Ya’cov Oryah – Queen of Hearts 2023

Color: yellow, light gold
Aroma: Fresh fruit, straw, sweet spices
Flavor: Stone fruit, citrus
Body: Medium and well-balanced
Finish: Long, tart, with a touch of sweetness

About the Wine:

The 2023 Queen of Hearts is a delicious blend of 30% Chardonnay, 26% Semillon, 24% Chenin Blanc, and 20% Gewürztraminer. Fruit-forward with notes of peach, apricot, and citrus, the wine also showcases a rich minerality that adds depth and complexity.

About the Winery:

Ya’acov Oryah, though having served as winemaker for several respected wineries, has always maintained his own label. He sources grapes both from his own vineyards and from trusted growers across the country. Constantly innovating, Ya’acov produces 27 different wines—including some fascinating orange wines—and bottles around 25,000 annually. He is considered one of Israel’s most respected and imaginative winemakers.

About the Winemaker:

Ya’acov came to winemaking as a second career, having first managed construction projects—a background that influences his approach to blending. Much like a builder assembles materials into a structure, Ya’acov constructs his wines from a wide variety of grapes to create harmonious and compelling blends.

He began his winemaking journey in the early 2000s, co-founding Assif Winery in the desert near Arad. That project eventually evolved into Midbar Winery, where he remained briefly before becoming the head winemaker at Psagot. Currently, Ya’acov is helping to launch Pinto Winery, which opened in 2020, all while continuing to produce wines under his own label at his winery in Sde Moshe.

Ya’acov’s vision is that the desert can produce some of Israel’s finest wines. While growing in the Negev—Hebrew for “desert”—presents challenges, its 300+ days of sunshine and cool nights accelerate grape ripening and yield excellent results. He uses this to craft crisp, mineral-driven white wines and expressive reds.

Additionally, Ya’acov is a pioneer of orange wines in Israel, experimenting with skin-contact fermentation of white grapes to produce wines that are unique in both color and flavor.

Thank you, Ya’acov!

Where to find:

Ya’cov Oryah wines can be ordered online at KosherWine.com. Please use this [special link] to credit Israel Wine Girl with your purchase.