Argaman ( he, ארגמן (ענבים)) is an Israeli

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are ...

grape. It is a crossing of Souzão and

Carignan Carignan (also known as Mazuelo, Bovale Grande, Cariñena, Carinyena, Samsó, Carignane, and Carignano) is a red grape variety of Spanish origin that is more commonly found in French wine but is widely planted throughout the western Medite ...

.T. Stevenson, ''The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia'', pg 438, Dorling Kindersley 2005 The intention was to produce a variety of wine grape with good rich color, which had been a problem in Israeli wine. Roi Spiegel of the Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research and Shlomo Cohen of the Israeli Wine Institute created the Argaman (lit. "crimson") with this purpose in mind. After hundreds of attempts and micro-vinifications, successful wines were produced from it.

Barkan Wine Cellars Barkan Wine Cellars ( he, יקבי ברקן) is the largest Israeli winery, producing 12-14 million bottles a year. The main building of the winery is located at Kibbutz Hulda, east of Tel Aviv. Barkan receives grapes from vineyards in the Golan ...

is one of the wineries that uses the variety. According to ''

The Oxford Companion to Wine ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' (''OCW'') is a book in the series of Oxford Companions published by Oxford University Press. The book provides an alphabetically arranged reference to wine, compiled and edited by Jancis Robinson, with contributio ...

'', the Argaman is used primarily for low quality

jug wine "Jug wine" is a term in the United States for inexpensive table wine (or "bulk wine") typically bottled in a glass bottle or jug. Historically, jug wines were labeled semi-generically, often sold to third parties to be relabeled, or sold di ...

s.J. Robinson (ed), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' Third Edition, pg 364–365, Oxford University Press 2006 However, Segal Wines, produced from Argaman grapes grown in a vineyard in the

Upper Galilee The Upper Galilee ( he, הגליל העליון, ''HaGalil Ha'Elyon''; ar, الجليل الأعلى, ''Al Jaleel Al A'alaa'') is a geographical-political term in use since the end of the Second Temple period. It originally referred to a mountai ...

, has won prestigious awards, among them a gold medal at the

Bordeaux wine Bordeaux wine ( oc, vin de Bordèu, french: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the b ...

competition. In addition, Jezreel Valley winery won a silver medal at Terravino 2012 with a red blend which includes Argaman. A red wine blend that contains Argaman, the Jezreel 2014 Adumim, has earned 93 out of 100 points by the

Wine Enthusiast ''Wine Enthusiast'' magazine is an American wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Differe ...

.Jezreel 2014 Adumim Dry Red (Israel)
/ref> Jezreel Valley Winery is one of the leading revolutionaries in the resurgence of Argaman and has successfully bottled a single varietal Argaman which is rich, spicy and complex.

References

{{reflist Israeli wine Agriculture in Israel Red wine grape varieties

See also

References