Ramat Negev Midbar Lavan (White) 2022

This Shabbat we return to the “Negev”, Israel’s Southernmost spot and home to some of the country’s most delicious wines. Ramat Negev’s Midbar Lavan (White) 2022, a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Sauvignon Blanc is one of the region’s best. Made from grapes handpicked in the desert, this wine has a pleasant acidity and combines flavors of citrus and tropical fruits. It is lovely when sipped with appetizers or can be enjoyed with a meal of highly seasoned chicken or fish. 

Growing grapes in the desert creates many challenges, but Ramat Negev’s winemakers, Alon Zadok and his son Yogev, have much experience with overcoming obstacles.  There are about 300 days of sun and less than one inch of rain each year in the Negev, making water of prime importance.  The invention of Drip Irrigation, by Israeli Simcha Blass, truly has made the desert bloom. It works by delivering water and nutrients through pipes called “dripper lines” with smaller units called “drippers”. Each dripper will drip water and fertilizer directly to the plant’s roots, providing the perfect amount of nutrients it requires.  There is no evaporation and therefore no waste. 

Temperature changes in the desert are quite drastic, which is very taxing on the grapes. During the day, the high can be into the 100’s, then drop into the 50’s at nightfall.  This happens for months at a time, without any break, but interestingly promotes a fast ripening of grapes. Harvest occurs in the Negev weeks before the rest of the country, creating some lovely wines.  White grapes are harvested before acid levels fall, producing wine that is crisp and minerally, like the Midbar Lavan, and red grapes yield thinner skins, producing wines that are light and refreshing. 

There are currently about 40 wineries located throughout the Negev and in 2020 a consortium was founded to strengthen the wine community and promote economic growth. Sharing resources for planting, trimming, and harvest has been invaluable; as has encouraging tourism to supplement income from wine sales. Both will be of utmost importance to the area in the coming weeks as the Negev wineries attempt to make a come-back from Oct. 7th. Keep in mind that many are located within miles of Gaza, so much of their labor force were from that area. Perhaps this year will see more harvest done mechanically, we will have to keep an eye out for that change. 

 Let’s support our friends in Israel that continue to make wine under the most trying of circumstances. By our purchase, we too can have a share in making the desert “bloom like a rose”.

We picked up the Ramat Negev Midbar Lavan 2022 from ISRAEL WINE DIRECT. Make sure to sign up for their mailing list to be alerted of special promotions. We just took advantage of the Holiday 40% discount on some of the Kosher wines using code NEWYEAR5785