Kayoumi vineyard in the Galilee. Photo courtesy Carmel Winery
For many years, Israeli vintners complied with halakha—Jewish laws—and ensured that their wines were kosher by heating or even boiling them. This process inevitably impaired the quality of the finished product, and kosher wine was generally known as a sweet and inferior gastronomic product. Yet as Israeli winemakers began to aim toward producing higher-quality wines, the modern Israeli wine industry found ways to meet kashrut requirements (that is, the Jewish dietary regulations) without ruining the wine. Winemakers no longer boil their wines; instead many of them bring in authorized supervisors whose role is to oversee the production and handling process. So today’s Israeli wines can be both kosher and pleasing to the most discerning palate.
Carmey Avdat—which has the distinction of being Israel’s first solar-powered winery—no television, no wifi interrupt the desert experience (but an espresso machine, a refrigerator, and a full breakfast delivered every morning bring joy to the spirit). Guests who stay here can swim in white rock pools inspired by those in the mountain orchards of the Sinai. The surrounding hillsides are planted with native trees—carob, olive, fig, and pomegranate—which visitors can wander among and from which they can sample.
