The 25^th Judean Hills/Mateh Yehudah Wine Festival

The 25^th annual Judean Hills Wine Festival will occur from 30 May to 29 June 2024, with events at wineries all over the region. Events will be held during the week and on weekends throughout the time of the festival. It starts on Thursday, 30 May 2024, with a large opening event in the Bible Garden next to the Logos Hotel in Yad HaShmona. The event will feature tastings from around 30 local wineries, food stalls, live music, and wine workshops. Advanced tickets cost NIS 100 per person; they charge more at the door.

Participating kosher wineries include Agur, Ayalon, Domaine du Castel, Ella Valley, Mony, Nevo, Peer, Raviv, Tzuba, and Yaffo. Some non-supervised wineries will be Hans Sternbach Vineyard, Kadma, Kerem Barak, Latrun Monastery, Soreq, Yehuda, and Zafririm.

The wine festival continues throughout June, with weekend winery events divided into five categories.

Wineries Open on Thursday Evening

• Tzuba Winery (Kosher) is open every Thursday night in June, and it has live music, food, and wine tastings.
• Hoshen 2 Bar (Kosher) is a kosher wine bar in Hartuv (near Ikea Eshtaol) that serves wine and dairy tapas dishes on Thursday nights.
• Latrun Monastery Winery is open every Thursday in June. Visitors can tour the 100-year-old monastery and sample wine.
• Ella Valley Winery (Kosher) is open every Thursday in June. It offers a special menu, wine tastings, and a live music performance. Entrance is free, and happy hour is from 7 to 8 pm; reservations are required.
• Hamatsesa (Kosher) in Yad Hashona will be open every Thursday night in June as a cider bar, and no reservation is required.
• Kadma Winery will celebrate its new wines’ launch on 13 June with live music, food, and wine tastings. Tickets cost NIS 25.
• Luiza in Yad Hashmona will host a food and wine fair on 29-30 May with vendors from the North and South of Israel.
• Rock & Roll and Folk music concert at Zafririm Winery on 6 June.
• Launch of white and rose wines from 2022 and 2023 harvest with live music at Ulu Winery on 20 June.

Wineries Open on Friday

• Kerem Barak Winery is open every Friday in June. It offers a buffet of delicious food, freshly made pizza, and unlimited wine. Tickets are NIS 180 for adults and NIS 100 for children. The food is kosher, but the wine is not.
• Peer Winery is open every Friday in June and serves bread, salads, ravioli, shakshuka, cheese platters, pizza, and other snacks to accompany the wine.
• Yehuda Winery in Shoresh will be open every Friday in June, offering wine tours, wine tasting, and cheese platters from Beeri Dairy.
• Domaine du Castel Winery Shavuot Celebration will be held on 7 June. The entry ticket is NIS 60, which includes the first glass of wine. The event will feature food stands and the sale of flowers, challot, and cakes.
• Ella Valley Shavuot Party will take place on 7 June. It will feature unlimited wine, an Asado meat food truck, and a DJ. The early bird ticket is NIS 99.
• Ayalon Winery (Kosher) on Moshav Shoeva is hosting an event on 21 June to launch its new wines. Light food and desserts will be served with wine.

Wineries Open on Shabbat

• Food blogger Alona Eisenberg will host brunch in her home in Tzur Hadassah on 22 June, featuring local wines. Tickets are NIS 250.
• Yehuda Winery in Shoresh will be open every Shabbat in June, offering wine tours, wine tasting, and cheese platters from Beeri Dairy.

Mateh Yehuda Wine Tours

All tours take place on Fridays in June, from 10 am to 3 pm, and cost NIS 240 per person. They depart and return to the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council Square on Moshav Nacham.

• New winemakers in old wineries tour on 7 June, visiting  Agur Winery (Kosher),  Ella Valley Winery (Kosher), and  Hans Sternbach Vineyard.
• Family terroir tour on 14 June, visiting Raviv Winery, Nevo Winery,  and Yaffo Winery (all kosher).
• A celebration of varieties and wines tour on 21 June, visiting Mony Winery (Kosher), Soreq Winery & Wine School,  and Latrun Monastery Winery.
• Ella Valley wineries tour on 28 June, visiting Mettler Winery, Zafririm Winery, and Roglit Winery.

Shavuot Events

• Kerem Barak Winery is open on Tuesday, 11 June. It offers a buffet of delicious food, freshly made pizza, and unlimited wine. Tickets are NIS 180 for adults and NIS 100 for children. The food is kosher, but the wine is not.
• Hamatsesa (Kosher) in Yad Hashona is open for a tasting tour on Tuesday, 11 June. During the tour, visitors can learn about cider production and taste fresh fruit juices, alcoholic apple and pear ciders, jams, and vinegar. Cheese platters will also be for sale.
• Kadma Winery is open on Wednesday, 12 June, with a festive menu and wine tastings.

The Judean Hills Wine Festival website has more information about the launch event, wine tours, and other events.

Here is a post about my experience visiting wineries in the Jerusalem area:

Top 10 Jerusalem Area Winery Visits