A feast for foodies. No fewer than 40 wineries operate in Mateh Yehuda, one of Israel’s largest and finest wine regions, and many take part starting June 4 in the area’s annual wine festival, now in its 28th year.
The program included an opening event on June 4 at Yad La-Shiryon in Latrun, bringing together wineries and food complexes, alongside wine-related events over three weekends in June: tastings, guided tours, meetings with winemakers, music performances and more.
The festival is a pleasant opportunity to visit the green Mateh Yehuda region, stretching from the slopes of the Jerusalem Hills to the Judean plains, an area that is now as beautiful as it is tasty. The regional council covers a vast area of about half a million dunams and includes no fewer than 64 communities, among them moshavim, kibbutzim and Arab towns, contributing to the wide variety of options for visits and tours. There are heritage sites and museums, national parks, nature and scenic reserves and, of course, countless culinary attractions. How much can you fit into one well-planned day, from morning to evening? A lot.
Start with a tour: The Armored Corps Museum, Latrun
The British police station at Latrun, where fierce and bloody battles were fought during the War of Independence, has become a major memorial site for fallen soldiers of the Armored Corps and for the corps’ heritage. Next to it is one of the largest and most impressive armored corps museums in the world.
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Yad La-Shiryon, Latrun: Heritage, history and one of the world’s largest tank displays
(Photo: Zvika Tishler)
More than 150 tanks and armored vehicles from different periods are on display, including armored vehicles used by the armies that fought in World War II and later by the IDF in its early years, Russian tanks and armored personnel carriers captured in various wars, and modern vehicles such as Merkava tanks from several generations.
Among the museum’s special exhibits are an M4 Sherman tank, the leading American tank of World War II, which formed the backbone of the IDF armored corps until the Six-Day War and was still part of the IDF order of battle during the Yom Kippur War; various Russian T-series tanks, including the T-34 from World War II, T-54 and T-55 tanks from the Six-Day War, T-62 tanks from the Yom Kippur War and a T-72 from the Lebanon War; and a British Cromwell, one of two stolen from British army warehouses in the Haifa area in 1948 by pro-Israel British soldiers, effectively becoming the first vehicles in the IDF Armored Corps.
Yad La-Shiryon is a site that excites adults and children alike, while also serving as a memorial, and is a recommended first stop on a trip through the area. Admission is 20-30 shekels, depending on age, and 100 shekels for a family ticket. Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.-noon; Saturday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The site also houses the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II. A visit requires advance coordination and registration on the museum’s website, but it is worth the effort. Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tel: 03-3730444.
Tip: Just across the road to the east is Latrun Monastery, built in the late 19th century. It is a beautiful and intriguing site, surrounded by hundreds of dunams of vineyards planted to support the monks through the production of wine, brandy and vinegar from the grapes.
The winery’s visitor center, with an impressive wine shop, is located at the entrance to the monastery. A visit to the winery itself, which extends in part through underground tunnels hidden beneath the monastery, requires advance coordination, but it is always worth trying. Tel: 08-9220065 / 052-5242147.
Continue with wine: Ella Valley Winery
Traces of an ancient wine industry can be found on almost every hill, beside every stream and on every slope in the Judean Hills: ancient terraces, some built by farmers in biblical times, winepresses for treading grapes, and caves and underground storage spaces where wine was kept for long periods before electricity existed.
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Ella Valley Winery: Fridays are especially lively at the visitor center
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
The wineries now operating in the Mateh Yehuda region rely on this long tradition and on the area’s excellent growing conditions, or terroir. Ella Valley Winery, founded in 1998 with the planting of its vineyards, has about 800 dunams of wine grapes in plots in Nes Harim, Netiv HaLamed-Heh and Aderet. Its first harvest took place in 2002, and today it produces about 400,000 bottles a year from a variety of grape types, including Mediterranean varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Malbec, alongside classic varieties including Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
We tasted white wines, including an excellent Chenin Blanc from the 2025 vintage, priced at 85 shekels a bottle, and a wonderful Chardonnay, alongside reds — Malbec and Petite Sirah, both from the Estate series, starting at 105 shekels.
Ella Valley Winery’s visitor center offers tastings Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with four wines for 80 shekels per person, as well as guided hospitality for groups. On Fridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the place is especially lively, with a rich menu and a DJ stand. There is no entrance fee, and children are welcome. Tel: 058-5448354.
Move on to coffee: Agrocafe
Agrocafe is an Israeli agricultural, economic and social initiative that provides advanced knowledge to family coffee farms around the world. The idea is to share Israeli know-how in irrigation and fertilization in exchange for part of the coffee yield, making the deal a win-win for both farmers and the company.
Coffee beans arriving from plantations in Colombia, Ethiopia and soon also Brazil and Costa Rica are roasted at the roasting house in the community of Srigim and turned into a variety of blends with different and intriguing flavors, which are sent to customers around the world.
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Eran Yitzhak, Agrocafe: A fascinating socioeconomic story and distinctive flavors
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
The site also includes a cafe, a visitor center and a hall for professional coffee workshops and tastings, held Fridays at noon and Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. The cost is 75 shekels per participant, with registration through agrocafe.co.il. It is worth coming to taste, broaden your knowledge and expand your flavor range when it comes to the popular drink.
