It’s no easy feat to run a winery in Israel. If you consider how many bottles are being produced in Israel compared to how many wine consumers there are in Israel, it is difficult to understand how the wineries manage to sell a large portion of their wine production. Of course, wine consumption fluctuates with the Hebrew calendar as do most elements of Jewish life; more wine is sold before Passover or Sukkot or after Sefirat Haomer when there usually are many simchas to attend. However, as an Israeli winery expands its production and perhaps its portfolio of wines, it usually follows a familiar trajectory. Wineries producing under 30,000 bottles a year tend to stay on the mainland with or without kosher certification and supervision. Once a winery hits a production of over 30,000 to 40,000 bottles, it is in its best interest to obtain proper kosher certification from numerous agencies as well as look into exporting its products to the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Matar, the sister winery of Pelter, is located in Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights. Established in 2001 by two brothers of immigrant American parents, Pelter Winery, carrying the family name, became a family business.

There are two very unique aspects of the business model for the Pelter-Matar wineries. Firstly, Pelter Winery did not consider turning its entire production kosher; rather the business-partner brothers opted to continue Pelter Winery as-is and create a sister winery next door for the kosher consumers.

Secondly, the brothers interestingly have made their mark on the non-kosher market with their Pelter line, very boldly exporting wine to the US market without going kosher. There are very few large-scale wineries in Israel that are brazen enough to do this. I have seen Pelter wines in many general consumer shops, including Whole Foods, and, folks, it is placed nowhere near our beloved Bartenura and other kosher selections. These wines have a near cultish following outside of the kosher market and earn very high-ranking scores from assorted wine ratings agencies such as the Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling.

Brothers Tal and Nir Pelter were born into an agriculturally focused family and community. Tal is the head winemaker at both Matar and Pelter. His training in enology and viticulture was completed over 20 years ago in Perth, Australia. Nir always had a more business-oriented mind, therefore it was only natural that the brothers would team up and work together, each utilizing their particular strengths, to create Pelter Winery.

Tal is an extremely hands-on winemaker. He likes to get his hands in the mud, literally. The thought of going kosher surely crossed his mind many times, as it did his brother’s, from a business perspective. Going kosher was the obvious next huge step for Pelter. However, it was difficult for Tal to give up on the processes of winemaking such as crushing the grapes, which the newly appointed mashgiach for kosher certification would have to perform in his stead. Over the years, the thought of going kosher kept weaving its way in and out of the brothers’ minds until they came up with a great solution: keep Pelter as-is, with Tal in the winery doing everything hands-on, and create an additional sister winery next door where the mashgiach can have free reign to do as needed for the kosher-certified wine production.

If having one winery fulfills a creative mind’s dream, having two is a real fantasy. Matar winery is completely separate from Pelter not only in its location next door but in its production; Matar winery uses completely different grapes from different regions, including some of the grapes from the winery’s vineyards as well as others from other regions all over Israel.

Tal and Nir had some interesting projects going on when we last visited the winery in Ein Zivan. Before going into the Matar tasting room, we head up some broken stone steps to what looks like a small shack. Inside this shack, or distillery, are a few rows of barrels that house their spirit and whiskey production. This endeavor began when they got curious about using other fruits such as apples, dates, and juniper berries to make some fermented beverages. It is pretty unusual to have an Israeli winery creating whiskey, but it works, and they are quite successful! They have made date whiskey, calvados (apple brandy), gin, and some regular whiskeys at cask strength.

Currently, Matar has 9 offerings available for purchase in the US. The names of the wines are in sync with the brand name of Matar, which is the Hebrew word for dew. Three of the wines are named for clouds, including CB (Cumulonimbus), Cumulus, and Stratus. Their white wines are lovely as well, including a Chardonnay which is not too oaky or buttery but just beyond refreshing. The Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend is floral with the right amount of acidity and is also a huge crowd-pleaser. The Stratus label is 100% Shiraz. The Cumulus (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) and their flagship wine CB (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) are robust and complex. There is also a Petit Verdot that is I believe my favorite expression of the variety out there. And the very limited Blanc de Noir bubbly is outstanding!

If you’re curious about what Matar is all about, I highly suggest you pick up a few bottles or hop on a plane as soon as possible and visit the winery. They could certainly use the support now and would appreciate it. The tasting room is rustic and right in the middle of the winery, with an old stove and a wooden table where all the winery employees eat. The table is garnished with some delicious bread with locally pressed olive oil and homemade goat cheese, which makes every tasting complete. The vibe at Matar and in the tasting area is relaxing and fun and makes you feel as though you are a Pelter sibling as well. L’chaim!

Matar by Pelter Winery is located at: Kibbutz Ein Zivan, Golan Heights, Israel