“To make this Shabbat a Delight”, consider putting a bottle of the Adama Merlot, from the Tabor Winery, on your table. Produced from grapes grown in the volcanic soil of the Upper Galilee, this wine is complex and elegant. It was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, then aged for a second year in the bottle, making it well-balanced and rich with flavors of blackberry and plum. The finish is long and smooth, characteristic of wines from this region.
Tabor was started as a boutique winery by 4 families in 1999. It was named Tabor because of its location to the “Mountain of Tabor” in the lower Galilee. The mountain itself is 2,000 feet above sea level and at the top are two Christian monasteries. The winery sits below in the village of Kfar Tavor. Initially, they produced several thousand bottles a year, but in 2005, with investment from Coca-Cola of Israel, they were able to expand their line and production. Today, they can produce several million bottles a year and ship worldwide. They are known for their quality wines at a reasonable price.
Since its onset, Tabor Winery has been committed to caring for nature. They keep ecological standards and have implemented projects to protect the environment. Tabor Winery’s ecological efforts are overseen by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. It was they who recommended nesting boxes for owls to come and take care of a rodent problem. No need for pesticides or toxins, the owls took care of the mice. Without mice, other pests also disappeared. Tabor Winery was so thankful to the owls, they put them on their label and glasses.
These days, Tabor Winery has more than rodents to worry about. Currently, 25% of Tabor Winery employees are serving in the IDF, which includes their winemaker and viticulturist. Also, large parts of their vineyards are located in the Galilee and Golan Heights, and these areas are closed military zones as they border Syria and Lebanon. This leaves the vines with no one to care for them.
Despite the hardships, the folks at Tabor want us to know they are supporting each other and doing their best. They have organized wine and cheese nights for their community to have a place to relax and chat. They are also donating wine to those in the South who lost family, friends, and homes after the Oct. 7th attacks.
Our friends at Tabor want us to know that they, and the entire wine industry in Israel, are suffering. People are fragile, it has not been a time for drinking wine. This Shabbat, let’s support our friends at Tabor by putting a bottle of their Adama Merlot on your table.
I made my purchase at the Shoprite in Cherry Hill, but the easiest way to get Tabor wines is online at: Kosher Wine Warehouse, free Shipping with a purchase of $99. Use the code ISRAELWINEGIRL for 10% off your entire purchase.
Make this Shabbat a Delight, Drink Blue and White
Israel Wine Girl 
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