🍾 Psagot Levana

Jody Nestel

👉 Pop, Pour, and Celebrate with Israeli Bubbles

🍷 Tasting Notes

Color: Pale straw
Aroma: Ripe apple, pear, hints of lemon
Taste: Crisp acidity, lively bubbles, flavors of apple, melon, and citrus
Body: Medium-bodied, well-balanced
Finish: Long, refreshing, and clean

🥂 About the Wine

Made from grapes grown in the Judean Mountains, this 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine is perfect for any celebration. While it is easy to drink, it is far from simple to produce, requiring two separate fermentations.

Psagot Levana is classified as a sparkling wine—not Champagne. It is not produced in the Champagne region of France, nor does it strictly follow Champagne regulations. Instead, it is made using a variation of the Traditional Method (Méthode Champenoise), sometimes referred to here as an “almost-Champagne” approach.

This method includes two fermentations, but without the required 15-month aging period that defines Champagne.

Here’s how Levana is made:

  • Chardonnay grapes are harvested and undergo primary fermentation, where sugar is converted into alcohol
  • A mixture of yeast and sugar is added to initiate a second fermentation
  • The wine is bottled and stored on its side for approximately 30 days, allowing natural carbonation to develop
  • The wine is then clarified through riddling, followed by disgorgement and resealing

Sparkling wine originated in France in the early 1500s, reached California in the 1860s, and arrived in Israel in the 1950s. High-quality, traditional-method sparkling wines gained traction in Israel in the 1990s, led by the Golan Heights Winery and its Blanc de Blanc. Today, both boutique and large Israeli wineries produce a wide range of sparkling wines using diverse methods.

💛 Why I Love This Wine 🍾

There’s something about this sparkling that just works. It’s bright, refreshing, and effortlessly elegant without feeling too serious.

✨ The bubbles are lively but not overwhelming
🍏 The crisp apple and citrus notes make it incredibly refreshing
🥂 It feels celebratory, whether it’s a holiday or just a regular weeknight
🇮🇱 It’s a beautiful expression of Israeli winemaking
🏒 And yes… It’s made by a hockey-loving winemaker, which makes it even more fun

This is the kind of bottle you open “just for a sip”… and suddenly it’s gone.

🏡 About the Winery

Psagot Winery, located in the Binyamin region near Jerusalem, was founded in 2003 by Yaakov Berg and Na’ama Berg. Beyond producing exceptional wines, the winery is deeply connected to the history of the land on which it stands.

During construction, an ancient cave dating back over 2,000 years to the Second Temple period was discovered on the property. Inside were an ancient wine press and a coin from the First Jewish-Roman War (66–73 CE), engraved with vine leaves and the inscription “For the Freedom of Zion.”

Moved by this discovery, the Berg family chose to feature a facsimile of the coin on every bottle label—a symbol that has remained for over 20 years and continues to carry deep meaning today.

🍇 About the Winemaker 🏒

Psagot’s winemaker, Sam Soroka, hails from Canada. In addition to being a world-class winemaker, he is a passionate hockey fan who proudly supports the Montreal Canadiens.

Sam studied winemaking at the University of Adelaide in Australia and crafted wines around the world before settling in Israel in the early 2000s. He has held key roles at several wineries, including serving as Winemaker at Carmel Winery.

His expertise in winemaking may just outshine his team’s playoff hopes this season—but for those of us enjoying his wines, there’s no cause for concern.

Since joining Psagot, Sam has elevated the quality of their wines across the board, and the winery is fortunate to have him leading the way.

đź›’ Where to Find It

You can purchase Psagot Levana online at KosherWine.com—a great resource for a wide selection of Israeli wines delivered right to your door. (use code IWG5 for a 5% discount)

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