SEA HORSE
BAR GIORA, ISRAEL
Sea Horse Winery was founded in the year 2000, in the village of Bar Giyora, located in the Judean Mountains (near Jerusalem).by Orly and Ze’ev Dunie.
The winery grows most of the grapes needed for its wines. By that, in its 23 years of existence, the winery studies and explores grape varieties that are less popular or common in Israel.
The grape varieties include Chenin Blanc, Sirah, Zinfandel, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah. These grapes are the foundation of the winery’s wines, which are usually named after beloved artists: Lennon, Hemingway, Fellini, Antoine (de Saint Exupery), and others.
The vineyards of the winery in Bar Giyora are farmed with organic means since day one. Additionally, the vineyards are planted in a higher density than common in Israel, which creates a fruit that is very condensed in flavors.
In 2017, the winery started a transition to using wild yeast fermentation, as a part of a process to emphasize the wine’s local identity. Culture yeasts are grate, they give the winemaker a sense of control and security. However, if the goal is to create local wines that expresses their terroir, it has to be done by using the local wild yeasts.