Agrocafe: 40 Eshkolot Street, Srigim. Open Sunday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tel: 02-6645455. Facebook: Agrocafe.
Stop for a drink: Even-Ram Liqueurs
A few steps from Agrocafe’s visitor center, just around the corner from the commercial center in Srigim, is Even-Ram Winery. The intriguing project was started by Itzik Even-Ram at his home in Jerusalem about 15 years ago, when he devoted his time to the hobby of making liqueurs from fruit grown in his garden. The hobby became a business, and at his modest winery in Srigim he ferments and distills dates, figs, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, carob, lychee, passion fruit, apricots and more — all from Israeli agricultural produce.
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Itzik Even-Ram at the liqueur winery: What began as a hobby became a profession
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
Visitors can come for a guided tour of the winery, including tastings, for 40 shekels per participant, or for an expanded workshop for 125 shekels per participant. And of course, they can buy products, including gift packs with several types of liqueur.
Even-Ram Winery: Srigim. Tel: 052-8835979.
Bring on the meat: The Wonders of the Argentine Grill
Hungry? Yael and Avi Rosenboim, a couple who love meat, but also vegetables, wine and beer, host guests in the yard of their home in the finest tradition of the Argentine grill. Entrecote and asado cuts, alongside vegetables, are grilled on a professional parrilla, the type commonly used in Argentina and Uruguay. The hospitality is based on individual portions or an all-you-can-eat format, depending on the order or the character of the meal that day.
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Avi Rosenboim and the meats: Also available in an all-you-can-eat format
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
Delicious, cheerful and a great place with great people.
The Argentine Grill: Srigim. Advance coordination required. Open Saturdays as well. Reservations: Avi, 054-4341282; Yael, 054-5987231.
And more wine: Mettler Winery
Heinz and Lea Mettler run Mettler, a boutique winery located on the family farm in Moshav Agur. By advance arrangement, visitors can come to the winery courtyard, enjoy the agricultural landscape and taste wines, cheeses, pastries and spreads, some prepared by Lea herself. What did we taste? Reds including a 2020 Petit Verdot, a 2021 Cabernet Franc and a creative 2018 blend of Merlot, Cabernet and Petit Verdot, as well as one excellent white, a 2024 Blanc de Noir.
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Heinz Mettler, Mettler Winery: From Switzerland to the vineyards of Mateh Yehuda
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
Tip: Light meals can be ordered in advance, and visitors can also stay overnight in one of five cabins near the winery, just like in the wine regions of Tuscany, the Rhone Valley or Bordeaux.
Mettler Winery: Moshav Agur. Tel: 050-2802554 / 054-4512045.
No hallucinations, just mushrooms: MUSHROOM
MUSHROOM is an organic farm that grows edible mushrooms. A guided tour of the farm offers a glimpse into the cultivation process, which takes place under sterile conditions, and a close look at special varieties with names such as blue, pink and golden oyster, black pearl, chestnut and more.
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MaShroom, Moshav Tzafririm: A glimpse into the mushroom-growing industry
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
Visitors can also buy a growing kit that includes a special substrate, a water sprayer and instructions, making it possible to grow organic gourmet mushrooms at home.
MUSHROOM: Moshav Tzafririm, Farm 37. Open Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-noon. Tel: 052-4630888 / 052-8630788.
More and more wine: Underdog Vineyards
Underdog Vineyards is one of the newer, younger wineries in the Mateh Yehuda region. The winery and visitor center are located in one of the area’s most beautiful plots, in the heart of a vineyard now at peak bloom.
What did we taste here? A white blend called Snunit, from 2024, made from Roussanne grapes from the Golan Heights, alongside Chenin Blanc from Carmey Yosef and Sauvignon Blanc from Givat Yeshayahu; a mineral white wine made from Semillon grapes harvested in the Gush Etzion area; and a chilled summer rosé from 2023, made from Mediterranean grape varieties including Petite Sirah, Carignan and Grenache Noir.
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Underdog Winery: Mediterranean grape varieties and a great atmosphere
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
Visitors can come for a wine tasting of four or five wines, along with fresh bread, cheeses or cold cuts, for 140-160 shekels per person. Water, soda and coffee are on the house.
Underdog: Givat Yeshayahu. Open Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., sometimes also Thursday evenings from 7-10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Not kosher. Tel: 050-2025644.
A burger to finish: Burger Road
Burger Road in Srigim was opened by two 27-year-old friends, Oran Levy of Moshav Tzelafon and Yahav Sabag of Kibbutz Harel. Their shared idea was to connect people and food while combining their Zionism and love of the land.
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Burger Road, Srigim: The menu also features tapas, tortillas and cocktails
(Photo: Zvika Burg)
The burger place they opened leans more toward a restaurant. Alongside burgers, the menu includes tapas, tortillas, salads and cooked dishes, all based entirely on Israeli ingredients from across the country. The restaurant is kosher.
Burger Road: Srigim. Open Sunday-Wednesday, 5-11 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight; Saturday night, 8:30-11 p.m.; closed Friday. Delivery and pickup available. Tel: 053-9624345. Facebook: Burger Road Srigim.