Gush Eztion Winery Tour

June 20th 2014

Are you an early riser, looking for a one-of-a-kind experience while visiting Israel? During the grape harvest season of July, August and September, the Gush Etzion Winery offers a program called Harvesting at Dawn. Visitors, including families with children, can participate in picking grapes from the winery’s nearby vineyards. Hands-on harvesting activities are coupled with a full tour of the winery and breakfast at the kosher mehadrin dairy and fish restaurant, located inside the winery’s visitors’ center.

Arguably the most well-known of five wineries in the Gush Etzion region, the Gush Etzion Winery offers other great experiences that do not require waking up with the rooster’s crow at dawn. Tours of the winery and wine tastings are available by making an appointment in advance. During your tour, you’ll stand on a metal bridge built especially for viewing the fermentation vats and production area. You’ll hear explanations of the wine making process and have a chance to sample many of the wines produced in Gush Etzion. While you’re there, be sure to enjoy breakfast, a business lunch or a casual dinner, accompanied by wine served by the glass. The winery’s restaurant can accommodate up to 120 guests.

The modern, boutique winery, its restaurant and visitors’ center are perched amid the winery’s young vineyards. Dine indoors with a view of the wine vats, or, in more temperate weather, on the outdoor porch that overlooks the vineyards. Breathe in a bit of the atmosphere typical of the Bordeaux region of France. Even if you choose to eat indoors, be sure to step onto the winery’s balcony for a scenic view of the entire Gush Etzion region.

The Gush Etzion Winery offers more variety than other boutique winerie,s with three levels of quality. Their premium wines are branded Emek HaBracha (Valley of the Blessing). Lonely Oak is their brand of wines for specific varietals, and their most affordable, blended wines are sold under the Nahal Hapirin label. All Gush Etzion Winery lines are available in both red and white varieties.

Established in 2005, the Gush Etzion Winery grows 12 different kinds of grapes over 120 acres and produces approximately 40,000 bottles of wine a year. Its grapes grow in ideal conditions, at one of the highest altitudes in Israel, approximately 3000 feet above sea level.