Judean Hills

The Judean Hills surround Jerusalem and lie east of the Judean Foothills, the west-facing strip toward the Mediterranean. Vineyards are generally small, set on slopes and in small valleys at roughly 600 to 900 metres. The region has a Mediterranean mountain climate and limestone-rich soils. Some sites sit near woods, reserves and Mediterranean scrub, where oregano, sage and za'atar grow. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Carignan and Chardonnay are key grapes. The wines can retain fresh acidity, and some are made for ageing. Eli Ben-Zaken and Ronnie James began focusing on vineyards here in the mid to late 1980s. Domaine du Castel followed in 1992 and Tzora Vineyards in 1993. By the 2000s, the Judean Hills had become more widely recognised as a winegrowing area.