judean Hills , surrounding the city of Jerusalem ; Shimshon (Samson), located between the Judean Hills and the Coastal Plain ; the Negev , a semi-arid desert region, where drip irrigation has made grape growing possible; and

1440-700: The Hawke's Bay Region , the grape is used as a single varietal as well as being blended with Syrah to produce a traditional Rhône style red wine. Many Israeli wineries, particularly in the north, such as Yarden , Tishbi and Dalton have cultivated the grape and produced Viognier wines and blends with it with much success. Viognier wines are well known for their floral aromas, and terpenes , which are also found in Muscat and Riesling wines. There are also many other powerful flower and fruit aromas which can be perceived in these wines depending on where they were grown,

1512-568: The Islamic dietary laws . Ancient vineyards that were grown in the country under Muslim-rule were not used to produce wine, but used strictly for food consumption. The Arab geographer al-Muqaddasi (985 CE) wrote that, in his day, the best raisins in Palestine came from the species known as ʻAinūnī and Durī , prepared from grapes that grew in Bayt ʻAinūn and Dura , places lying respectively to

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1584-586: The Mediterranean Sea to the west, the deserts leading to the border with Egypt to the southwest, the Jordan River and Dead Sea region along with the border to Jordan comprise the country's eastern boundaries. Vines are grown throughout the country ranging from the mountain ranges along the Lebanon, Syria borders down to Beersheba and Arad in the south. Small plantings are also found on

1656-577: The Mizpe Ramon plateau and at Neot Smadar in the desert north of Eilat . The vast majority of Israeli winemaking takes place in the more temperate northern climate: Galilee, Sharon Plain, Samson, Golan Heights, and the Judean foothills in the West Bank . Across Israel there is a wide range of microclimates due to differing soil types and topography . Most areas have limestone based soils with layers of marl and hard dolomites . The color of

1728-528: The Sea of Galilee towards Mount Hermon . There are seven Israeli wineries in the Golan Heights that cultivate a total of 1,600 acres (647 ha). These include four boutiques, and Château Golan , Bazelet Hagolan, and the Golan Heights Winery whose Yarden, Gamla/Gilgal, Harmon, and Golan labels enjoy international renown. During centuries of Islamic rule, alcohol production was banned as part of

1800-455: The Sharon plain near the Mediterranean coast and just south of Haifa , surrounding the towns of Zichron Ya'akov and Binyamina , which is the largest grape growing area in Israel. In 2011, Israeli wine exports totaled over $ 26.7 million. As of 2012, Israel had 12,355 acres of vineyards. Viticulture has existed in the land of Israel since biblical times. In the book of Deuteronomy ,

1872-495: The crossing Argaman . A primary concern in Israeli wine production is maintaining acid levels to balance the naturally high sugars that the warm climate of the region produces. Vineyards at higher elevations, as opposed to the lower coastal plains, have more consistently produced wines with the necessary acid balance. Cabernet Sauvignon has shown the greatest aging potential thus far. The smooth texture and ripe tannins of Israeli Merlot has increased that wine's popularity in

1944-485: The fruit of the vine was listed as one of the seven blessed species of fruit found in the land of Israel (Deut. 8:8) . The location of Israel along a historic wine trading route between Mesopotamia and Egypt brought winemaking knowledge and influence to the area. Wine played a significant role in the religion of the early Israelites with images of grape growing, harvesting and winemaking often being used to illustrate religious ideals. In Roman times , wine from Israel

2016-464: The loess based and alluvial sand soils of the Negev area. After many years where in Israel the wine industry was almost non-existent, the past twenty years herald a change in path. In the late eighties there were only a couple of wineries in Israel, making mostly boiled wines for sacramental use. That is part of the reason why wines from Israel are mistakenly considered to be boiled wines and Israel

2088-403: The 2012 edition, Rogov describes, sorts and ranks more than 2500 wines from over 150 Israeli wineries. Today Israeli wineries receive recognition from the worldwide wine industry as they are highly rated and win the most important wine awards. One of the first accomplishments by an Israeli winery in the global world of wines was made by Domaine du Castel when their white wine was chosen as one of

