The best wines of Negev
Discover the best wines of Negev as well as the best winemakers of Negev and estates of Negev to visit. Explore the popular grape varieties of Negev and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Top wines of Negev by region
Looking for a good wine of Negev among the top wines in the region? Check out our tops of the best red, white or effervescent wines of Negev. Also find some food and wine pairings that may be appropriate with these exceptional wines. Learn more about the region and the wines of Negev with technical and enological descriptions.
Great red wines of Negev
See the top 100 best red wines of NegevWant to buy a red wine of Negev cheap or sell a red wine of Negev at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Negev
Red wines from the region of Negev go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of fillet of beef in a foie gras and truffle crust, tajine of beef balls and merguez or cassoulet of the sea.
Organoleptic analysis of red wine of Negev
On the nose the red wine of the region of Negev. often reveals types of flavors of non oak, earth or microbio and sometimes also flavors of oak, spices or red fruit. In the mouth the red wine of the region of Negev. is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The best vintages in red wine of Negev
- 2019With an average score of 4.04/5
- 2015With an average score of 3.87/5
- 2017With an average score of 3.82/5
- 2018With an average score of 3.75/5
- 2014With an average score of 3.75/5
- 2012With an average score of 3.75/5
The most used grape varieties in red wine of Negev
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Shiraz/Syrah
- Petit Verdot
- Malbec
- Cabernet Franc
The best wineries and winemakers for red wine of Negev
A wine route planned in the region of Negev? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best red wine of Negev.
- Winery Kerem Shezaf Southern Negev
- Winery נאות סמדר Southern Negev
Discovering the wine region of Negev
Negev desert wine region of southern Israel is one of the warmest and driest Vineyard areas in the world. It Lies at a latitude of between 31 and 29 degrees North, on the fringes of the Syrian Desert. For a northern hemisphere wine region, this is remarkably close to the equator; just a few degrees closer and it would be deemed a tropical wine region.
Negev only receives about 100mm (4 inches) of rain per year, much of which disappears in flash floods.
Modern computer-controlled irrigation is a necessity and water usage is understandably a major issue and is one factor why the wines of the region must reach a quality level to justify premium prices.
Despite its unlikely macroClimate, the Negev has been a vine-growing area since ancient times. It may well have been one of the world's very first wine regions – if an area could be seen as such 6000 years ago – and has been enjoying something of a minor renaissance since the 1980s, though it accounts for less than 5 percent of Israel's total vineyard area.
As demonstrated in the Judean Hills immediately to the north (and Galilee beyond that), high altitude is the viticultural antidote to low latitude.
Temperatures in the Negev reach great heights during the day but drop significantly overnight, which allows the vines some recovery time. High diurnal temperature variation is almost invariably a bonus for vineyard zones, but if the days are so hot and the nights so cool that the vines actually shut down, the chances of growing grapes with balanced sugars and acids are dramatically Reduced.
Thus the quality demands of modern wine consumers have driven Negev viticulture up into the hills, away from the extremes of the desert climate. Even at higher elevations, humidity is low in the Negev, but the vineyards nonetheless enjoy a morning blanket of mist before the heat of the day sets in.
Great white wines of Negev
See the top 100 best white wines of NegevWant to buy a white wine of Negev cheap or sell a white wine of Negev at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a white wine of Negev
White wines from the region of Negev go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, lean fish or fruity desserts such as recipes of american style lobster tails, great chef style, cod on leek fondue or yoghurt cake.
Organoleptic analysis of white wine of Negev
On the nose the white wine of the region of Negev. often reveals types of flavors of oaky, oak or tropical and sometimes also flavors of citrus, tree fruit or citrus fruit.
The best vintages in white wine of Negev
- 2012With an average score of 4.00/5
- 2010With an average score of 3.90/5
- 2018With an average score of 3.82/5
- 2014With an average score of 3.80/5
- 2017With an average score of 3.79/5
- 2019With an average score of 3.78/5
The most used grape varieties in white wine of Negev
- Chardonnay
- Viognier
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chenin Blanc
- Gewürztraminer
- Sémillon
The best wineries and winemakers for white wine of Negev
A wine route planned in the region of Negev? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best white wine of Negev.
