Israelis, Jews, and the kosher drinking community worldwide are wedded to . It is in their genes. Red is the default choice without thought.
It is not for nothing that the two biggest brands in Israeli wine are not Carmel and Barkan, or Yarden and Castel, but Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The bias goes back to the very beginning. The roots of winemaking began with reds – that was what there was.
The Bible is full of references to blood red wine and, sure enough, red wine became the wine of choice for the great religions of Judeo-Christianity, and wine gradually became a symbol of Western culture. Wine for Kiddush, havdalah, or the was invariably red, and the habit became a preferred recommendation. What was good for the Jews was also adopted by the Christians for their sacramental wines.
Altar and communion wine was invariably red, too. Religious ritual chose red. Fast forward to the early 1990s, and people actually drank more whites than reds.
Emerald Riesling was the biggest seller. Then in 1992, the idea known as the French Paradox was aired on the influential Sixty Minutes television newsmagazine program. They came to the conclusion that red wines were healthier than whites.
Overnight, consumers switched to red. Just like that. At roughly the same time, wineries unlocked the key to making reds like whites: light, fruity, not astringent, flavorful, and refreshing.
The Golan Heights Winery’s Mount Hermon Red was the example that led the way. Wineries were forced to gra.