Zadok winery launches new wine, demonstrates the excellence of the Negev region on the border with Egypt and offers original flavours. “Desert Rider” offers tours in the desert.
By Chiquita Levov, text and photos
Ramat Negev Winery in Moshav Kadesh Barnea is a family-run business founded and operated by the Zadok family near the Egyptian border. It produces a range of innovative wines, straight from the beating heart of the Negev. It is a winery that leads a new, liberated and revolutionary wine culture, from the Kadesh Barnea settlement. The unique conditions of the desert, coupled with Israeli courage and innovative technology, resulted in the winery winning an international award. These days it is launching a new wine: “Neve Midbar”. It is a unique series that embodies the innovation and originality of Yogev Zadok, chief winemaker of Ramat Negev Winery. The national channel “Kan 11” dedicated a fascinating article to the pioneering Zadok family, who founded the winery, which was broadcast on a newscast. The Zadoks invite the general public to visit the winery. And at the same time get to know the area and its tourist attractions. More information: https://www.rnwinery.co.il/en/home/
Yogev and Gilad
On the occasion of the launch, we were invited to visit the company and the vineyards in order to strengthen the relationship between the desert winery and the Israeli consumer. The owners, Nira and Alon Zadok, told us about the company and their efforts to colonize the Negev while preserving nature and its resources. The vineyards and the winery are located in a settlement just a few meters from the border with Egypt. The Zadoks were among the founders of Moshav Kadesh Barnea in the Sinai. After the peace agreement with the Egyptians, the pioneer group established the resettlement in the territory of Israel and helped in the development of nearby settlements to strengthen the entire region. Alon is a farmer who as a child watched his father grow vines and produce wine. At the age of 40, with the support of his partner, photographer Nira Zadok, he enrolled in wine studies at the Sorek winery and began to grow vines. The eldest son, Yogev Zadok, is the chief winemaker and the other son Gilad Zadok is the marketing and sales director.
The large wineries, which bought the quality grapes from his vines, realizing that Alon was also beginning to produce wine, demanded that he stop private production and sell the entire crop to them. Alon refused and instead decided to plant 10 additional acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. By 2001 he was producing 15.000 bottles a year. By 2006, the winery was producing 25.000 bottles of unique, organic desert wines and was selling kosher wines to American Jews. The rest of the product was sold at the winery, restaurants and leading wine shops in Israel.
In 2007, the family planted another 30 acres of vines and the eldest son, Yogev Tzdok, went to study wine technology at the Wine Academy in Florence. In 2009 Yogev graduated with honors and did an internship at the Antinori Winery in Tuscany. Under his leadership, the family purchased advanced wine production equipment and quality barrels from top producers in Italy and Israel. This year, a vineyard plot of about twenty acres was also added to the family business, in the Mitzpe Ramon area, where the family conducts independent research and development.
Nira talks about the settlement
Ramat Negev Winery produces 4 series of wines: Kadesh Barnea, Ramon, Exodus and now also Neve Midbar. The new series consists of 6 wines and offers a playful symphony of colors and flavors. The wines in the series were created from careful blends of different grape varieties and were harvested in different sections, cultivated by the Zadok family, in the Negev and the Negev Mountains. The wine is the personal signature of the fascinating winemaker Yogev Zadok, who led the winery to win high awards. The Zadoks report that the Neve Midbar series is unique due to its originality and innovation. In addition, the grapes are grown in extreme desert conditions, which gives the wines a unique character and a rich, complex flavor.
The Ramat Negev Winery’s Exodus Grand Reserve 2018 wine won the title of best wine of 2024 at the international wine competition “Terra Vino” held in Israel in March 2024. In June 2024, the wine won the platinum medal at the “Decanter” exhibition in London and was the first Israeli wine to win the most prestigious medal of all, in three years. The wine competed against 18.000 wines from around the world, including veteran, large and award-winning wineries, and received a score of 97. The winery continues an ancient tradition of wine production in the Negev and aims to mark it as a world-class wine and vineyard production area.
Barrel room
The Zadoks invite the general public to visit the winery (by reservation) to learn about and be impressed by the wonders of desert wine. And to discover originality at its finest in a pioneering company. During the visit, you will learn about the history of the settlement in Pithat Nitzana, the establishment of the winery and the beginning of wine production in desert conditions after 2000 years. A video showing tells the story of the winery and of course, tastings of the selection of wines (3 whites and 3 reds). A visit to the interior of the winery, the barrel room and wine containers. The duration of the visit is 45 to 60 minutes. Wines are sold through the online store on the website or at the winery.
Tourist activities in Kadesh Barnea
“Easy Rider” among vineyards
“Desert Rider” Kadesh Barnea: Tal and Chen Biron founded this company in the spirit of the desert and offer tours in “Easy Rider” vehicles. These are small all-terrain vehicles, an Israeli invention designed in such a way that they do not damage the ground, leave no marks and do not emit polluting gases. They are easy to use and are particularly agile when manoeuvring. The tours are very attractive as they pass through vineyards and fields, greenhouses and orchards, between mountains, sand and African savannah landscapes. And as the engine is silent, the driver can hear the sounds of nature during the tour. It has a low centre of gravity registered as a world patent and this guarantees its stability when passing through sandy, rocky and pebbly areas.
Among the itineraries offered: The deer viewing point, along the sandy Kadesh Barnea trail, along Nahal Nitsana and the fields near the border of Israel and Egypt. Sometimes a herd of deer can be seen. There are also tours at dusk or under the light of the full moon. All tours are accompanied by a guide and last approximately 2 hours. This company has also set up the “Fauza” complex, a very well-kept camp. With a Bedouin tent, for accommodation with capacity for 50 people. There are showers, toilets and seating areas. It offers the organization of fun days for companies and other personal events.
Camp “Fauza”
Other attractions: “Sand surfing” in the impressive dunes of the ancient city of Shivta. Smartphone photography workshops in Nitsana, under the instruction of Noa Burnett, a talented photographer and desert woman. Or guided tours “Secrets of Shivta”, a philosophical-theatrical tour of this ancient and magical city. “The Room of Wonders” is a magical interactive escape room that started from dad’s memories. “Shirat Hamidbar” Farm is a medicinal plant and spice farm that organizes a tour to learn about medicinal plants.