GUSH ETZION WINERY

It all began with a blackberry bush…

In the Rozenberg’s backyard there was a blackberry bush that bore so much fruit that they could not use it quick enough. After getting tired of berry cakes and berry ice-cream, Shraga took a friend’s suggestion to try his hand at blackberry wine. Always up for a challenge, Shraga took off with the idea. At first, he made berry wine, but the next year he decided to expand his horizons and make wine from grapes. There were late night family grape harvesting expeditions to Tel Arad.

In those years, the yield was small, but slowly, Shraga’s hobby grew and began to take over the Rozenberg home. At first, the family protested – (after all, there were large wooden barrels in the center of the living room…) But Shraga’s dream was unstoppable.  

In 1995, they decided to aim to produce more wine and to devoted more time to it. That year the “winery” produced around 5,000 bottles of wine. Shraga’s dream was now very much a reality.

In the years that followed, Shraga resigned from his job of 20 years as a director of a retirement residence, and Tamar left her position as an engineer. Together they devoted themselves completely to the growing Winery.

Shraga planted vineyards of the slopes of the settlement of Efrat. They drew up the plans for a winery at the Gush Etzion Junction. In 2005, a new boutique winery was inaugurated – The Gush Etzion Winery.