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Carmel Winery: The Pioneer of Israeli Winemaking
- Aug 25, 2020
By Gregory Aubrey
Founded in 1896 by the world-renown Baron Edmond de Rothschild from the famous Château Lafite in Bordeaux, Carmel Winery is truly one of the most globally recognized and historical top quality wineries in Israel.
With its consistently high-quality wines and a century of winemaking that has paved the way for hundreds of wineries to sprout, Carmel has been a part of Israeli history long before it’s foundation. When Baron Edmond de Rothschild, long considered the philanthropic founder of the country’s wine industry arrived in Israel, he recognized the land’s potential for quality winemaking and prime viticulture conditions - similar to that of the famed Bordeaux region in France.
He had a vision of crafting wines of the highest caliber and stopped at nothing to make it happen - sending French grapevines and winemaking expertise to the estate, ultimately shaping the winery’s philosophy and approach to this day with the production of Bordeaux-style wines. It was the combined work from Rothschild along with the desire and will of Israel’s pioneers to put in the effort and hard work that helped define Carmel Winery what it is today - Israel's largest winery that is dedicated to quality, passion, and a vision of crafting wines for everyone to enjoy for any occasion.
Carmel Wines bring something unique to the table. Ranging from easy-drinking reds and whites to top-rated and award-winning special limited-edition releases, their wines appeal to everyone from the casual wine drinker to the more sophisticated and fussy wine aficionado.
Visionary Winemaking, From North to South
When you want to craft great wine, you need many different ingredients for success - the vineyards, the winemaker, and the facilities to produce top quality wines.
The Vineyards - From the Upper Galilee to the Negev, Carmel selects its grapes from a wide variety of Israel’s best producing vineyards, spanning over 3400 acres. Whether in the Golan Heights, Shomron or Jerusalem Hills, each vineyard benefits from optimal viticulture conditions that allow the wines to truly express the region’s unique terroir and character.
The Winemaker - It’s without a doubt thanks to Yiftah Perets, chief winemaker at Carmel Winery, that the winery has gained such a strong reputation and has been awarded so many raving reviews from some of the world’s most famous wine critics. With his training in Italy and experience working with other wineries in Italy, Perets brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience and management caliber along with his in-depth familiarity with Carmel’s products, its history and its values. Today Yiftah heads a team of 8 talented winemakers that together, contribute and push Carmel to keep evolving and striving to be better and better, day in and day out.
The Production Facilities - Carmel is an innovative and progressive winery that utilizes leading industrial technologies to produce some of Israel's finest and most exceptional wines. From its top of the line crusher, pneumatic press, and temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, Carmel achieves optimal quality in the winemaking process. The winery uses separate tanks for each parcel and varietal it harvests, in order to ferment every batch to maintain the authentic and unique characteristics of each vineyard. It goes without saying that with technology comes improvement, and today Carmel is proud to be on par with some of the world’s largest wineries when it comes to efficiency, quality, and production capabilities.
Carmel Wines - Something For Everyone to Love & Enjoy
Perhaps the true beauty of Carmel Wines is that they aren’t just great wines made in Israel - they tell a story of a vision and authenticity that one can simply not experience anywhere else. From the winery’s flagship Carmel Limited Edition to the Selected, Israel’s top-selling brand, and the classic world-famous Carmel Sacramental Kiddush wine, there’s something for everyone to love and enjoy at varying styles and price points.
Selected
This series of wines were first introduced in the late 1970s and quickly became Israel’s best-selling wine. These wines are young, light and of fruity character, making them the go-to wine to enjoy at any time, finding their place among many Shabbat and Yom-Tov tables still today. From the reds like the best selling Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Mediterranean Blend, to the refreshing and fruity whites like the Emerald Riesling and Moscato, these wines are incredible value for under $12.
Private Collection
The anchor collection from Carmel, the Private Collection series is an established series of varietal and non-varietal high-quality wines, previously known as the Rothschild series, and produced from grapes grown in vineyards in several growing regions in Israel. Created with quality and value for money in mind, Carmel’s Private Collection are regular winners of global wine awards thanks to their delicious flavor profile, characterized by their fruit-forward style and easy food pairing qualities. At just below $15, you're getting top-quality wine at a super attractive price point!
Carmel Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
The full-bodied Carmel Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon offers intensely rich aromas of blackberry and chocolate, accompanied by delicate oak flavor.
Carmel Private Collection Shiraz 2018
This Shiraz is deep purple in color, with medium-bodied ripe plums, blackberries, green olives, and roasted herb aromas and flavors, as well as hints of new leather on the rich and powerful finish.
Carmel Private Collection Winemakers Blend 2018
The Carmel Private Collection Winemakers Blend is made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This wine has fragrant aromas of blackberry and plum, with hints of spice and a long, lingering finish. We love pairing this wine with a juicy steak and roasted vegetables.
