❤️ Why I Love This Wine
- 🍐 Flavor & Balance: It has the creamy, rich texture Chardonnay lovers enjoy, yet stays fresh, crisp, and beautifully balanced — never heavy or overpowering.
- 🌞🌙 A True Sense of Place: Grown in the Negev Desert, the contrast of hot days and cool nights gives this wine depth, vibrancy, and character you can truly taste.
- 🌱 Naturally Made: No pesticides, no added yeast — just naturally grown grapes and native fermentation, making this wine feel pure, authentic, and expressive.
- 🪵🥂 Thoughtful Winemaking: A touch of oak and malolactic fermentation adds creaminess and complexity without stealing the spotlight.
- 🇮🇱 The Story Behind the Bottle: Vines thriving in the desert, inspired by Ben-Gurion’s vision to “make the desert bloom” — this wine represents resilience, innovation, and hope.
- ⏳ Limited & Special: With only 18 bottles left of the 2023 vintage, this is a rare opportunity to experience something truly unique.
Tasting Notes
Color: Vibrant yellow with golden hues
Aroma: Pear, green apple, tropical fruit, with hints of vanilla
Taste: Creamy undertones balanced by minerality and bright citrus
Body: Medium
Finish: Crisp, vibrant, and beautifully well-balanced
About the Wine
Nana Chardonnay 2023 is a delicious, expressive wine—rich, fruity, and round. By “round,” we mean smooth and easy to drink, with nothing harsh and nothing overly acidic. It’s a Chardonnay that feels welcoming and approachable while still offering depth and character.
The grapes are grown in the vineyards of Mitzpe Ramon, right in the heart of Israel’s Negev Desert. This unique region is defined by long, hot, sunny days followed by cool—almost cold—evenings, conditions that produce wonderfully concentrated fruit.
The vineyards are planted in rich desert soil and irrigated using a drip system, but only when absolutely necessary. This controlled stress on the vines results in smaller yields with intensely flavored grapes. An added benefit of desert viticulture is that pesticides are unnecessary—the desert heat naturally protects the vines, making the wine healthier and more sustainable.
No commercial yeast is added during production; instead, the natural yeast found on the grape skins is used, giving the wine a more natural, organic expression of its terroir.
After harvest, the wine is aged for six months in a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. It undergoes malolactic fermentation (MLF), which contributes to its gentle creaminess. Importantly, the oak and MLF enhance the wine’s flavor without overpowering it—adding texture and complexity while preserving freshness.
Whether you’re a “Chardonnay all Day” person or firmly in the “Anything but Chardonnay” camp, this wine deserves a try. With only 18 bottles remaining of the 2023 vintage, Nana Chardonnay is truly a must-grab.
About the Winery
Nana Winery is located in the heart of the Negev, approximately 85 kilometers south of Be’er Sheva, on the road to Eilat, and about 25 kilometers from the Egyptian border. Founded in 2007 by Eran Raz—nicknamed “Nana”—the winery was born out of a dream inspired by Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion: to make the desert bloom.
Eran chose this site for its exceptional elevation—about 800 meters (2,624 feet) above sea level, the highest point in the region. Along with his wife and children, he relocated to the desert with the hope of turning that vision into reality.
What began as a small plot has grown into vineyards spanning over 100 acres. Eran currently serves as the winery’s viticulturist and partner, overseeing all vineyard operations and ensuring that each grape reflects the unique desert environment in which it is grown.
About the Winemaker
The current winemaker at Nana is Dana Berry, who studied oenology and viticulture in Italy. She is guided by Kerry Damskey, the renowned California-based master winemaker, who serves as Nana’s consulting winemaker.
Where to Find
Only 18 bottles of Nana Chardonnay 2023 are still available at Kosherwine.com. Don’t miss out—order yours today.
Use the code IWG5 at checkout to receive 5% off your purchase and to credit Israel Wine Girl. Your support helps us continue our mission of promoting Israeli wines. 🍷
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