Color: Light gold
Aroma: Lemon, apple, floral
Flavor: Tart apple, crisp, moderate acidity
Body: Light to medium, well-balanced
Finish: Crisp, clean, refreshing
About the Wine
The 2023 Binyamina Moshava Chardonnay is unoaked, allowing the natural characteristics of the Chardonnay grape to shine. Expect fresh flavors of green apple, pear, lemon, and grapefruit, with occasional tropical notes. Because it hasn’t undergone malolactic fermentation (MLF)—a process that converts tart malic acid to creamy lactic acid—it lacks the buttery quality some Chardonnays have. And with no exposure to wood, you won’t find any toasty oak influence either. The result is a wine that’s bright, crisp, and refreshingly pure.
Unoaked Chardonnay was popularized by the Chablis region in France, largely for practical reasons. Historically, wines from Chablis were transported to Paris in older oak barrels—not for flavor, but for logistics. Once emptied, the barrels were returned and reused, inadvertently creating a tradition of aging Chablis without new oak.
Today, “Chablis-style” or “unoaked Chardonnay” is produced around the world, typically aged in stainless steel or concrete tanks. This preserves the wine’s freshness and keeps it affordable—this particular bottle retails for under $20!
About the Winery
Binyamina Winery was founded in 1952 by Joseph Zeltzer, a Hungarian-born winemaker, in what was then the heart of Israel’s wine country. He named the winery Eliaz, in memory of his son who fell during Israel’s War of Independence.
Initially, the winery produced sweet and simple table wines under the Carmel Co-op, which controlled all winemaking in Israel at the time. When Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion opened the market to independent producers, Zeltzer’s winery was the first to emerge.
Over the years, ownership of the winery has passed through the hands of bankers, realtors, film producers, and private investors—but its dedication to quality and innovation has never wavered. Eventually renamed Binyamina, the winery honors both its origin and evolution.
Today, Binyamina continues to thrive thanks to major investments in vineyards, equipment, and talent. While the grapes are sourced from Israel’s top wine-growing regions, the winery remains proudly rooted in its original location.
About the Winemaker
Chief Winemaker Yonatan Schotts studied viticulture in Florence and gained experience at wineries in both Italy and Australia. He returned to Israel to work alongside renowned winemaker Michel Rolland at Amphorae Winery before joining Binyamina in 2015. His vision for the winery is to “specifically tailor grape varieties to the sub-regions where they produce the best results.”
Schotts is joined by Hagit Elmalach, who studied winemaking in Israel and brings additional experience from Australia. Together, they produce a diverse range of wines—from elegant, premium bottles to everyday table wines perfect for Shabbat celebrations.
Where to Find It
We picked up this week’s wine at Buy Rite in Hopewell, NJ, and it is available online at KosherWine.com. Please use this [special link] to support Israel Wine Girl with your purchase.
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