The Winery and Vineyard
Wine experience
Wine tasting
The Wine Cellar
Group Tours
Snack Platter
Self-Guided Tours
Shop
The joy of creativity and curiosity meet in a continuous process of research – resulting in wines with a unique flavor and aroma.
We hear the phrase “Toscana in the desert “from visitors who come to the farm and drive through the vineyard. Seeing a vineyard growing in the heart of the desert in one of the most extreme places in the world is not something that is taken for granted. The vineyard at the Carmey Avdat Farm is one of the three first vineyards to be planted in the Negev highlands, and the first to combine the techniques of ancient winemaking with modern innovative cultivation. This was the beginning of the new mysterious and fascinating wine region of the Negev.
The six varieties that are cultivated in the vineyard are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Barbara, Chardonnay, and Viognier.
We established our boutique winery in 2004. Eyal, the winemaker, strives to intervene as little as possible during all stages of the process of converting good grapes into fine wines. We produce approximately 5,000 bottles of various varieties each year.
We opened a new, attractively designed wine cellar in the summer of 2021.
The cellar contains an archeological exhibit of authentic clay amphorae (containers for storing wine) from the wine cellars of the ancient city of Avdat.
We receive groups of visitors to tour the farm and the wine cellar, taste our wines, and view a film about wine production.
Come visit the farm and taste our wines!
The winery is open from Mondays to Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Visitors should reserve a place on weekends.
Wine Tasting
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Visitors are invited to taste five different varieties of wine that we produce on the farm: Chardonnay, Rosé, a light red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Desert Dissert – a dessert port-style wine.
Price for wine tasting: NIS 70 per person*
*Enrich your wine-tasting experience with a cheese platter from Café Mona for additional payment.
Couple's Wine Experience
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This is a wonderful way to learn about the farm, the winery, and the history of the area. The activity includes the following:
Private tour of the winery | 20-minute explanation about our wines | Tasting 5 different varieties of desert wines | Light meal of a cheese platter, fresh rolls, and spreads, coffee/tea, and 2 desserts of your choice from our bakery | Souvenir bottle of wine of your choice from our winery
Cost: NIS 540 per couple
*Available every day until 3:00 PM by reservation and payment in advance. We recommend that you wear sturdy walking shoes.
The Visitors’ Center
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The visitors’ center provides a glimpse of winemaking in the past and present. Learn about the process of winemaking and the history of wine production in the Negev from the days of the Nabataeans to the modern farms of the Wine Route. Explore an archeological exhibit of amphorae from the ancient city of Avdat that were used to prepare wine on the farm in ancient times. View a film about wine production on the farm. Visit the winery and taste our wines. Purchase our wines and other local products produced in the Negev. Take a self-guided tour of the farm using our illustrated map to see ancient rock drawings, burial sites, secluded spots in the lush gardens, and magnificent lookout points.
Our Wines
Seeing a vineyard growing in the heart of the desert in some of the most extreme conditions in the world is something we cannot take for granted.
The Vineyard
The Carmey Avdat Farm vineyard, established in 1999, was among the first in the Negev to produce high-quality wines from the region.
We had many dreams of a farm in the Negev. We found an isolated riverbed with the remains of an ancient farm, and fell in love with the site. Cultivating grapes and producing wine were made possible with the initiation of the Wine Route Project. The vineyard reconstructs and restores the ancient agricultural practices that existed in the region while incorporating modern innovative technology and continuous research. Pioneering and accumulated experience have transformed the vineyard into a focal point of knowledge about grape cultivation in the Negev and in the desert in general.
Grape Varieties
Curiosity and love of wine led us to study the unique flavors of desert wines.
In the beginning, we had little knowledge of desert vineyards, and we planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which we felt could flourish in difficult conditions. We produced various types of wine from these two varieties. Later we searched for new challenges and planted Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Barbara, and Viognier and began to produce white wines. The Negev Highlands are an extreme desert region for grape cultivation in comparison to other deserts in the world. We discovered that strict agricultural practices and proper irrigation together with these extreme conditions add to the quality of the grapes. Each vine produces a small amount of grapes that have a high sugar content – that enhances the quality of the wine. Our wines are also characterized by unique flavors and aromas found only in Negev wines. This led large wineries to become interested in grapes grown in the Negev and to plant vineyards in the area.
Irrigating Vineyards in Arid Conditions
The present-day vineyard was carefully planted on the 1,500-year-old terraces.
The terraces irrigate the vineyard during rain, eliminating the need to wash the soil in winter. Stones around grapevine trunks prevent evaporation and moisten the soil. The vineyard is also irrigated with water from the Ashkelon desalination plant and tested with treated sewage water for flavor influence.
The Grape Harvest
Grape harvest time affects wine quality. Harvest date decided by testing sugar & acid levels, seed crispness, ripeness & color, and flavor.
The first harvest took place in August of 2002, approximately four years after the vineyard was planted. The harvest takes place each year from mid-July to mid-September. Merlot is usually harvested two weeks before Cabernet Sauvignons.
When the harvest begins we call our Bedouin neighbors who have helped with the harvest since the beginning, high school students on vacation, friends who come to take part in the festivities, and – of course – visitors in the guest cabins who are lucky enough to be on the farm on that special day.
The grapes are harvested early in the morning so that they will retain their cool temperature until they reach the winery. Thus, while teams are still working in the vineyard some members of the family are already in the winery beginning the complex operation of preparing the wine.
The Winemaker
When preparing our wines, Eyal attempts to give expression to the unique conditions in which our grapes are grown.
Eyal Izrael was amazed at the idea that 1,500 years ago winemakers in the Negev worked and cultivated grapes the same way growers do today. This led to Eyal’s dream of establishing a boutique Negev winery. The winery was established in 2005 and was one of the first wineries in the Negev Highlands. The entire process of wine production – from cultivation to bottling the wine – takes place on the farm – enabling the production of high-quality wines.
Producing wine in a desert environment requires experimentation, hard work, and ongoing learning. Our family learned grape cultivation and wine making with the help of professionals, exploring the flavors and aromas of desert wines. Our unique taste is present in every bottle.