- Winery Kerem Shezaf Southern Negev
Discover the grape variety: Viognier
White Viognier is a grape variety that originated in France (Rhone Valley). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and grapes of small size. White Viognier can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley, Burgundy, Jura, Champagne, Savoie & Bugey, Provence & Corsica, Loire Valley, Beaujolais.
Great pink wines of Negev
See the top 100 best pink wines of NegevWant to buy a pink wine of Negev cheap or sell a pink wine of Negev at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of Negev
Pink wines from the region of Negev go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of caramelized beef with onions, ham with leek fondue or alice's rabbit.
Organoleptic analysis of pink wine of Negev
On the nose the pink wine of the region of Negev. often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, citrus fruit or red fruit and sometimes also flavors of oak.
The best vintages in pink wine of Negev
- 2019With an average score of 3.90/5
- 2020With an average score of 3.70/5
- 2018With an average score of 3.40/5
- 2017With an average score of 3.30/5
The most used grape varieties in pink wine of Negev
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
- Pinot Noir
- Shiraz/Syrah
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Discover the grape variety: Cabernet franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
Great sweet wines of Negev
See the top 100 best sweet wines of NegevWant to buy a sweet wine of Negev cheap or sell a sweet wine of Negev at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a sweet wine of Negev
Sweet wines from the region of Negev go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or spicy food such as recipes of braised beef with carrots, lamb shoulder confit with harissa or lamb curry indian style.
The best vintages in sweet wine of Negev
- 2011With an average score of 3.80/5
The most used grape varieties in sweet wine of Negev
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz/Syrah
The word of the wine: Vatting
After five to eight days of alcoholic fermentation, it is possible to prolong the maceration in order to extract the maximum amount of matter from the marc. The wines obtained in this way are rich and full-bodied, and in principle are intended for laying down.
Great natural sweet wines of Negev
See the top 100 best natural sweet wines of NegevWant to buy a natural-sweet wine of Negev cheap or sell a natural-sweet wine of Negev at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a natural-sweet wine of Negev
Natural sweet wines from the region of Negev go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of pastasciutta (corsica), lamb tagine with vegetables and preserved lemons or whole duck casserole with white wine.
The best vintages in natural-sweet wine of Negev
- 2005With an average score of 4.40/5
- 2011With an average score of 3.60/5
The most used grape varieties in natural-sweet wine of Negev
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
Discover the grape variety: Sauvignon
Sauvignon Gris is a grape variety that originated in France (South-West). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches and small grapes. Sauvignon Gris can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Burgundy, Jura, Beaujolais, Armagnac, Provence & Corsica, Rhone Valley, Savoie & Bugey.
News from the vineyard of Negev
North Italy suffers over 100 days of drought
Springtime brings the so-called ‘Caldaia di Maggio’ to Barolo, a noise similar to a kettle simmering that is caused by evaporating water in the soils. This year, however, it’s unlikely that this phenomenon will occur. Drought is affecting the entire north of Italy; predominantly the Langhe but also Valpolicella and Franciacorta. Not even Tuscany is spared. The vineyards are lacking the reserves of water that their soils usually contain at this time of year. Winter passed without snow in almost a ...
Ancient elites drank wine infused with vanilla, says study
Researchers examining remnants of jars dating back to the kingdom of Judah found evidence that royal elites in Jerusalem may have been drinking wine ‘flavoured with vanilla’. It’s already known that wine has a long history in the region, and some studies suggest wines contained added spices or herbs. Yet researchers said they were surprised to find traces of vanillin in some of the ancient storage jars, which were excavated from debris caused by the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE ...
WSET returns to mainland China
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has received official approval from the Chinese government to resume its operation in mainland China following a year of suspended business activities at the end of January 2021. WSET has appointed Willa Yang as chief representative to head up its operations in China. Yang previously held leadership roles at Wine Australia’s China office and the Australian Trade Commission. In addition, supporting its return to business in mainland China, WSET announc ...