In the Negev Desert, the sun beams down onto desolate earth. The air is dry and the land arid.
But up on a mountain ridge near the town of Mitzpe Ramon, rows of vines sprout from the scorched soil - the only glimmer of green in a barren landscape.
This is no desert mirage. Those sprouts are part of an experimental vineyard where researchers are investigating how grapes can grow under the extreme conditions that dominate this region in southern Israel.
The Negev, meaning “the dry” in Hebrew, only receives about 10 centimetres of rain each year, much of which disappears in flash floods. Temperatures can reach 38 degrees Celsius during the day and drop below zero during winter nights. Still, more than two dozen wineries have sprung up in the area over the last decade or so, along with a thriving wine tourism business.
UK welcomed as full member of OIV following Brexit 6th January, 2021 by Arabella Mileham
Following Brexit, the UK has been welcomed as a full member of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), by the organisation’s director general Pau Roca.
In a recorded statement over the New Year, Roca toasted the UK re-joining the organisation with a bottle of English sparkling wine, noting that the UK was one of the largest wine markets in the world and although only a small player in terms of production, it had seen “exponential growth” in recent years, particularly of sparkling wines.
Importing and exporting wine from 1 January 2021 gov.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gov.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
זה היין הישראלי שזכה בפרס יוקרתי mako.co.il - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mako.co.il Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.