In the long-disputed Golan Heights, Israeli vintners craft world-class wine
It has been a scorcher of a summer even by Israelistandards, with temperatures settling near 116 degrees Fahrenheit for much ofthe last month. But among the general hangdog reactions, Israeli vintners arequietly whispering joyfully about what might be a blowout year. An unusuallylong and cold winter followed by a summer with peaks of heat could be just whatthe winemaker ordered.
"The year shows a lot of promise," says TalPelter, owner and winemaker of Pelter Winery, a highly regardedboutique winery. With an average elevation of 3,300 feet, volcanic, rockyearth, gentle hills and cool evening breezes, the Golan turns out to be betterland for winemaking than for warmongering.
Wine has become a local way of life and over a dozen of themost highly regarded wineries in Israeli-held territory are located on theGolan Heights. No less a mandarin than Robert Parker, the owner of WineAdvocate, has given his imprimatur.
Israel captured the Golan Heights in 1967, during theSix-Day War. In 1981, to great international dismay, Israel annexed the plateauextending its law over the entire territory and offered the Druze residentsIsraeli citizenship. About 20 percent of them accepted. In the mid-90s, whenthe Oslo peace process appeared to be a region-changing possibility, pro-peaceTel Avivians sipping excellent Golan Cabernets would wring their hands andreassure one another that no matter how far peace went, Shimon Peres, then thedeputy prime minister and a great wine lover would never relinquish thevineyards.
In late-night conversations, drinkers would seriously debatethe possibility of a land-lease agreement in which a newly sovereign Syriawould rent Israel the Golan vines. At the time, Golan Heights Winery ChiefWinemaker Victor Schoenfeld was asked almost daily what he would do if thelands under his feet were returned to Syria. The subject of a return to Syriaseems farther than ever these days, though the Syrian battle lines are drawingever closer. Wine tourists, eco-bikers and archeology fans now minglewith war tourists who are eager to spy on Syria's battles from a safedistance.
Out among his vines, he hears the fighting across theborder."Its an unpleasant feeling," he says. "I hope it will endsoon, but I don't think so. I'm not optimistic, but I hope they findpeace."
