Clos de Gat Winery holds a certain mystery. Located on the slopes of the Judean Hills, surrounded by vineyards that touch the Ayalon Valley, visits to the winery are by appointment only and are treated with reverence. From the grapes in the vineyard to the wine glass, the entire tour is an experience. We visited, talked to some of the craftsmen, and tasted wines with a distinctly unique style.
For thousands of years, grapes have been grown on the hills descending into the Ayalon Valley. Evidence of this can be found in an ancient winepress over 3,000 years old located on the winery grounds. In 1998, Kibbutz Harel and the self-taught winemaker and serial entrepreneur Eyal Rotem renovated an Arab building in the area and planted vineyards around it.
Like the region itself, the impressive building carries history. It even served as Yitzhak Rabin's headquarters during Operation Harel. Visitors are welcomed into an island of tranquility, on a porch overlooking the adjacent vineyard, where only the sounds of birds, roosters, and peacocks occasionally pierce the silence.
A visit to the winery begins at the visitor center and includes the history of the winery, a tour of the production area with explanations about fermentation and wine production processes, a tour of the barrel cellar and the winery's archive collection, and concludes with a wine tasting accompanied by vegan refreshments.
Consistency and Aging Potential
The name "Clos de Gat" is a play on words between French and Hebrew: "Clos" (French for a vineyard enclosed by a stone wall) and "Gat" (referring to the ancient winepress on the winery grounds). After thorough analysis of different plots of land, Eyal Rotem optimally matched grape varieties to each plot. The varieties planted around the winery include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Chardonnay.
"Our vineyards are around the winery, and we grow the grapes ourselves and hand-pick them," says Gidi White, whose role can be described as "doing everything at the winery except making wine." "We produce about 100,000 bottles a year and advocate minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the winemaking process."
"Our energy is focused on the vineyards, and the vineyard treatment has become increasingly eco-friendly over the years, with green thinning and reduced use of the irrigation system as much as possible. The winery conducts open fermentations with only wild yeasts, as it has always done. Everything comes from the local terroir. I believe a winery's reputation comes from two things: consistency and aging potential," adds Gidi.
Eyal Rotem, a Jerusalemite who came to Kibbutz Harel in 1998, is both the winemaker and the grower. A self-taught individual who spent five years in Australia, he learned old-world techniques there and combines old and new world methods at the winery. Rotem seems to know his vineyards well and produces wines he loves to drink, without following trends.
Chanson, Harel, Clos de Gat, and SycraJoining the tasting, with considerable knowledge, is Sharon Zimmerman, responsible for hospitality at the winery and managing the visitor center and tours. The winery has four series:
Chanson: The most sold series in restaurants and stores. Two wines that do not undergo barrel aging, a white and a red, young and accessible blends. Price: NIS 109.
Harel: A series of varietal wines named after the kibbutz, which is named after the Palmach brigade. Price: NIS 139-149.
Clos de Gat: Mostly composed of blends with "more serious barrel work and aging potential." Price: Rosé: NIS 109, other wines in the series: NIS 165-205.
Sycra: Wines produced only in years when the grapes are excellent in all parameters. Varietal wines always aged in barrels for about 20 months. Price: NIS 255-275.
Clos de Gat, Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2022This year it was launched for the first time, and its younger brother from the 2023 harvest awaits close release in barrels. The wine spent about a year in the barrel. "We ferment the white varieties with a primary fermentation and malolactic fermentation in the barrel, on the lees, without further intervention."
A very enjoyable wine, with a slight roughness and a mild oiliness, dry, with a balanced body, a bit of pleasant bitterness at the end, and touches of vanilla, herbs, citrus, and green apple. A fresh, precise, and clean wine. Price: NIS 165. Available only at the winery.
Clos de Gat, Chardonnay 2023The wine, recently bottled and aged a year in a barrel on its lees, is an unpretentious Chardonnay with great acidity, full of character but not heavy, aromas of citrus and sweet spices combined with brioche and butter, and a long, pleasant finish. A charming wine. Price: NIS 185.
Sycra, Chardonnay 2019100% Chardonnay, aged 18 months in the barrel. An elegant and complex wine, a nice balance between fruit and wood, aromas of citrus and spices, and a slightly smoky note that makes it deeper, with freshness, good acidity, and a long finish. A gastronomic wine. Price: NIS 255.
Clos de Gat, Ayalon Valley 2018"If I were asked what best represents the flagship wine of the winery, it would probably be this wine." This is the first wine made at the winery and continues to this day. A classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in new Bordeaux barrels.
A complex and elegant wine with aromas of red fruit and herbs reflecting the local terroir, a full body with a slight, pleasant roughness, and a long, lingering finish. A superb wine. Price: NIS 205.
Clos de Gat, Pinot 2018A dessert wine made from Merlot grapes aged 60 months in a barrel, fortified with home distillation. A special, fresh, and balanced wine, not overly sweet, with a slight honeyed note, sweet fruits, and an attractive nuttiness. A slight, pleasant bitterness at the finish. Price: NIS 275.