Appellation
After over a century of making wine in Israel, Carmel’s winemakers know their land intimately and their Appellation range showcases Israel’s incredible diversity of terroirs.
Carmel Appellation Cabernet-Shiraz 2017
Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grown in the Upper Galilee, this medium-bodied red wine was barrel-aged for 12 months. It has a rich color with aromas of blackberries, spices, and bittersweet chocolate followed by a long, well-balanced finish.
Carmel Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
The wine is produced mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in specially chosen vineyards in Israel's Upper Galilee. Matured in French oak barrels for 12 months, it has a deep purple color with a nose of blackberries, cassis, and eucalyptus. In order to preserve its full potential, the wine was not fined and only coarsely filtered prior to bottling, therefore natural sediment may appear during bottle maturation.
Carmel Appellation Gewurztraminer 2018
Light green-ish gold in color, the Appellation Gewurztraminer is bursting with notes of white peach, lychee, tangerine, and spring flowers on the nose, followed by a light-to-medium bodied and off-dry palate with fresh lychee, peach, apricot and guava flavors. Its medium acidity and hints of spicy vanilla on the moderately long finish make this wine truly pleasurable to drink.
Produced from a blend of grapes grown in the Sha'al vineyard at an elevation of 750 meters, the juice was slow fermented at a low temperature in Carmel's boutique winery in Zichron Yaacov. This wine has a fruit and floral aroma with a lively flavor of citrus fruits and a refreshing acidity that makes it the ultimate food wine.
Single Vineyard
These wines are crafted from Carmel’s very finest vineyards which consistently produce exceptional quality fruit, and reflect the features and exceptional character associated with the unique terroir of each vineyard. These wines have been the recipient of a number of awards over the years, both in Israel and abroad.
Carmel Kayoumi White Riesling 2017
Sourced from the Kayoumi vineyard which stands 780 feet above sea level in Israel's Galilee, this White Riesling by Carmel is among the highest-rated Israeli wines. Its color is a bright golden hue with a tint of green, and it has perfumed aromas of citrus blossoms, lime, freshly cut honeydew and cantaloupe. The taste is crisp and clean, with a nicely balanced finish. This fun and funky white Riesling is the perfect meal companion to pair with grilled fish and cheeses.
The Shiraz grapes used in making this fine wine were sourced from the Kayoumi Vineyard in the foothills of Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee of Israel. After fermentation and an extended length of skin contact, the wine was matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. This Shiraz is a deep purple in color, with rich aromas of blackcurrants, freshly ground black pepper, and roasted coffee beans. The wine is well-balanced, with lots of dense flavors on the palate.
Carmel Single Vineyard Admon Malbec 2016
The Admon Vineyard Malbec is rich, luscious, and delicious. This wine sports a beautiful violet-red color and aromas of black ripe fruit, violet, and licorice. On the mouth, there are flavors of black cherry, cassis, lavender, and chocolate. The finish is lasting and bold with a hint of smoke. Enjoy now.
Carmel Single Vineyard Admon Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
This wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are all harvested from the Admon vineyard in Israel's Galilee. The cool climate, altitude, and rich Terra Rossa soil produce grapes of exceptional quality. The wine is aged 15 months in French oak barrels. The appearance is a rich dark purple and possesses complex aromas of red fruit, tobacco, and mint. The palate is full-bodied with rich fruit flavors and a long well-balanced finish. Pairs well with lamb and flavorful grilled meats.
Did You Know?
1. From the early pioneers to today’s generation, Carmel wine is the most celebrated wine in Israel, finding its place on thousands of Shabbat and Yom-Tov tables throughout the years.
2. Three of Israel’s prime ministers have worked at Carmel Winery. David Ben Gurion worked in production; Levi Eshkol in bookkeeping, and Ehud Olmert who as a teenager, used to work at Carmel during school vacations.
3. Carmel produces up to 15 million bottles of wine per year.
4. When Baron Edmond de Rothschild founded the winery, he insisted on only bringing the best practices and experts from France to assist with winemaking, setting the bar quite high for the quality and craftsmanship at Carmel Winery.
5. In 1976, Carmel made the first Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - the first quality Cabernet Sauvignon wine coming out of Israel.
6. Carmel Wines have won more medals than any other Israeli wine producer.
Taste History with Carmel Winery
Producing wines of the best quality at various price points is not always easy to accomplish, but Carmel has proven time and time again that this is indeed possible. We're honored to carry such an extensive portfolio from Carmel and we invite you to taste through its history and authenticity. Whether you're looking for an easy-drinking wine for a weekday pick-me-up or in the mood to open up a special bottle for Shabbos or any special occasion, Carmel is here to provide you with real and pleasurable wine experiences. Missed our KosherWine.com Experiences with Carmel? Click on the video below to discover the winery's secrets and tasting notes on some of the winery's best-selling red wines.
