Our plan this year is to plant about 400 dunam (40 hectares). We have selected top sites and excellent farmers to manage the new properties. Our ultimate aim is to cut loose the dead weight of our poorer farmers and increase the overall quality of our raw materials.

Once planted we will not pick from the vineyards for three years, in accordance with the Jewish laws of Orla where you cannot benefit from the fruit of a tree planted in Israel for the first three years. It is a fairly sensible rule, as it happens, it allows the vines to grow and strengthen sufficiently before they are first harvested. Our plan is to plant all the new vines by the end of July. All the plots have been prepared for planting and the next stage is to lay the irrigation pipes.

Below are some pictures of our vineyards in Elkosh and Even Menachem, just before we begin laying the irrigation pipes. More pictures will follow as we progress further.



Vineyard site at Elkosh



Vineyard site at Even Menachem


In addition we also have to prepare the winery for growth, below is a picture of the new foundations for the expansion of the tank farm where the new wines will be made.