2160-738: The Ashkar winery near the border with Lebanon and the Jascala winery. The winery in Kafr Yasif is run by descendants of the Christian villagers of Iqrit . The Jascala winery is based in Jish . The wine is non-kosher and the producers cater both to Arab restaurants in places like Nazareth, Haifa, Ramallah, Jerusalem and Acre, and to non-Kosher restaurants in Tel Aviv. The Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi

2232-697: The CFIA affirming that the Canada–Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) overrode domestic consumer protection laws. The Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967, are located northeast of Israel proper, though Israel considers it a sub-region of the Galilee. The legal status in international law of the Golan Heights has resulted in controversy on the export market. In one example, following domestic demand for kosher wine,

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2304-527: The Judean Hills region in Israel received the country's first official wine appellation. Israel has a distinctly Mediterranean climate , with the country located along roughly the same latitude as San Diego and the Mexico – United States border . There are two primary seasons - a hot, humid summer season running from April to October with very little precipitation and a cold, rainy winter season from late October to March. During winter, average precipitation

2376-506: The Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore regions of Ontario . Both Argentina and Chile have significant plantings of the grape with some producers in Brazil and Uruguay also experimenting with the varietal . In Australia, Yalumba is the country's largest producer of the grape making both a white wine varietal and making extensive use of the grape in its Shiraz blends. Yalumba grows

2448-620: The Viognier grape is unknown; it is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in Dalmatia (present day Croatia ) and then brought to the Rhône by the Romans . One legend states that the Roman emperor Probus brought the vine to the region in 281 AD; another has the grape packaged with Syrah on a cargo ship navigating the Rhône river, en route to Beaujolais when it was captured, near

2520-604: The Viognier grape. There are also notable planting increases in areas of moderate climate such as Virginia 's Monticello AVA region. The decline of Viognier in France from its historic peak has much to do with the disastrous predations of the phylloxera insects from North America in Europe in the mid- and late-19th century, followed by the abandonment of the vineyards due to the chaos of World War I . By 1965, only about 30 acres (12 hectares) of Viognier vines remained in France, and

2592-639: The best new releases in 2001. In 2012, Golan Heights winery received a Wine Star award from Wine Enthusiast magazine. The Golan Heights winery has also won the Gran Vinitaly Special Award as the best wine producer title in Vinitaly competition of 2011. The wine advocate Robert Parker has been rating Israel's wines for more than five years now, when many Israeli wines received a score of more than 90. Yatir Forest wine by Yatir winery scored above 90 points for seven consecutive vintages,

2664-611: The country's first Prime Minister , David Ben-Gurion , worked in Carmel's cellars in his youth. For most of its history in the modern era, the Israeli wine industry was based predominantly on the production of Kosher wines which were exported worldwide to Jewish communities. The quality of these wines were varied, with many being produced from high- yielding vineyards that valued quantity over quality. Many of these wines were also somewhat sweet . Today's wine production in Israel comes from grape varieties traced to French varieties. In

2736-484: The creation of the dessert style Viognier, the grapes are often picked in late October or early November in the Northern Hemisphere. A common harvest technique used in the Condrieu is known as à l'assiette where a plate is held underneath a Viognier vine that is then shaken to allow the overripe grapes to drop onto the plate. Fermentation is then stopped early through the use of sulphur dioxide to allow

2808-449: The difficulty of growing the grape. Viognier was once fairly common. In 1965, the grape was almost extinct, and a source reported only eight acres in Northern Rhône producing just 1,900 liters of wine at that time. The popularity and price of the wine have risen, and the number of plantings has increased. Rhône now has over 740 acres (299.5 hectares) planted. In 2004, DNA profiling conducted at University of California, Davis showed

2880-590: The domestic market. The United States is the largest export destination. Even though it contains only around one-quarter of the planted acreage as Lebanon , Israel has emerged as a driving force for winemaking in the Eastern Mediterranean, due to its willingness to adopt new technology and its large export market. The country has also seen the emergence of a modern wine culture with upscale restaurants featuring international wines dedicated to an ever-increasing wine-conscious clientele. In August 2020,

