Decanter Magazine, founded in 1975, is the oldest wine publication in the UK. Today, it’s a global brand hosting competitions, events, and publications in 90 countries. Its various Decanter awards and competitions are highly respected, with expert and impartial judges assessing wines from around the globe. The Decanter World Wine Awards is the largest wine competition in the world. As such, fans of Israeli wines take note when Decanter judges rank Israeli wines.

Israeli wineries receiving top scores in recent years include Gvaot, Shiloh, Barkan, Carmel, Psagot, and Yarden, with wineries in the Judea appellation ranking very well. But this year, the surprise was the Exodus Grand Reserve, the premium wine produced by the Ramat Negev Winery, which scored a 97. This Petit Verdot-Malbec blend received the only Platinum Award presented to an Israeli wine in 2024, ahead of several Gold Award winners from better-known wineries Psagot, Teperberg, Yarden, and the 1848 Winery.

Although not as well known in the US, Ramat Negev Winery built a leading reputation for its unique terroir in the Negev desert. It was founded by Nira and Alon Zadok, a pioneering couple that planted vines in Israel’s deep south despite experts claiming it was impossible to grow quality grapes in the harsh desert environment. Advances in water desalination were critical to the winery’s ability to irrigate vines in an intensely dry environment.

As a “green winery,” Ramat Negev takes pride in its environmentally friendly practices. Current winemaker Yogav Zadok, the couple’s eldest son, studied for several years in Florence. Many of his wines exhibit a notable Italian influence – less alcohol, less fruit-forward influence, and a greater varietal flavor. For example, his 2018 Exodus Grand Reserve is a Petit Verdot/Malbec blend exhibiting flavors of plush black plums, tinges of tobacco and balsamic, and oak influence. The wine is dense and chewy, with a long and spicy finish.

Is this the “best” wine in Israel? I was eager to taste its wine on a recent trip to Israel, organizing a group of local wine experts to taste it with me. We also sampled some lovely wines from Agur, Covenant, and a few of the top Herzog Generation VIII and IX wines. The Exodus certainly held its own with our group, and no one was surprised it received a top score. But few thought it was head and shoulders above other top Israeli wines.

The Exodus is currently selling for over $200 in the US, which puts it at the level of elite wines from the most prestigious French Bordeaux estates (and beyond the reach of most consumers). I was lucky enough to purchase a few bottles from a friend who purchased directly from the winery with a club membership discount. But even at the local Israeli price, the tab was more than $100, which is quite stiff for the Israeli market.

The broader impact on the market may be an enhanced appreciation of the Negev desert area as a unique Israeli region for quality wines. Another Israel winery, Nana Estates, located near the Ramon crater in the Negev, is winning accolades for its wines, particularly some high-acid whites, demonstrating the effect of hot days and cool desert evenings. Although the Judean region is the first formal Israeli appellation (just recently designated), rumors are that the Negev is the next area to be recognized. This move could help Israel gain international attention for its winemakers, leveraging the unique Israeli agricultural prowess to make the desert bloom with high-quality wines.