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We've compiled the best of the best in Beit Shemesh - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Winemaker Eyal Rotem puts a premium on quality at this boutique estate winery that produces 100,000 bottles a year. While it's not kosher, the winery prides itself on its ancient and modern Jewish history: it houses a 3,000-year-old-winepress, and during the 1948 war it served as the base for Itzhak Rabin and his Har'el Brigades. Many Clos de Gat wines age beautifully, including the Sycra series, which has garnered international accolades.
Family-owned, this well-regarded winery sources grapes from the Judean Hills and the Upper Galilee. Many of its bottles, including the Bordeaux blend called The Noble, have garnered international praise for their complexity. Wine-and-cheese tastings are held by appointment only at an elegantly rustic communal table indoors or outside on a wooden deck overlooking the vineyards that are surrounded by pine forests.
Born in the Republic of Georgia, former software engineer Lina Slutzkin remembers how wine was once made there in torpedo-shape clay casks. At Kadma Wines, she uses these unusual vessels to produce a range of red wines. Tours and tastings are available daily by reservation only; book as soon as you can, as they fill up fast. There is a small menu of cheeses, smoked fish, roasted vegetables, and salads to accompany the wine.
Overlooking the Soreq Valley, this kibbutz estate winery sells and serves reds and whites made only from grapes grown on their property. Notable is the Shoresh blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Syrah (35%) , Petit Verdot (18%), and Merlot (12%). Tastings, which must be booked in advance, include several types of wine, as well as local bread, cheese, and olives. The winemaker also explains the unique soil of the area and the history of the winery.
Part of the eponymous kibbutz, this winery produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay. Call ahead to reserve a tasting and tour, and be sure to order the cheese plate so that you can sample local offerings. Tours also explore the nearby vineyards and ancient winepresses that dot the area. The visitor center is open daily, except for Saturday.