2952-577: The first documented winery in modern times but this establishment was short lived. In 1870, the first Jewish agricultural college, Mikveh Israel , was founded and featured a course on viticulture. The root of the modern Israeli wine industry can be traced to the late 19th century when the French Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of the Bordeaux estate Château Lafite-Rothschild, began importing French grape varieties and technical know how to

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3024-410: The full 4 stars and Yatir winery 3-4 stars, the highest rating available, since 2008. Hugh Johnson has also selected Domaine du Castel's Grand Vin wine to be one of his personal 200 favorite wines from all around the world. Israel's reds, whites and rosés also have been praised by Robert Parker and Oz Clarke . When Parker first reviewed Israeli wines in 2007, he awarded 14 of them more than 90 out of

3096-504: The grape in the loam and clay soil of the Eden Valley . Other areas with Viognier plantings include Clare Valley , Rutherglen , Murray River , McLaren Vale , Geelong , Nagambie Lakes , Canberra , Mornington Peninsula , Barossa Valley , Adelaide Hills , Geographe , South Burnett , Yarra Valley (Pimpernel Vineyards) and Pyrenees In New Zealand, small amounts of Viognier are grown on Waiheke Island and Wairarapa . In

3168-483: The grape is normally harvested separately and added to the Syrah during fermentation . One of the benefits of adding Viognier is that the process of co- pigmentation stabilizes the coloring of the red wine. Vignerons in the rest of France often look to plant Viognier in areas rich in granite soil that have a heat retaining quality that the grape seems to thrive in. Beaujolais winemaker Georges Duboeuf helped expand

3240-478: The grape to be closely related to the Piedmont grape Freisa , and to be a genetic cousin of Nebbiolo . Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to powdery mildew . It has low and unpredictable yields and should be picked only when fully ripe . When picked too early, the grape fails to develop the full extent of its aromas and tastes. When picked too late, the grape produces wine that

3312-694: The grape. The Rhone Rangers of the mid-1980s helped spark the increased interest in Viognier in California. It has received international attention growing in Virginia , and in 2011 was named Virginia 's signature white grape. The grape can also be found in Georgia , North Carolina , Texas , Washington , Oregon , Michigan , Idaho , Colorado , New Mexico , Pennsylvania , Maryland , New Jersey , New York , Missouri and Arizona , Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California as well as British Columbia and

3384-580: The label "Made in Israel". In July 2019 the Federal Court of Canada , following up on a complaint of false labelling made by David Kattenberg, a son of Holocaust survivors, ruled that characterizing wines produced in Israeli settlements as 'Israeli' was "false, misleading and deceptive." Kattenberg's original complaint had been accepted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), only to be overruled within hours, with

3456-411: The late 1960s, Carmel Winery was the first Israeli winery to make a dry table wine. It was not until the 1980s that the industry at large saw a revival in quality winemaking, when an influx of winemaking talent from Australia , California and France brought modern technology and technical know-how to the growing Israeli wine industry. In 1989, the first boutique winery in Israel, Margalit Winery ,

3528-787: The market. Chardonnay grown in Israel has shown itself to be highly reflective of terroir and reflective of the particular characteristics of vineyard soils. It is also the primary grape used in Israeli sparkling wine production made according to the methode champenoise . As of 2012 , the Israeli wine industry produced an average of 36 million bottles of wine annually in a variety of styles ranging from red, white, rosé , still, sparkling and dessert wines. There are 35 commercial wineries in Israel, and over 250 boutique wineries. The 10 largest wineries in Israel, in terms of production volume, are Carmel, Barkan, Golan Heights, Teperberg 1870 , Binyamina Wine Cellar , Galil Mountain , Tishbi Winery , Tabor , Recanati and Dalton Winery . The industry

3600-594: The names reflect their Arab origins. These varieties were sold to the few Jewish wineries that existed at that time. Today, the wine industry produces primarily French grape varieties imported during the late 19th century. The most widely planted varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Merlot and Sauvignon blanc . Emerging varieties that have recently been increasing in popularity include Cabernet Franc , Gewurztraminer , Muscat Canelli , Riesling and Syrah . Other varieties planted to some significant degree include Emerald Riesling , Muscat of Alexandria and

