As there has been a revolution in the making of local wines, so have there been enormous developments in wine stores that now carry a fine supply of wines, store them correctly and have staff that will gladly guide you through the intricacies of the local and imported wines available. All of the stores listed below are reliable and many offer regular tastings and wine course, and in my opinion are currently the best in the country. Consideration for inclusion in the list involved more than the breadth of selection of local and foreign wines. Equally important in the selection and rating process was relative level of prices, the quality of the storage facilities of the store, how well and consistently temperature is maintained in the store itself, as well as the levels of wine knowledge and courtesy of the service staff. Some of the stores also sell other alcoholic beverages and cigars but this was not considered in the ratings.

If the absolute truth be told (as it must), the major weakness in many of all but the very best stores in the country is in the level of knowledge exhibited by those working there. This is especially true in stores that now have many branches, giving the feeling that perhaps these stores have spread their wings just a bit too far a bit too quickly.

Nearly all of the stores hold weekly wine tastings that are open to the public; some offer wine courses; and some offer special for-a-fee tastings of some of the best local and imported local wines available in the country. In all cases, it is worth being put on the mailing list of these stores to be informed of tastings, other special events and periodic sales.

In the list below, stores are rated according to four categories:

**** A fine wine store by international standards
*** A store with excellent service, stock and storage facilities
** Reliable and well stocked
* Good, even very good but perhaps best thought of as a neighborhood store

The Very Best Wine Stores

Derekh ha Yain: HaHashmona'eem 93, Tel Aviv ****
Gaffen - Wine Center: Emek Refa'eem 42, Jerusalem ****
Special Reserve: HaNasi 109, HaNasi, Haifa ****

Other Recommended Wine Stores
(listed alphabetically according to geographical areas)

Tel Aviv, Jaffa and Suburbs

Anavim: Ben Yehuda 126, Tel Aviv ***
Derekh ha Yain: in the Rananim Shopping Center, Kiryat Etgarim, Ra'anana ***
Derekh ha Yain: HaYotzrim 3, in the Industrial Area of Or Yehuda ***
Naftali: In the Paz petrol station, Aluf Sadeh 15, Givatheim ***
Naftali - The French Cellar: Sokolov 93, Ramat ha Sharon ***
George Hinawi: Yefet 10, Jaffa ***
George Hinawi: Nachum Goldman 8, Jaffa ***
Slovatik-Wine Center: Hanger 13, Tel Aviv Port **/***
Superdrink: Ushishkin 47, Ramat HaSharon and HaMa'ayan 2, Gvatheim ***
Vino-Cigar: on the first floor of the Arzieli Center, Tel Aviv ***
Vinotheque: HaBarzel 33, Ramat ha Chayal **/***
Yain Vey Oad: Pinchas Rosen 72, Shikun Dan, Tel Aviv ***

Herzliya and the Coastal Area

George Hinawi: Galgalai haPlada 11, Herzliya Pituach ***
Wine Center: Kibbutz Ga'ash, off the Coastal Road, next to Cosmos **

Haifa

Suidan Nehme: Eliayahu Ha Nevee 3, Haifa **

Eilat, Beersheva and The South

Naftali: in the new shopping center, Eilat **
Wine Center - Ananai ha Yain): Trumpledor 117, Beer Sheva ***

Rehovot

Beit haMashkey shel Israel Asa'el: Rehov Beit HaPoalim 3, Rehovot **/***

Jerusalem

Avi Ben: Rivlin 22 and Gvat Shaul 40, Jerusalem ***
Shahar: Rehov Agron 1 and Emek Refa'eem 29, Jerusalem. **

© Daniel Rogov