Dalton, a Winery On a Mission
I have been photographing at Dalton since 2004. They were the first winery I visited in Israel when I embarked on my passion for wine photography, and I must give thanks for all the kind access and assistance they have given me over the years.
When the Haruni family moved to Israel from England in the early 1990’s, they decided to start a business in an area suffering from unemployment and lack of investment. In 1995 they founded Dalton Winery just south of the Lebanese border in the Upper Galilee. Twenty-two years on, the Dalton industrial zone hosts four wineries, with more planned, and dozens of other industrial projects.
The winery, managed by Alex Haruni with Israeli-born winemaker Guy Eshel leading the production of fine and value-for-money wines that reflect the country’s Mediterranean climate. All together they produce some 1.2 million bottles annually. Their flagship label, Matatia, named in honor of Alex’s father and the winery’s founder, is released only in select vintage years. I am particularly fond of their reserve and single vineyard series. It is always interesting to compare the two.
Dalton’s largest vineyard is about 25 minutes drive from the winery, at Elkosh, with 200 dunams under vines. They also have vineyards at other select locations in the Galilee. While Dalton does use mechanical harvesters, their best grapes are harvested by hand.
I have been photographing at Dalton since 2004. They were the first winery I visited in Israel when I embarked on my passion for wine photography, and I must give thanks for all the kind access and assistance they have given me over the years.
Dalton has a wonderful visitor’s center at the winery, where their wines are available for tasting and for sale. On a clear day you can see across the Galilee to Mount Hermon in the distance.
