Vats and Wine Route in the Heart of the Desert

On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, in the presence of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Idit Silman, a historic event took place in Avdat National Park in which, for the first time anywhere in the world, ancient grape vines were planted in the original vineyard where they grew fifteen hundred years ago.

The vines were produced from grape seeds found in archaeological excavations in Avdat and through groundbreaking DNA research led by Prof. Guy Bar-Oz from the University of Haifa in collaboration with Dr. Merav Meiri from Tel Aviv University and researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

These are varieties unique to the Negev, from which wine was made that gained fame all over the Mediterranean and beyond during the first millennium CE. The return of the lost vines to the Negev strengthens the identity of the Negev as a desert wine region with deep historical roots.

The project was launched in collaboration between the Nature and Parks Authority and the University of Haifa, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Merage Israel Foundation and Ramat Hanegev Regional Council. Avdat National Park, the site of the vineyard, is much more than another stop on the Negev wine route, it is a city that was once a wine production and export center in the ancient world and is now inscribed on the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The traditional vineyard planting project includes the restoration of three vineyard plots near a wine press featuring one of five ancient vats uncovered at the site. Descendants of vines grown in the past, mainly in the fourth–seventh centuries CE, were planted here, when the area was known all over the Byzantine world as a place of quality wine-grape cultivation. Heritage varieties discovered in the genetic research conducted on grapevines discovered in the excavation in Avdat include two local varieties – Sariki and Be’er – both of which are unique to the Negev.

This heritage vineyard was established based on the traditional structure of vineyards that was common among the farmers of this land during the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud. The vineyard was adapted to a model of a historical agricultural system, incorporating knowledge gathered by Israeli agronomists and archaeologists over generations of pioneering research in the Negev. The vineyard illustrates the principles of sustainability that characterize a desert vineyard, instills the historical story of Negev wines, and connects an ancient tradition of vine-growing with a pioneering modern wine industry in a way that strengthens the narrative of the Negev as an ancient wine region that has been reborn in our time.

The project of returning the traditional vines to the Negev is a chapter in the Negev’s wine story that has developed greatly in recent years, as part of which the Merage Israel Foundation established the Negev Winery and Vineyards Club, which already has over 40 wineries from the northern Negev to Eilat as members. The club is a platform for the cooperation of the wineries and vineyards community, which works to improve professionalism and visitor experience and to brand Negev as a unique wine region. The foundation is working with the Ministry of Justice to define the Negev as a wine region with an “Appellation” Geographical Indication of Origin, which seems likely to soon also receive international recognition as a wine road that connects the historical wine road with the modern wine road, between the ancient heritage of Negev wine and today’s pioneering wine industry. In the future, some of the ancient endemic varieties will also be planted in the vineyards that are members of the club and spread throughout the Negev. They will be added to the thousands of dunams of vineyards that are currently planted in the area, based on which wine from the desert is produced.

Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman: “This is the story of the beautiful Land of Israel. Knowing that in the desert of Israel, they produced a million liters of wine a year and supplied it to Europe, is both inspiring and exciting. Today we have the technological ability to plant ancient vines using ancient and modern methods, in the desert, which is great and exciting news, especially in a time of climate change. Today, through Israeli knowhow, experience, and innovation, we can provide an example to many countries facing climate challenges. This is why the Ministry of Environmental Protection, together with the Merage Foundation and the Israel Institute for Innovation, is leading the Desertech innovation community, placing Israel at the global forefront for sustainable solutions, opportunities and as an economic engine. It is a great privilege for me to be the minister in charge of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority… I am delighted that this beautiful and ancient site, restored with great charm and hard work, is allowing the public a unique glimpse into an ancient world from 1,500 years ago to which so many people will be exposed from Israel and the world over”

Eran Doron, Head of the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council: “I am excited about making Avdat’s Tuscan vision a reality, returning the crown to its former glory, renewing Avdat’s terraces of vineyards from the heritage varieties that grew here 1,500 years ago. The Negev Plateau is at the forefront of agricultural research and development in viniculture and wine production. We know how to produce quality wine in an arid climate, and bring to the world groundbreaking solutions to the challenges of the wine industry in a time of climate change. The planting of the traditional grape varieties deepens the historical agricultural connection in the Negev. I invite the people of Israel to celebrate the New Year with the variety of excellent wines produced in the Negev.”

Prof. Guy Bar Oz of the University of Haifa: “The State of Israel is a pioneer on a global scale in the study of the desert. The research vineyard is planned to converge past-present-future, and to embody in a tangible way the distinct weight inherent in sustainable agricultural development and its effect on the local produce. Following the traditional vine varieties and the environmental connection to their cultivation, the vineyard will help illustrate the conditions of the ancient agricultural system and will reveal to visitors the potential of human resourcefulness against the limitations of an arid region, and the unique contribution of the desert to the characteristics of Negev wine grapes. Beyond the heritage assets of Negev wine, past and present, we are convinced that in a world increasingly aware of climate change, there is universal value in becoming closely acquainted with historical agriculture adapted to desert conditions.”

Raya Shurki, General Director of the Nature and Parks Authority: “Planting a vineyard in Avdat National Park is a heritage project at its best that ignites the imagination and is entirely pioneering, embodying the true meaning of the phrase “restoring ancient glory.” When Ben-Gurion spoke of the vision of reviving the desert and the return of the Negev and its importance to the State of Israel, I assume the possibility of planting a vineyard of ancient vine varieties never crossed his mind, even though he was a farmer.This closes a circle that is 1,500 years old. We thank our partners in this project – the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Merage Foundation, the University of Haifa, and the Ramat Negev Regional Council. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority will continue to ensure the accessibility of the heritage sites in Israel to the general public and to tell the story of the Land of Israel in general and the unique story of the Negev in particular. We welcome all travelers and encourage them to follow the routes of the past in the heart of the desert.”

Nicole Hod Stroh, Executive Director of the Merage Foundation Israel: “The Negev is becoming an international player in the field of wine – both in growing vines in the harsh conditions of the desert, and in the production of wine with unique characteristics. Several years ago, we recognized the potential Negev’s potential in this field and decided to invest and establish the Negev Winery Club. We are working both locally and internationally to promote the Negev as an international destination for wine tourism, as part of the activities of the Negev Development Fund.”