The project was sparked by the discovery of well-preserved carbonized grape seeds during an archeological excavation that ran from 2017 to 2019 at Avdat, located between Beersheba and Mitzpe Ramon.A year ago we left it that grapes had been produced by the Debuki (Dabouki) vines and the Bar (Ba’ar) and Siriki grapes were to be harvested in a few weeks.The seeds, dated to the seventh century CE, were sent to Tel Aviv University for genetic analysis. One was found to be the ancestor of the Syriki variety, which has small black grapes and is still drunk in the monasteries of Lebanon and Greece. Another was identified as Ba’ar, which produces white wine.
Now wine has been produced from all three types of grape and the verdict is in:
While all [three local Negev winemakers] used modern equipment rather than feet to extract the juice, they were asked not to use any modern additives, such as industrial yeast, sulfites, or chemicals.Last year's post has background to the story, as well as on the site of Avdat in the Negev, which flourished from the Nabatean (Nabataean) era into the Byzantine era.The three grape varieties yielded five varietals, or types of wine.
“The biggest surprise when we opened the bottles was to discover amazing wine,” said Schweimer, who added that seeing so much green in the desert was a delight.
As an archaeologist but not a wine expert, he took some of the 300 bottles to Tel Aviv to conduct blind tastings for 20 experts.
“They were impressed,” he said. “They couldn’t identify exactly what it was —nobody had drunk it for 1,300 years — but they said it was very balanced, with a bit too much alcohol. It’s not a drink you should drive after!”
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