Tabor Winery
GalileeTabor Winery was founded in 1999 by four grape-growing families of Kfar Tavor whose families had farmed vines in the area for several generations. It grew into one of Israel's largest wineries — commonly cited as the country's fifth-largest, with around 2 million bottles a year. Head winemaker Arieh Nesher has been with the winery since it opened in 1999, and chief viticulturist Michal Akerman, who joined in 2009, expanded the vineyards from 550 to 2,400 dunams. In 2005 the winery became majority-owned by the Central Bottling Company (Coca-Cola Israel). Under Akerman, Tabor established what it describes as Israel's first ecological vineyard, developed over three years to the guidelines of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. The flagship wine is Malkiya, a Cabernet Sauvignon; other lines include the Adama series, drawn from roughly 15 grape varieties. The visitor center at the winery in Kfar Tavor looks out toward Mount Tabor. You can taste wines from self-service dispensing machines (by the glass, via a prepaid card), or take a glass or bottle with a cheese platter in the seating corners or on the patio overlooking the mountain. Guided winery tours — covering grape growing, production, the barrel room, a tasting and a film — are offered for groups by prior arrangement only. On site there is also Batzir66, a meat bistro open for lunch, and a shop selling the winery's wines and accessories.