Or Haganuz: The Hidden Light Revealed in Wine

By Gregory Aubrey

Established in 2005 in the foothills of Mount Meron in Israel’s Northern Galilee, Or Haganuz Winery is unlike any other in the world. With its rich history and holy secrets that make each wine unique and meaningful, it’s perhaps the deep Kabbalistic and Torah values that are expressed through the winemaking process that make this boutique winery so special and different than the rest. 

These wines are sourced from some of the most well-located vineyards in the Upper Galilee Region, with each wine series exhibiting the true, distinctive character and quality of the terroir and their grapes. The vintner, Rabbi Aharon Ziv, combines his professionalism and love of winemaking to consistently produce excellent wine, year after year. It’s no surprise that some of these wines have been rated 90+ by Wine Enthusiast & Wine Spectator. 

From easy-drinking wines to age-worthy bottles, the wines from Or Haganuz have something to offer for every wine drinker. In addition, all of the wines they produce are vegan friendly! Let’s take an in-depth look at the various series and what they bring to the table.

The Or Haganuz Collection

1. The Amuka Series

Nestled in a valley at 790 meters above sea level between Meron and Dalton Heights, the Amuka vineyard is home to their entry-level, yet high-quality wines that feature both Mevushal and Non-Mevushal options. 

Most of these wines are aged for 6 months in oak barrels, giving them just the right amount of complexity and fruit-forward character that makes them easy and pleasant to drink.

Mevushal: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semi Sweet Cabernet Sauvignon, Blanc

Non-Mevushal: Rosé, Light, Gewurtztraminer

2. The Marom & Elima Series

These full-bodied wines aged for 14 months in French oak barrels are crafted from grapes grown in a vineyard located in the hills above the Or Haganuz village. Look for these wines to showcase intense aromas of delicious and ripe dark fruits, delicate notes of oak, wood and spice, and great complexity from the aging in barrels that provide an elegant and long, lingering finish.

If you’re looking for a wine that has no added sulfites, look no further than the Elima blend, which is the only one currently produced by Or Haganuz that has no added sulfites.

Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Blend

3. The Namura Series

Whether you cellar your wines or drink them for pure enjoyment, the Namura wines are the most high-end produced by Or Haganuz. Aged in premium French oak barrels for 24 months, these superb wines are crafted from the finest vineyards and grapes that are meticulously hand-selected to ensure that the wine is of the highest quality.

The most noteworthy and flagship wine from Or Haganuz is Horkenus, a rich and elegant Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, that spends up to 40 months in oak barrels, giving the wine its complexity and powerful, pleasant character.

Other notable wines in this series are the French Blend and Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The Namura Series truly represents the winemaking “savoir-faire,” or know-how from Or Haganuz, in which you’ll find these full-bodied and complex wines to be bursting with aromas of black fruit and berries, tobacco and spice on the nose and palate, ending in a rich and long sophisticated finish.

Namura Wines: Horkenus, French Blend, Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Explore The Wines

The passion for quality winemaking is truly evident in all of Or Haganuz’s wines. As we’ve seen, the combined love for holiness and wine has resulted in crafting wines that are nothing short of spectacular. Take part in the vision and passion of Or Haganuz and try their wines today!