Barkan Wine Cellars
Encyclopedia
Barkan Wine Cellars is the second largest Israeli winery, producing 5-9 million bottles a year. The main building of the winery is located at Kibbutz
Hulda
, east of Tel Aviv
. They own vineyards in the Golan Heights.
to produce
sweet Kiddush
wine and brandy for the Jewish settlement in Israel. Shlomo's son, Bezalel, took over the business and moved to Kiryat Matalon, Petah-Tikva's industrial zone, then a desolate sand dune. In 1964, the winery was acquired by Tnuva
, which supplied the grapes, mainly Alicante and Carignane. The winery's name was changed to Tnuva-Friedman.
In 1971 Tnuva sold the winery to the Stock liqueur company, which produced mainly brandy, vodka, liqueurs, vermouth, and other non-wine alcoholic beverages. The winery in Petah Tikva was renamed Hamartef (The Cellar), and began producing wines from better grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc.
In 1988, a new facility was built in the Barkan Industrial Park
, near the city of Ariel
to replace the aging plants in Petah Tikva and Netanya
. In 1990, Barkan Wine Cellars were founded at Kibbutz Hulda by Shmuel Boxer and Yair Lerner, the largest grape growers of the Stock Winery. Barkan is now developing a vineyard of 150 dunams in Mitzpe Ramon
.
from grapes harvested from its vineyard in the Negev
desert
, probably one of the very few desert vineyards in the world; and a wine from Pinotage
grapes, a first in Israel.
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Hulda
Hulda, Israel
Hulda is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located in the Shephelah near the Hulda forest and the Burma Road, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gezer Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 332...
, east of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. They own vineyards in the Golan Heights.
History
In 1899, Shlomo Friedman established the Friedman Winery in Petah TikvaPetah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
to produce
sweet Kiddush
Kiddush
Kiddush , literally, "sanctification," is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays.-Significance:...
wine and brandy for the Jewish settlement in Israel. Shlomo's son, Bezalel, took over the business and moved to Kiryat Matalon, Petah-Tikva's industrial zone, then a desolate sand dune. In 1964, the winery was acquired by Tnuva
Tnuva
Tnuva, or Tenuvah, is a cooperative in Israel specializing in milk and dairy products. The 620 members of the cooperative are made up a large number of kibbutzim and moshavim in Israel...
, which supplied the grapes, mainly Alicante and Carignane. The winery's name was changed to Tnuva-Friedman.
In 1971 Tnuva sold the winery to the Stock liqueur company, which produced mainly brandy, vodka, liqueurs, vermouth, and other non-wine alcoholic beverages. The winery in Petah Tikva was renamed Hamartef (The Cellar), and began producing wines from better grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc.
In 1988, a new facility was built in the Barkan Industrial Park
Barkan Industrial Park
The Barkan Industrial Park is located about 25 kilometres east of Tel Aviv within the jurisdiction of the Shomron Regional Council whose offices are located at the northern entrance...
, near the city of Ariel
Ariel (city)
Ariel is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank. Ariel was established in 1978. Its population at the end of 2009 was 17,600, including 7,000 immigrants who came to Israel after 1990. It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement city in the West Bank., after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit,...
to replace the aging plants in Petah Tikva and Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
. In 1990, Barkan Wine Cellars were founded at Kibbutz Hulda by Shmuel Boxer and Yair Lerner, the largest grape growers of the Stock Winery. Barkan is now developing a vineyard of 150 dunams in Mitzpe Ramon
Mitzpe Ramon
Mitzpe Ramon is a town in the Negev desert of southern Israel. It is situated on the northern ridge at an elevation of 860 meters overlooking a sizable erosion cirque known as the Ramon Crater.-History:...
.
Wines
Barkan produces wine from a large number of grape varieties but two wines stand out among its competitors: a ChardonnayChardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
from grapes harvested from its vineyard in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, probably one of the very few desert vineyards in the world; and a wine from Pinotage
Pinotage
Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa's signature variety. It was bred there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut...
grapes, a first in Israel.