3672-506: The northeast and southwest of Hebron . In the mid and late 19th century, the names of the varieties of grapes grown by Arab husbandmen included names such as Hevroni , Dabouki , Marawi (also known as Hamdani ), Halbani , Sharwishi , Jandali amongst the whites and Zeitani , Karkashani , Razaki , Karashi , Balouti ( Baladi ) and Bituni amongst the reds. Most were grown in the Bethlehem or Hebron areas primarily by Arabs and

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3744-401: The nose. The color and the aroma of the wine suggest a sweet wine but Viognier wines are predominantly dry, although sweet late-harvest dessert wines have been made. It is a grape with low acidity ; it is sometimes used to soften wines made predominantly with the red Syrah grape. In addition to its softening qualities the grape also adds a colour-stabilizing agent and enhanced perfume to

3816-728: The occupied territories, including East Jerusalem , and whether they are produced in an Israeli settlement. In 2020, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority warned the Christian Zionist organisation "Christenen voor Israël" for selling wines produced in Kiryat Arba (near Hebron ) with the designation "Made in an Israeli village in Judea and Samaria ", already having been changed from "Made in Israel". Remington Norman Remington Norman

3888-540: The potential to produce full-bodied wines with a lush, soft character. In contrast to Chardonnay, the Viognier varietal has more natural aromatics that include notes of peach, pears, violets and minerality . However, these aromatic notes can be easily destroyed by too much exposure to oxygen, which makes barrel fermentation a winemaking technique that requires a high level of skill on the part of any winemaker working with this variety. The potential quality of Viognier

3960-641: The reach of the grape with plantings in the Ardèche region. The majority of French Viogniers are now grown in the Languedoc and sold as Vin de Pays . Since the late 1980s, plantings of Viognier in the United States and Canada have increased dramatically. California's Central Coast is the leading producer with over 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of the grape planted. Californian Viogniers are noticeably higher in alcohol compared to other wines made from

4032-462: The red wine. In the Rhone region, the grapes normally are not affected by the fungus Botrytis cinerea though botrytized Viognier is not unheard of. In winemaking, the grapes are often harvested early in the morning to produce the clearest juice possible. Some winemakers will allow contact with the skins. The skin of Viognier is high in phenols - compounds that can leave an astringent component to

4104-474: The region. In 1882, he helped establish Carmel Winery with vineyards and wine production facilities in Rishon LeZion and Zikhron Ya'akov near Haifa . Still in operation today, Carmel is the largest producer of Israeli wine and has been at the forefront of many technical and historical advances in both winemaking and Israeli history. One of the first telephones in Israel was installed at Carmel and

4176-430: The same grape, the two strains produce distinctly different wines. The age of the vine also has an effect on the quality of the wine produced. Viognier vines start to hit their peak after 15–20 years. In the Rhône, there are vines at least 70 years old. Viognier has been planted much more extensively around the world since the early 1990s. Both California and Australia now have significant amounts of land devoted to

4248-452: The same was achieved by Domaine du Castel's Grand Vin wine. The Cabernet reserve of Flam winery of the Judean Hills, was included in the French La Revue Du Vin France magazine list of 100 outstanding wines. Galil Mountain winery won two awards in the Citadelles du Vin 2011 competition which was held at the Vinexpo 2011 in France. In Hugh Johnson's wine pocket book, written by the British important wine critic, Domaine du Castel winery received

4320-406: The site of present-day Condrieu , by a local group of outlaws known as culs de piaux . The origin of the name Viognier is also obscure. The most common namesake is the French city of Vienne , which was a major Roman outpost. Another legend has it drawing its name from the Roman pronunciation of the via Gehennae , meaning the "Road of the Valley of Hell ". Probably this is an allusion to

4392-555: The soils range from red terra rosa in Judea and Galilee near Mount Tabor to gray in the mountain ranges stretching from Mount Carmel to Zikhron Ya'akov . Marine sediments are found in the loam soils of the coastal plains and at the base of the elevated foothills around Binyamina-Giv'at Ada and Latroun . The Golan Heights and parts of the Upper and Lower Galilee regions have significant layers of basalt deposits of clay and tuff created by centuries of volcanic activity and lava flows. Wind blown sediment deposits help create

