The Yoav Yehuda Wine Festival celebrates a decade this year, with a full program of events from the opening on 18 September in Ein Hemed National Park to a host of activities centered arround the area's 26 wineries through to 25 October 2008. The region, which has been renowned for wine-making for some 3000 years, is made up of several different wine-growing areas. The Yoav Yehuda Wine Route includes all the area's wineries, including many that have sprung up in the area in the past decade and produce some of the country's finest wines, many of them with kosher certification. Wineries participating in the festival include, among others, Clos de Gat, Castel, Sorek, Ella Valley, Flam, Tzuba, Tzora, Teperberg, Sea Horse, Latrun, Nachshon and Hamasrek.

The opening events on Thursday, 18 September (from 19:00) and on Friday, 19 September (10:00 – 16:00) include the opportunity to sample the wines of all 26 wineries, enjoy local arts and crafts and a food fair in the Ein Hemed National Park, with its remains of a Crusader fortress. Musical entertainment is provided by David Broza (Thursday) and a jazz ensemble (Friday).

Throughout the month-long festival, the wineries of the Yoav Yehuda wine route will be open to the public, each one offering tastings, tours, wine launches and the possibility to meet the people behind the wines. Special activities, such as lectures, story-telling, gourmet meals, community singing, dance and chocolate workshops will also be available during the Succot holiday at the individual wineries. The Agur winery will host an exhibition on the subject of wine-making in ancient Israel.

The public is also invited to visit the studios of the many artists and craftsmen working in the Ella Valley region and participate in workshops (advance reservation necessary) – everything from jewelry and ceramics to shoe-making and sculpture. In addition to the culinary events and options at the wineries themselves, many local homes and small restaurants will be open for business during the festival, offering home-made meals based on local ingredients, and, of course, wines.

Yoav Yehuda Tourism Authority: www.touryoav.org.il