The featured wine this week is Gush Etzion’s 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. It has a rich tropical aroma and the flavor is sharp, fruity, and has a good amount of acidity.
The Gush Etzion Winery is located in the Judean Hills, a region surrounding the city of Jerusalem from the north, west and south. The elevation in this area can extend up to 1000 meters above sea level and the climate is characterized by warm days and cool nights. These are perfect wine growing conditions as it allows vines to develop complex sugars during the day, and acidity at night.
The soil, a mixture of terra rosa and limestone, adds to its unique and special growing environment. The Judean Hills are known for doing very well with not just Cabs and Merlot, but most recently, wine experts have deemed it the best region in the country for growing white grapes. This 2023 Sauvignon Blanc will not disappoint!
Gush Etzion was a cluster of Jewish settlements established in the Judean Mountains in 1943. Built on land purchased in 1925 by a private Jewish land holding company, the area did well until 1947, when the issue of partition, and an Israeli State became viable. The attacks began in January 1948, and they were able to hold off the enemy for 6 months. On May 12, 1948, just 2 days before Israel declared its statehood, the fight was lost.
Members of the Arab Legion massacred 127 men, women and children and took the rest as prisoners. They destroyed their homes and buildings, ripped up their farmland, and pulled up every tree – except for the “Lone Oak”. Over the years the tree came to symbolize the “yearning to return home” for the survivors of this tragedy.
Today’s survivors of the Oct. 7th Massacre, are yearning to return to their homes. Many organizations and philanthropists are helping with the reconstruction, but we can all do our part. To move forward, Israel needs a strong economy, and this involves the production and sale of goods – which includes wine!
Let’s do our part by purchasing Israel Wine for every Shabbat, every celebration, and every day. We picked up the Gush Etzion Sauvignon Blanc 2023 at the Total Wines in Cherry Hill, NJ. A nice selection of their wines is available at Kosher Wine Warehouse, free Shipping with a purchase of $99. Use the code ISRAELWINEGIRL for 10% off your entire purchase.
Israel Wine Girl 
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