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4464-480: The southern West Bank and the Coastal Plain; the Negev desert region; the West Bank , and the Sharon plain located near the Mediterranean coast and just south of Haifa. As of 2012 , Israel has 50,000 dunams of vineyards. More than 80% of the vineyards planted in Israel are located in the southern West Bank, Samson and Galilee regions. The Golan contains some of the highest elevated vineyards in Israel, with vineyard planted upwards of 4,000 feet (1,200 metres) from

4536-414: The sunlight. Harvest will often take place during the cooler temperatures of night time. The dryness of the growing seasons serves a protective barrier to many grape diseases that thrive in damp weather and allows vineyard managers to control vigor and yields with by irrigation. Israel is roughly equal in size to the state of New Jersey and is bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north/northeast,

4608-490: The time the grapes are crushed. If, however, the wine is boiled or pasteurized, it may subsequently be handled by anyone without losing its kosher status. Additionally, kosher wine cannot contain any non-kosher ingredients or fining agents such as isinglass, gelatin or casein. Although not all Israeli wine is kosher, virtually all of the large producers in Israel have kosher certification. There are at least two Israeli Arab wine producers, both Christians. They run respectively

4680-457: The variety was nearly extinct . Even as late as the mid-1980s, Viognier in France was endangered. In parallel to the growth of Viognier in the rest of the world, plantings in France have grown dramatically since then. The grape has been enjoying some success South Africa , New Zealand , Greece and Japan . In France, Viognier is the single permitted grape variety in the Rhône appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet , which are located on

4752-406: The weather conditions and how old the vines were. Although some of these wines, especially those from old vines and the late-harvest wines, are suitable for aging, most are intended to be consumed young. Viogniers more than three years old tend to lose many of the floral aromas that make this wine unique. Aging these wines will often yield a very crisp drinking wine which is almost completely flat in

4824-432: The west bank of the Rhône , about 40 km south of Lyon . In the rest of the Rhône wine region whites, the grape is often blended with Roussanne , Marsanne , Grenache blanc , and Rolle . In the Northern Rhône, the grape is sometimes blended with Chardonnay . In the Côte-Rôtie AOC , red wine blends can include up to 20% of Viognier though most growers add no more than 5%. Since Viognier ripens earlier than Syrah ,

4896-418: The wine if juice is left in contact with the skins for too long. Sometimes the wine is put through malolactic fermentation to give the wine more weight and to decrease acidity. In New World Viognier, the lees may be stirred in a process called batonnage in order to increase the smooth texture of the wine. The wine is then left on the lees till bottling in a manner similar to sparkling wine production . In

4968-493: The wine to retain a high level of residual sugar . The wine is then chilled and put through sterile filtration to ensure that the wine is stable and will not start fermenting again in the bottle. Depending on the winemaking style the grape can often hit its peak at one-two years of age, though some can stay at high levels of quality up to ten years. Typically Condrieu wines are the Viogniers most often meant to be drunk young while Californian and Australian wines can handle age

5040-405: Was exported to Rome with the most sought after wines being vintage , dated with the name of the winemaker inscribed on the amphora . Winemaking, limited under Islamic rule, was temporarily revived in the Crusader states from around 1100 to 1300 but the return of Islamic rule and the subsequent Jewish Diaspora extinguished the industry once again. In 1848, a rabbi in Jerusalem founded

5112-420: Was exported to Rome during the Roman period , but under the Muslim rulers the production was virtually wiped out. Under the Crusaders , winemaking was temporarily revived. The modern Israeli wine industry was founded by Baron Edmond James de Rothschild , owner of the Bordeaux estate Château Lafite-Rothschild . Today, Israeli winemaking takes place in five vine-growing regions: Galil ( Galilee , including

5184-505: Was founded. By the 1990s, Israeli estates such as Golan Heights Winery and Domaine du Castel were winning awards at international wine competitions . The 1990s saw a subsequent "boom" in the opening of boutique wineries. By 2000 there 70 wineries in Israel, and by 2005 that numbered jumped to 140. Today, less than 15% of Israeli wine is produced for sacramental purposes . The three largest producers—Carmel Winery, Barkan Wine Cellars and Golan Heights Winery—account for more than 80% of

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