8 Best Sights in Around Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, Israel

Winemaker Eyal Rotem puts a premium on quality at this boutique estate winery that produces 100,000 bottles a year. While it's not kosher, the winery prides itself on its ancient and modern Jewish history: it houses a 3,000-year-old-winepress, and during the 1948 war it served as the base for Itzhak Rabin and his Har'el Brigades. Many Clos de Gat wines age beautifully, including the Sycra series, which has garnered international accolades. 

Family-owned, this well-regarded winery sources grapes from the Judean Hills and the Upper Galilee. Many of its bottles, including the Bordeaux blend called The Noble, have garnered international praise for their complexity. Wine-and-cheese tastings are held by appointment only at an elegantly rustic communal table indoors or outside on a wooden deck overlooking the vineyards that are surrounded by pine forests.

This vineyard consistently produces some of the country's best wines. The small winery, with its exquisite cellar, runs tours and tastings of wine and cheese. Coordinate your visit in advance, and note that the minimum age to enter is 18.

Born in the Republic of Georgia, former software engineer Lina Slutzkin remembers how wine was once made there in torpedo-shape clay casks. At Kadma Wines, she uses these unusual vessels to produce a range of red wines. Tours and tastings are available daily by reservation only; book as soon as you can, as they fill up fast. There is a small menu of cheeses, smoked fish, roasted vegetables, and salads to accompany the wine.

Founded in 2012, this family-owned winery on Moshav Givat Yeshayahu specializes in white wines made from grapes grown in local vineyards. The winery takes advantage of its location in the Ella Valley, where the low altitude brings plunging nighttime temperatures despite the hot and dry days, ideal conditions for growing grapes with a robust taste spectrum. Tours and tastings are offered daily by appointment only, and they include a generous platter of veggies, local cheeses, and bread from a nearby bakery. 

Overlooking the Soreq Valley, this kibbutz estate winery sells and serves reds and whites made only from grapes grown on their property. Notable is the Shoresh blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Syrah (35%) , Petit Verdot (18%), and Merlot (12%). Tastings, which must be booked in advance, include several types of wine, as well as local bread, cheese, and olives. The winemaker also explains the unique soil of the area and the history of the winery. 

Part of the eponymous kibbutz, this winery produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay. Call ahead to reserve a tasting and tour, and be sure to order the cheese plate so that you can sample local offerings. Tours also explore the nearby vineyards and ancient winepresses that dot the area. The visitor center is open daily, except for Saturday.

Near ancient Tel Arad, this boutique vineyard, now a subsidiary of Carmel Wines, was established in 2000. Yatir Forest (a Cabernet Sauvignon blend) is the premier label. The adjacent woodland, after which the winery is named, is the largest planted forest in Israel. A visitor center offers views of the nearby desert vineyards and a larger area for tastings. Call ahead and speak to Smadar to arrange an appointment for a visit and tasting.