Marcus Winery

Marcus Winery is a family-run boutique "garage winery" in Moshav Kfar Monash in the Hefer Valley. It was founded in 2002 after father Avi Marcus saw an ad for a wine course in Haaretz, and he and his wife Ilana trained under Nir Shaham at Sorek Winery, starting out making wine for the family and growing gradually. Today it makes under 4,000 bottles a year entirely by hand, aging the reds a minimum of two years in barrel plus a year in the cellar, with about five wines per vintage. Son Or Marcus, who studied under winemakers Ido Lewinsohn and Yaakov Oryah, is now the primary winemaker, while his mother Ilana handles hospitality. About five wines per vintage are made from grapes sourced across Israel's premium regions: reds including Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Shiraz and a varietal called "Yonaya," a Riesling white, plus Mediterranean-style blends. The signature "Dark Winter" (~185 NIS) is made from grapes dried into raisins and aged three years in barrel. The main visitor experience is the "Friday Wine" (Shishi shel Yain) tasting morning, where the sommelier pours and explains the wines alongside a platter of boutique Hefer Valley cheeses. Wines are sold directly only — at the winery, at private events and at tastings.

Information updated: May 2026