🍷 Tasting Notes
🎨 Color: Pale yellow
👃 Aroma: Tropical fruit notes
🍍 Taste: Passion fruit, guava, kiwi
⚖️ Body: Light to medium-bodied
✨ Finish: Crisp, refreshing acidity
🍇 About the Wine
Gilgal Sauvignon Blanc, produced from grapes grown in the Golan Heights, beautifully balances Israel’s warm climate with the region’s high elevation. The result is a wine bursting with tropical fruit flavors, complemented by vibrant, refreshing acidity.
The vineyards sit on a volcanic plateau at approximately 3,900 feet above sea level. Warm, sunny days promote optimal ripening and sugar development, while cool nights help preserve the grapes’ natural acidity. This unique combination creates a wine that is both rich in flavor and wonderfully crisp—hallmarks of a well-crafted Sauvignon Blanc.
This wine is best enjoyed within 2–3 years of harvest. It has earned a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Vivino and received 88 points from Wine Enthusiast.
🌿For those hosting a holiday meal on Sunday, March 29th, for Palm Sunday—the final Sunday of Lent—Gilgal Sauvignon Blanc makes a perfect pairing with a traditional fish dinner.
💙 Why I Like This Wine
✨ Bright & Refreshing
Crisp, clean, and easy to enjoy anytime
🍍 Tropical בלי being too sweet
Fruity but beautifully balanced
🐟 Perfect with Fish
A natural pairing for lighter dishes
🇮🇱 Everyday Israeli Gem
Reliable, איכות, and great value
🥂 Crowd-Pleaser
Easy to bring, easy to love
🏔️ About the Winery
Golan Heights Winery, founded in 1983, played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the Israeli wine industry. Prior to its establishment, there were only about 15 wineries in the country, many producing primarily sweet or lesser-quality wines. From the outset, the winery set out to create world-class wines that could stand alongside those from France, Italy, and Napa Valley.
Producing premium wine requires three essential elements: terroir, climate, and a skilled winemaker.
- Terroir: The Golan Heights features volcanic basalt soil—mineral-rich and porous—allowing vines to penetrate deeply and absorb essential nutrients.
- Climate & Elevation: Vineyard elevations vary by over 800 meters, creating diverse microclimates with differences in temperature, rainfall, and mineral distribution—all crucial for growing high-quality grapes.
- Winemaking Expertise: The winery is led by chief winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, a Napa Valley native widely regarded as one of the top winemakers in the world.
Today, Victor and his team work with more than 18 grape varieties grown across 26+ vineyards in the Golan and Upper Galilee, and export to over 30 countries.
👨🔬 Meet the Winemaker
Victor Schoenfeld, a California native, has been with Golan Heights Winery since 1991. A graduate of UC Davis (1988), he gained experience at several prestigious wineries in the U.S. before moving to Israel.
His mission—then and now—is to produce high-quality wines that express a true sense of place. And he continues to do just that. Thank you, Victor!
🛒 Where to Find
📍 Total Wine & More
💻 kosherwine.com (use code IWG5 for a 5% discount)
Israel Wine Girl 
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