Barkan Winery: Israel's Most Popular Winery

By Gregory Aubrey

Founded in 1989, Barkan is undoubtedly one the most well known Kosher wine brands in the world, having built its reputation for crafting exceptional quality wines with incredible value, and sourced from Israel's best winegrowing regions. It is no surprise that Barkan Winery is today the most awarded Israeli winery in international wine competitions, with over 400 medals since its inception.

Long considered the second-largest wine producer in Israel, Barkan produces almost 10 million bottles a year. With such large production, their vineyards are spread across 2,500 acres throughout the country - from Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev to the Judean Hills and up north to the Upper Galilee region - in order to obtain the best quality grapes for each varietal produced that complement each region's strengths and terroir.

Making quality wine is one aspect of running a successful winery, but doing so on a consistent basis and offering such fantastic value for quality is not always easy, yet Barkan manages to knock it out of the park every year, with new and exciting varietals and wines that taste even better than they cost. It's without a doubt thanks to the expertise and craftsmanship of Barkan's chief winemaker and Master of Wine Ido Lewinsohn, who has pushed Barkan to great lengths and successes.

An Interview with Master of Wine Ido Lewinsohn

We had the chance to Zoom (the sit-down meeting of today's day and age!) with Ido to discuss more about Barkan, his experience in the wine industry, as well as his recent and impressive accomplishment of becoming Master of Wine, a title and honor given to a select few around the world (409) and only a handful of winemakers, including 2 in Israel. 

On how Ido got his start in the wine world...

From IDF Soldier to Master of Wine, Ido's journey in the wine world started with a passion to find that special something missing from his foodie-inspired dishes he'd prepare when he would return from his army service on weekends and holidays. "I would come home for Shabbat and holidays and find myself preparing foodie dinners as I always loved fine foods, but I realized that something was missing. That thing was wine. Ever since then, the wine took a big part of my life."

Shortly after completing his army service, Ido dove right in and went on to embark on his wine adventure. "I then traveled abroad for 7 years, first to Italy to study oenology and get my winemaking degree, and then went onto work there for a while as well as France and Australia."

On what it took to become Master of Wine...

"The process is broken down into 2 categories: the theory exam where you write essays on winemaking, viticulture, the business of wine, contemporary issues, health and basically the entire theory behind the world of wine. The second category is the practical exam which is the more difficult part, where you blind taste wines from all over the world and need to identify and comment on the wine's variety, origin, winemaking style, quality, and age. The entire examination for Master of Wine is 4 days long, culminated by a research paper which then qualifies you as Master of Wine." For anyone interested in the challenge of becoming Master of Wine, we recommend polishing up your learning and writing skills, and most importantly your taste buds!

On the advice you would give to someone interested in learning more about wine...

While there are tons of wine resources widely available online and in books, here's some advice to follow coming from a professional.  "The best advice I can give is to take the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) course. It's great preparation for not only wine professionals but also for amateurs of wine that are simply interested in getting more involved in wine as a habit. Another important advice is to find a mentor that will show you the way, who will expose you to new varieties, wine styles, origins... To find a good knowledgeable taster with whom you can taste, learn, and follow recommendations, and with whom you can do some blind tastings. Blind tastings are mindblowing - it's one of the most interesting, sophisticated, and complicated ways of learning about wine." 

On your involvement in the development of the wine from a packaging and marketing standpoint...

Wine is just another form of art, in which the painter (or the winemaker) aims to express a particular style or variety. "I'm personally very involved in the packaging, branding, and marketing because just like a chef would not want you to eat out of a plate that doesn't look good, the way you show the dish to the consumer is very important, and the same is true about wine. The packaging has to be appropriate and has to represent and reflect what's inside the bottle. My journeys, studies, and experience in the wine industry as well as studying for my Master of Wine has definitely helped me a lot in characterizing different styles, types, and qualities of wine and the importance of reflecting it not only inside, but also outside."

On what Ido looks for when crafting a particular wine...

There's no magic recipe to winemaking, but there are essential ingredients that are needed to produce good wine! "The 3 most important parts are quality, value for money, and style. The wine has to be good and tasty to those who consume it, as well as present great value for money, especially when producing wines on a big-scale as we do at Barkan. When you combine all of these together, you've got your recipe for success and for people drinking your wine happily."

