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Just as wine and Judaism go way back in time, Michel Murciano’s ambition to found a winery in Jerusalem started long ago too - the Jerusalem Winery began as a childhood dream he first had in 1960’s Morocco \ Klemit Ashkenazi From France to Jerusalem

harvest the grapes by hand, mostly at night. It’s a long and delicate process, but necessary in order to preserve the quality of the wine. We ferment the grapes in stainless steel tanks, where they remain from two weeks to up to a month, at a strictly controlled temperature. Then, we transfer the wine to barrels made of French oak (French oak has a unique quality to it, unlike any other) where the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and the aging phase begins, lasting 12 to 24 months. Our enologist Ed Salsberg then starts the tasting stage, barrels are blended, and flavors come to life. And last but not least, one of the most important steps - a particularity of the Jerusalem Winery: once the wine is bottled, it lays for at least eight months without any labels, before finally being marketed”. What makes your winery unique? “The quality of our grapes, the terroir of the Judean Mountains, and our fermentation process is the main difference. “Most wines in Israel are made with the “New World methods” implemented in California, New Zealand or Australia. Our methods are resolutely “Old World”, originating in France, Italy and Spain – the same ones my father was taught in 1950’s Morocco. I define the wine we make at the Jerusalem Winery as distinctly Bordeaux in style, as it was designed with the help of exceptional French enologists such as François Raynal”.

How did it all begin? “The first thing we did was to plant the vineyards. We chose to do so in the Judean Mountains, where the plants benefit from the high elevation, special terroir, and climate. As a result, we’ve succeeded in cultivating some of the best grapes in Israel that render marvelously full-bodied and fruity wines”. Can you tell us about your production process? “Our production process is quite traditional and we avoid making excessive use of technology. We

Michel Murciano, co-owner of the Jerusalem Winery, immigrated to Israel from France, but the seeds of the 63-year-old’s vineyard were planted in the 1960’s Morocco of his childhood. Back then, his father produced wine that was exported to France. After the Six-Day-War and the ensuing tensions in Morocco, Murciano’s family moved to France. In Paris, Michel opened a successful ad agency and at 40, together with his Israeli wife, he decided to sell everything and come to Israel to follow the dream he always shared with his father to found a winery in Jerusalem. What made you decide to establish a winery in Israel? “My father shared his dream with me, to return to his roots and open a winery. I discovered that there indeed was a market for good wine in Israel and for export. I recruited two old friends from France, Eric and Philippe Chicheportiche, who share a love for Israel, and together we established the Jerusalem Winery”.

jerusalem-winery.com

32 ATMOSPHERE APRIL 2023

Photos: Courtesy of the Jerusalem Winery