Golan Heights Winery

Golan Heights Winery in Katzrin was founded in 1983 (the first vineyards were planted in 1976 and the first vintage was released in 1984) and is jointly owned by eight Golan farming communities — four kibbutzim and four moshavim. It is widely credited with launching the modern quality revolution in Israeli wine. Head winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, born in California's Napa Valley, has led production since 1992. It is one of Israel's largest wineries, producing wines across four labels — Yarden (top tier), Gamla, Golan and Mount Hermon. Its flagship is the super-premium Yarden Katzrin, a Bordeaux-style red (a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) made only in exceptional vintages; the winery is also known for its Chardonnay and traditional-method sparkling wine. Accolades include Wine Enthusiast's "New World Winery of the Year" 2012, and its 2004 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon was the first Israeli wine to make the Wine Spectator Top 100. A visit means a guided visitor-center tour by reservation. The classic tour runs about an hour and includes an introductory film, the oak-barrel cellar, a view of the bottling line (production-schedule permitting) and a tasting of about three wines. Premium options exist too (such as Love and Wine, professional wine and sparkling tastings, and Four Seasons vineyard tours), along with chef-prepared meals served in the wine cellar. English-language tours are available on request. Walk-ins are not the norm, so book ahead.

Information updated: May 2026