2023 Psagot Sinai

Despite Israel’s prime location on the Mediterranean coast and the country’s ancient connection to wine, Israel’s wine industry has faced ongoing issues for centuries. Between the Ottoman Empire’s control of the region and Islamic communities forbidding wine, Israeli wine fell out of favor for over 400 years. However, in the late 1800s, famed wine producer Edmond de Rothschild’s interest in the regional grape variety Vitis vinifera helped prompt the first wave of modern Israeli winemaking.

The re-emergence of Israeli wine has been slow and steady, experiencing advancement in the late 1980s when Golan Heights wines gained international recognition from renowned winemakers. This recognition was followed by a much-needed boost from wine critic Jancis Robinson, who wrote about Judean Hills wines in the 1990s. Backed by a Wines-of-Israel marketing campaign, Israeli wines earned global attention on their own merit.

Psagot Winery’s vineyards grow in the rocky, ancient soil of Benjamin in Israel’s northern region of the Jerusalem Mountains. Although the area is known for its biblical-era vineyards and wineries, it is Psagot’s story that makes them unique. When under construction, the winery discovered an ancient cave from the Hasmonean Dynasty period and a coin dating back to the First Jewish-Roman War, the Great Revolt of 66–73 AD.

The distinct coin markings include a vine leaf, amphora (ancient wine storage container), and the words “For Freedom of Zion” on one side and “Year Two” on the other. The coin became the foundation of their mission, creating a connection to the ancient Land of Israel and their biblical roots. Its distinct image appears on every bottle of wine produced, representing a commitment to quality.

The construction also revealed an ancient winepress, connecting their vineyard to wines harkening back to biblical times, whether shared in the temples of Jerusalem or with the emperors of Rome. Dating back over 2,500 years, the message still resonates with Yaakov Berg, the entrepreneur who established the winery in 1998 and co-winemaker Yaacov Oryah. They are helping reestablish Israeli wine as part of Judaism and educating wine lovers that it all began here.

They now produce 11 types of kosher wines exported worldwide and boast prestigious awards and medals of distinction from the international community. They also leverage innovative winemaking technology and informed growing techniques, providing opportunities for their talented winemakers to produce wines worthy of worldwide acclaim. In fact their technological innovations in drip irrigation and vineyard monitoring are now embraced by vignerons (wine grape growers) around the globe.

The Psagot 2023 Sinai is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) and Shiraz (45%) from vineyards at 900 meters (about 2953 feet) above sea level. The hot arid climate in Israel and the clay-rich terra rossa (red soil in Italian) of the Judean Hills combines to produce unique flavors in the grapes that grow in these vineyards. The snow that covers the vines when they are dormant also contributes to complex flavors. All of this makes the Psagot Sinai a distinctive, refreshing, fruit-forward, and extremely well-balanced wine.

Critics say, “Inky garnet in color, this wine has a nose of raspberry, juniper berry and green bell pepper. With a nice combination of bright notes and tannins, it offers flavors of blackberry, pomegranate, black pepper, oregano and thyme. Mouth-pleasing tannins hang around into the bright yet velvety finish.”

For ideal pairings of this wine try dishes with rich flavors, such as grilled red meats, hearty stews, grilled root vegetables, mushroom-based dishes and mature cheeses.