Israel publishes first official wine map with eight distinct regions

Israel has released its first official wine map, dividing the country into eight distinct wine-growing regions with 18 subregions, according to the Jewish Times.

The map was jointly published by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Israel Wine Grape Council in early September in Rishon LeZion.

Under the new regulations, a winery must use at least 85% grapes from a designated region to label its wine with that region's name. This 85% rule also applies to naming grape varieties and vintage years on labels.

If a wine falls short of the 85% threshold for a subregion but meets it for the larger super region, the super region name may be used. However, wineries are not required to use the new regional names on their labels.

The wine map aims to establish terroir-based distinctions in Israeli wines, similar to established wine regions worldwide, where climate and soil influence the taste and quality of wines.

This initiative marks a significant step in defining and promoting Israel's wine identity, although its impact will depend on adoption by wineries and consumers.