Binyamina Winery

There is, in fact, an intriguing story behind the winery’s current location in the heart of the quaint village of Binyamina. Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, after whom the village of Binyamina is named, established a perfume factory in the village in 1925.

1925

מקום מושבו של היקב בלב בנימינה חובק היסטוריה חלוצית עוד מתקופת העלייה השלישית. בשנת 1925 הקים הברון רוטשילד מפעל לבשמים, לאחר שפקידיו זיהו את הפוטנציאל הגדול שטמון בשדות פרחי היסמין באזור המושבה. המפעל זכה להצלחה רבה בתחילת דרכו, אך בשל המיתון העולמי בשנות השלושים והמעבר לייצור בשמים סינטטיים, סגר את שעריו בשנת 1937. עם זאת, המרתף שמתחתיו שימש את חברי “ההגנה” כסליק וכמקום מחבוא עד קום המדינה.

1952

Binyamina Winery was founded in 1952 by Joseph Zeltzer. He immigrated to Israel from Hungary infused with a passion to continue being a winemaker, as he’d been in his country of birth. Zeltzer originally named the winery Eliaz, after his son who fell in battle during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. He soon began making wine in the center of what was then considered Israel’s official wine region.

1996

Although it always remained privately owned, the winery changed hands several times until the mid-1990s. Bankers, real estate professionals and movie producers viewed the winery as an Israeli treasure where agriculture, industry and Zionism converged. It was finally purchased in the early 1990s by movie industry executives, who gained full control in 1996. Wasting no time, they invested enormous resources to transform Binyamina into one of Israel’s leading wineries. Over the ensuing 14 years, they invested in upgrading the vineyards to obtain the best quality raw materials, purchasing the finest wine production equipment and establishing one of Israel’s finest barrel cellars. They also renamed the winery, which has been known as Binyamina Winery since the mid-1990s.

2008

In August 2008, the winery was purchased by private investors who recognized the winery’s immense potential and sought to continue its role as a leader in Israel’s wine sector. To this day, they continue to invest regularly and unsparingly in the vineyards, premises, equipment and human resources. There is, in fact, an intriguing story behind the winery’s current location in the heart of the quaint village of Binyamina. Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, after whom the village of Binyamina is named, established a perfume factory in the village in 1925.

Good Wine Begins in the Vineyard

Binyamina Winery has come a long way since the days when Zeltzer sourced his grapes solely from local vineyards. Today, over sixty years later, we recieve superb grapes from vineyards across the length of Israel, from the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, including Kerem Ben Zimra, Alma, Kadesh Valley, to the Lower Galilee in the Mt. Tabor region, the Judean Hills, Karmei Yoseph, and in the south of Israel.

Our team, led by our chief winemaker, understands that good wine begins in the vineyard. Valuable resources are invested equally in locating the finest plots a region has to offer, and in identifying and harnessing the country’s most professional vintners and farmers to grow and develop the fruit of the vine for us.

Amatzia Vineyard

This vineyard is surrounded by chalkstone hills and caves which provided refuge to Jews during the Bar Kochba period.

Tzora Vineyard

This vineyard is located on the western slopes of the Judean Plains in the Sorek River region.

Gilboa Vineyard

This vineyard is located in the Mt. Gilboa region, while poor in organic matter, has good drainage, contributing to a perfect ratio between vegetative growth and fruit.

Deganya and Ramat Sirin Vineyard

This vineyard boasts a spectacular view of the vast expanse of the Gilboa Mountains, the Golan Heights, the Sea of Galilee and Mount Tabor.

Mevo Hama Vineyard

The vineyard is located in the Southern Golan Heights overlooking the Yarmouk River, near the border triangle of Israel, Syria and Jordan, and close to the Metzoke Nachal Meitzar Nature Reserve.

Tel Phares Vineyard

This vineyard in the Golan Heights is planted in deep basaltic soil aerated with tuff rock from the mouth of the extinct Mount Phares volcano. The combination of basalt and tuff results in mineral rich soil with good drainage.

Kidmat Tzvi Vineyard

Located in the Golan Heights, this vineyard is planted in deep basaltic soils, rich in minerals and with good drainage.

Kadesh Vineyard

This vineyard bordering the Kadesh River Nature Reserve and ancient Tel Kadesh village in the Golan Heights enjoys deep terra rossa soil, low humidity and cool nights. Together, they contribute to an intensely flavored Cabernet Sauvignon.

Kerem Ben Zimra Vineyard

This vineyard surrounding the village of Kerem Ben Zimra in the Golan Heights boasts plots with superb, diverse wines. Some plots are located on the basaltic soil of Ramat Dalton and others can be found on the calcareous soil on the slopes of the village. The result is elegant wines with intense flavor.

Kfar Tavor Vineyard

This vineyard is situated at the foot of historic Mount Tabor. Its considerable distance from the sea means high temperatures in the summer and low humidity, which allows grapes to ripen quickly and uniformly, giving them a deep and elegant color.

Alma Vineyard Alma Vineyard

This vineyard in the Upper Galilee is located on the northern calcareous slopes of Ramat Alma. With their basaltic soil, these plots enjoy natural aeration, which, together with vigilant maintenance of the vines, results in perfect ripening and superior quality grapes.

The Winemakers

Yonatan Shotts

Chief Winemaker

Studied Enology and Viticulture at the Faculty of Agriculture in Florence University, Tuscay, Italy. Yonatan brings a variety of winemaking experiences from working at wineries in Australia, Italy and Israel.

Hagit Elmalach

Studied Enology and Viticulture at Ohalo, Israel. Hagit comes with a wide range of practical experience from working at wineries in Australia and Israel.