At first, I thought the invitation was a mistake. I reread the e-mail twice to make sure I understood: I was being asked to join several winemakers from the Judean Hills region of Israel to sample their wares. Thoughts of Passovers past and the requisite four glasses of overly sweet wine danced through my head. Call it guilt or curiosity, but I decided to put my preconceived notions aside and graciously accept their offer. I’m glad I did.

Over the past 25 years, the Israeli wine industry has undergone a significant transformation from producers of “syrupy sacramental wines” to a trade bent on crafting quality wines of distinction. One area where this revolution has begun to show considerable signs of success is in the Judean Hills, a politically stable region of gently rolling hills situated between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.