A family-owned winery in the northern Golan Heights is making history as the first Israeli winery invited to participate in the prestigious international wine exhibition Great Wines of the World, hosted by leading critic James Suckling.
Har Odem Winery, located in the small community of Odem near the Syrian border, will present its wines Wednesday at the New York City event, which is regarded as one of the most exclusive in the global wine industry.
“This invitation is an extraordinary recognition of what we do and of our entire team,” said Michael Alfasi, 69, the winery’s founder. He and his son Adam will represent the winery at the exhibition.
The winery, founded in 2003 and managed by the Alfasi family—Michael, his wife Idith, and their children Adam, Yishai, Ya’ara and Efrat—is Israel’s highest, situated at an elevation of 3,480 feet (1,060 meters). It operates just 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) from the Syrian border.
Since the Oct. 7 outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, the Golan region has become a volatile conflict zone. The winery has continued operations under threat of gunfire, regional lockdowns, and a sharp decline in tourism. Despite these challenges, the 2023 harvest was completed.
Har Odem’s vineyards are planted in the Valley of Tears, a site of a major 1973 Yom Kippur War battle, known for its cool, basalt-rich soil. The unique terroir contributes to the winery’s distinctive wines, which received high marks from Suckling and led to the New York invitation.
“Only 5 percent of all wines that received Suckling’s top scores over the past year are invited to this annual tasting,” said Ya’ara Alfasi-Biadglin, the winery’s vice president for marketing and exports. “It’s a major achievement to stand alongside global giants—French châteaux and renowned domaines—and be part of this elite group.”
She said the event offers a rare opportunity to showcase Israeli wine on the world stage. “This is our chance to tell the story not through headlines, but through a glass of wine.”
