(The following article first appeared on wines-israel and is reprinted w/ permission To order Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2011 please click here.)

The new Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2011 has been published by Mitchell Beazley, London. This is the annual, mini-encyclopedia written by Englishman, Hugh Johnson. It is the world’s largest selling wine book and is translated into many languages and sold around the world. Hugh Johnson is the world’s most distinguished and prolific wine writer.

The book is like a Michelin guide in that it gives a rating to Israeli wineries. There is no other international book that features so many Israeli wineries. It was first published in 1977 and since then has been published annually. Hugh Johnson is helped by an editorial team, some of them famous wine journalists in their own right  and carefully chosen experts in each region. This year Israel is placed in a new Eastern Mediterranean section that includes Cyprus, Lebanon and Turkey, as well as Israel. There are a record thirty Israeli wines listed. Last year there were twenty six. The new additions are: Alexander, Avidan, Mony and Zion. Both Domaine du Castel and Yatir Winery have succeeded in holding on to their four star rating. This puts them amongst some of the finest wineries in the world. Wineries that have advanced since last year are: Clos de Gat, Galil Mountain, Pelter, Ella Valley, Tzora and Binyamina. Each of these wineries has succeeded to improve their rating.

Barkan-Segal, Carmel, Galil Mountain and Tabor receive recognition for having good value wines. The Margalit Special Reserve receives a notation of being particularly enjoyed by Hugh Johnson, himself.

In his introduction to the Israel section, Johnson writes that Israel has become: “a young, dynamic wine industry.” He also writes that the best growing regions are the Upper Galilee, Golan Heights and Judean Hills adding: “… but (typically of the Israelis), they also have vineyards in the desert.”In comments on the Eastern Mediterranean, Johnson writes: “Lebanon…and Israel… have progressed no end in the last ten years and are producing some high-quality reds. War and violence make this a difficult area for wine-growers, so the courage of Israeli and Lebanese winemakers should be encouraged – better to make wine than war.”

In an aside, entitled ‘Grapes of the moment,’ he comments on how strange it is that there are no indigenous varieties in Israel, when there are so many in Cyprus and Turkey. However he notes that the “varietal menu is not entirely standard”, mentioning: Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot.In his introduction to the book, he reminds readers he does not like wine scores. He writes: “This book doesn’ t do wine-by-wine judgements. No scores. The one-to-four star code is my take on the winery…as a presence in the market.” He therefore differentiates his world view from the American style of scores out of 100, as represented by Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator.

Hugh Johnson is well-known for his books: ‘The Story of Wine’ (on history), ‘The World Wine Atlas’, which he now writes with Jancis Robinson MW; ‘The Wine Companion’,which has recently been updated by Stephen Brook; and ‘The Art and Science of Wine’, about winemaking and viticulture, which he authored with James Halliday. Each of these are classics, which form the basis of any wine lover’s library.

He has also written his autobiography ‘Wine – A Life Uncorked.’Hugh Johnson visited Israel in the late 1980’s for his TV series on the The Story of Wine. He observed the early days of the Israeli wine revolution. He observed the early days of the Israeli wine revolution, and as his World Wine Atlas and Wine Companion indicate, he is well informed on Israeli wines. The full ratings from Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book  2011 are:

FOUR STARS **** Domaine du Castel

THREE TO FOUR STARS ***>**** Yatir Winery

THREE STARS *** Clos de Gat, Golan Heights, Margalit

TWO TO THREE STARS **>*** Carmel, Chateau Golan, Flam, Galil Mountain, Pelter

TWO STARS ** Barkan-Segal, Ella Valley, Recanati, Saslove, Tulip, Tzora, Vitkin

ONE TO TWO STARS *>** Agur,  Alexander,  Avidan,  Binyamina,  Chillag,  Dalton,  Sea Horse, Tabor

ONE STAR * Bazelet Hagolan, Mony, Tishbi, Teperberg, Zion