How far is it from Haifa?

The winery is in Kibbutz Ortal in the Golan Heights, about 103 km / 94 minutes' drive from Haifa.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes, advance reservation is required, via the winery's online system (Tabit). Private events can close the visitor center, so check availability before arriving; walk-ins are not assured.

Yes, all Tel Shifon wines are kosher; secondary sources say they are supervised by the Golan Heights rabbinate, with some bottles at Mehadrin level. The directory easy.co.il tags the on-site food as "not kosher" (this refers to the food, not the wine). If it matters to you, confirm the current details directly with the winery.

What does a visit include?

A seated tasting — a pour of five wines with a cheese platter, salads and dips (around 145 NIS per person), a food menu with seasonal specials, picnic/wine baskets and a wine shop. There's outdoor seating among the vines with views toward Mount Tel Shifon.

What is the winery known for?

Its high-altitude estate vineyard at 915 m above sea level — one of the higher vineyards in the country — on basalt soil between the volcanic Shifon, Avital and Bental peaks, and its cold-climate boutique production (~50,000 bottles a year). It was formerly named Ortal Winery.

Tel Shifon Winery

Golan

Tel Shifon Winery (formerly Ortal Winery) sits in Kibbutz Ortal in the northern Golan Heights. It was built in 2009 by Ilan Zafrani, a member of the kibbutz, who believed the basalt soil and the cold, high-altitude climate of the northern Golan could yield quality wine. Its estate vineyard was planted in 2010 at 915 m above sea level, in the triangle between the Shifon, Avital and Bental mountains. After winemaker Yossi (Yosef) Sidon joined just before the 2020 vintage, production roughly doubled to about 50,000 bottles a year. The winery makes both single-varietal and blended wines, all of them kosher. The flagship is the red blend Tel Shyfon Red; grapes grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah (Shiraz), Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The visitor center hosts seated tastings: a pour of five wines with a cheese platter, salads and dips, around 145 NIS per person. There's also a food menu with seasonal specials, picnic/wine baskets (wine, cheese, bread) and a wine shop. Outdoor seating runs among the vines, with views toward Mount Tel Shifon. It's family-friendly: pizza for children, fresh-squeezed juices, and dogs are welcome.

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Tel Shifon Winery

Visiting info

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