Golan - Volcanic & Elegant

Golan Heights is a volcanic plateau in the northeast of Israel with panoramic views. The Sea of Galilee and Upper Galilee mountains seem on the palm of your hand, so close that you can touch them. Golan Heights is the northern-most coldest area in Israel, white in winter, green during the rainy season, bursting with flowers in springtime and brown-beige-dry in summer and autumn. Golan wines are winning medals in international competitions and drawing international attention to the quality evolution of Israeli wines over the past 20 years. Welcome to Golan!

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Geography & Topography

Golan rises east of Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. The Jordan River flows from Mount Hermon and nearby springs, starting at sea level and pours into the sparkling blue waters of the Sea of Galilee at minus 200 meter below sea level. Golan Heights sharply elevate over the Jordan Valley, up to an altitude of 1,200 meters. Golan offers spectacular views of Jordan Valley.

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The African and the Eurasian giant tectonic plates meet along the Jorden Valley, with the Eurasian tectonic plate moving north a few centimeters every year. This area is seismically active.    

Climate & Soils

Winter temperatures are typically -3 to +12 Celsius, dropping below zero at night. Rainfall is heavy, and there is often hail and snow. Annual precipitation is 800 – 1,000mm. Summers are dry, rainless and hot of 24 (night) – 43 (midday) Celsius. The soils are rich, consisting of basaltic clay, volcanic tuff and black basalt. 

Agriculture & Livestock

Golan is mainly open, natural areas with agricultural activity. There are cherry, apple, plum, mango, avocado and peach plantations, grazing areas for horses, cattle, sheep and goats, natural woods and vineyards. There are several villages, some 400 years old, others 40 years old, a mosaic of religions, kitchens, traditions and cultures. 

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Wineries & Wines

Golan has large commercial well-established wineries and small boutique ones. The main varieties are the traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Barbera, Riesling, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier as well as Mourvèdre, Pino Noir and even Gamay.

In addition, similarly to other wine regions of Israel, several passionate wine producers from smaller wineries experiment with indigenous local varieties, resulting in very interesting wines.   

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The wines from Golan are: red, rose, white and sparkling.

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