The wine industry is enjoying a long-overdue renaissance in Israel, and if any place might be said to be a hub for the Israeli wine scene, St. Urban Wine Bar in Tiberias certainly fits the bill.
Its owners could not be more different: Omri Yizhak was a combat medic studying to be a doctor. Denis Budasov was a Russian immigrant who worked in the tourist industry. Nor do their tastes in wine completely align, but one thing they share is a passion for promoting the wines of Israel and creating an atmosphere in which to enjoy them.
Evenings find the St. Urban Wine Bar abuzz with activities: wine tastings in the ancient cellar, romantic al fresco dining, classes, events, and even the jumping-off point for wine tours of surrounding areas. In a land that boasts over 300 wineries (up from fewer than 10 two decades ago), this stylish wine bar is a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time with the right know-how.
As if tastings, tours, and upscale dining were not enough to keep them busy, Denis and Omri have also opened the first-ever English-language boutique online wine store featuring Israel’s finest and most unique wines at www.israelwineshop.com. With shipping throughout the world, it is no longer necessary to book a flight to enjoy the best wines that Israel has to offer.
Omri speaks of another dream that they recently achieved, “we did the first wine festival over here in Tiberius.” Over 600 people attended, and it was a great success. Denis added “And all the tickets was sold presale, it was crazy … we been shock, you know… it was beautiful people, nice music, people were drinking wine…”
Clearly, Israelis are increasingly enjoying the pleasures of wine, but what makes Israeli wine special? Israel has numerous unique, ancient, indigenous varieties. Increasingly winemakers are seeking to use these varieties so that their wines have an authentic sense of place.
Israeli wines have a unique character, Omri explains, “I call it Israeli spiciness and audacity…It is a Mediterranean climate country, as you know.” Winemakers are coming to understand this and shift to more Mediterranean varieties.
Even well-known Mediterranean varieties taste different when grown in Israel, and winemaking here has matured to the point where they have their own identity.
Omri adds, “In the beginning, everybody was trying to imitate, you know, the big wines from the Rhone or from Bordeaux, and slowly, slowly, after maybe 20 years now, they understand that they need to do something else because we can’t compete with those wines – we have to do something on our own.”
Despite its small size, Israel has distinct wine regions with distinct characteristics. Because their wines are undervalued, they are great bargains for the quality level, and well worth seeking out
Denis spoke to us about some tastings he and Omri did in the Judean Hills region, in the Jerusalem area. He was amazed at familiar varieties like Merlot and oaky Chardonnay that tasted uniquely different. The Judean Hills has become one of his favorite wine regions, and their wines make up 30 to 40% of the wine list at his wine bar.
Omri tells about a university professor who studied ancient wine making at archaeological sites and analyzed the grape seeds that were found. Using DNA testing, they identified 82 indigenous varieties. Pioneering winemakers are experimenting with these, and the historical context makes these wines even more exciting.
Denis says that it is his vision to do wine tastings for international visitors featuring only these native Israeli varietals, a dream that does not seem too far fetched considering how far this enterprising duo has come in promoting the wine renaissance in a nation where wine has the most ancient of roots. L’chaim!