On recommending 1 Barkan Wine to someone who's never tasted it the wines before...

Here at KosherWine.com we're proud to offer a wide choice of Barkan wines to enjoy and taste, but if there's one series you must try from the winery according to Ido, it's the Classic Series. "To choose 1 is a tough question! But I would say Barkan Classic Series. They are very decent and tasty and come at a fantastic price. They are really good quality."

On how 2020's harvest in Israel compares to previous years...

Different factors contribute to and affect the quality of the wine, like climate conditions, altitude, and terroir to name a few. As harvest season in Israel slowly comes to an end,  Ido shares with us some positive news about the 2020 season. There's reason to get us all excited about future releases! "We are very happy with the first half of August's harvest - perfect conditions and perfect weather for the vines. Similar to the 18 and 11 vintage, which was the best vintage in Israel in the last decade, maybe the last 15-20 years. This year we were very lucky as we had a beautiful lovely winter, the second straight winter with more than 30% precipitation, which was very good for the vineyards. For the wines we craft from the Judean Hills, they look very promising! We still have a few weeks left of harvest for the wines we craft from the Galilee region, but overall we are very pleased."

The Barkan Wine Series

Classic Series

These classic Mediterranean wines are crafted in a vibrant and fruit-forward style, making them the perfect wines to enjoy and share with friends and families for casual get-togethers, or for more special occasions like Shabbat and holidays. The Barkan Classic Series is truly the best value for money and offers the largest variety of top quality wines representing the unique terroir of Barkan's various vineyards. For reds, choose from a multitude of great-tasting varietals like the best selling Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Shiraz, Malbec, Pinotage, and Merlot Argaman blend. If you like white wines, look no further than the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for refreshingly aromatic crowd-pleasers.

Barkan Classic Series Awards:

~ Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 - Gold Medal at Sommelier Wine Awards

~ Pinot Noir 2017 - Rated 90 points by Tasting Panel

~ Chardonnay 2018 - Gold Medal at Sommelier Wine Awards

Reserve Series

Barkan's Reserve Series is highlighted by quality single varietal wines produced from various vineyards. Each wine matures separately in order to give the wine its proper and unique character, and benefits from resting and aging in oak barrels prior to bottling. This award-winning series is a beautiful representation of the land's quality-driven terroirs and professionalism in making these wines. We love the Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Edition Reserve for its elegant and balanced flavor profile, as well as the Merlot and buttery Chardonnay. Other red wines in this series include the Cabernet Sauvignon Altitude +624 and Altitude +720 for the reds - as well as the crowd-favorite and wine of the moment, the Gewurztraminer. 

Barkan Reserve Series Awards:

~ Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - Rated 92 points by Wine Enthusiast

~ Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Edition 2016 - Rated 90 points by Tasting Panel

~ Cabernet Sauvignon Altitude +624 2012 - Rated 92 points by Somm Journal

Special Reserve Winemaker's Choice Series

These special wines are made from high-quality grapes chosen from unique vineyards sourced from wine regions that best represent the wine's particular varietal. This top-quality series by Barkan is exciting not only for its flavorful wines but for its attractive price as well, making it the ultimate "affordable luxury" wine. Although the series features 7 different varietals, we are lucky enough to carry 2 of the series' best varietals such as the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon!

Barkan Special Reserve Winemaker's Choice Series Awards:

~ Chardonnay 2016 - Rated 91 points by Tasting Panel

~ Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 - Rated 89 points by Wine Enthusiast

Superieur Series

Without a doubt the most high-end series from Barkan, the Superieur Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is absolutely mindblowing and a true Israeli powerhouse. The wine is aged for 21 months in high-quality French casks and only the best, most premium grapes are used to craft it. We highly recommend this wine for those who like the finer things in life as well as any wine collector.

Barkan Superieur Awards:

~ Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 - Rated 91 points by Tasting Panel

If you're interested in going further and have some questions about wine or need some recommendations, feel free to reach out to our in-house wine consultant Brad, who will be more than happy to help and get you started!

L'Chaim with Barkan!

We invite you to enjoy and drink these tasteful wines that are a beautiful representation and combination of the Land of Israel's quality winegrowing regions and the intricate passion and expertise from Ido Lewinsohn and the Barkan winemaking team.