Original Linkedin post on February 15, 2018
Interview with Tzvi (Greg) Lauren – co-founder of Israel Wine Agency
Social media links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
This segment of the series of articles “Rebirth of Shomron” has been fermenting, “in the barrel”, so to speak, for the last half year. In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar – the new Hebrew month in which we celebrate Purim, specifically with wine, I would like to bring out this “vintage” article. But much has changed since…
Note on changed in 2025: Israel Wine Agency has gone through several name changes, which will be clear once you hear the interview. Originally it was called “West Bank Wines”, then “Heart of Israel Wine”. Now it is “Israel Wine Agency”, and I made that change in the title.
I met Tzvi over a year ago in New Jersey. Being that I love Israeli wine, and he imports it, we instantly started thinking of ways we can integrate our entrepreneurial ideas to advance Torah and Wine. It was not until this past Saturday night (February 11, 2018), that our plans came to fruition.
Tasting and Torah was an intimate evening organized by Heart of Israel Wines, featuring a selection of wines from Shiloh Wines. Speakers included Tzvi and his partner Yehoshua, Amichai Lourie – winemaker for Shiloh Winery, Rabbi Yair Shachor -from the community of Ma’aleh Levona, and myself. We hope that this is the first of many such events.
Here is my talk at the event:
Here is the full event:
This interview took place in the summer, when Tzvi’s company was still called “West Bank Wines”. The old name itself was controversial, and has a story you will hear about in the interview. A few notes (from Tzvi himself) about the new name:
The company is now starting to import its own wines, and with their main customers being people in middle America, it made sense to have something simple, catchy, which still bears a connection to what it is about, and is not politically charged. Furthermore, after many requests from residents of Judea and Samaria, and promises to change the name, they finally owned up to their word and changed it.
Practically, Judea and Samaria is too long a name. They went for something universal and simple. Since heartofisraelwines.com would have also been way too long, the new top level domain “.wine” adds some panache to the new website, and here it is
Some background
Tzvi was born in Ukraine and grew up in the NYC metro area. With a background on Wall St., he made aliyah to Israel in 2010. The story of West Bank Wines started in 2015 with a chance encounter, while Tzvi was working for a an NGO called World Yisrael Beytenu. From there Tzvi began working on building an American brand for Lev Ha’olam, a company distributing various boutique goods from mom & pop producers in Judea & Samaria.
Tzvi eventually realized that the product he had a calling for was actually hiding in plain sight and pivoted the project to wine.
After looking up Israeli Wineries through Google Maps, Tzvi brought a list to his now business partner Yehoshua Werth in Monsey, NY, and they now regularly feature wines from Judea and Samaria, and you can follow their reviews and events on social media. He then set out to start visiting a few: Har Bracha, Shiloh, Hebron and Beit El wineries, all along Route 60.
Tune in for some stories about these valuable connections, and the world that it opened to him. These wineries are run by very special people, who are keenly aware of the place they live in, and the revival of Judea & Samaria through its booming wine industry. Every winery has a Biblical and Jewish history story linked with the location, and that story is the key to appreciating the wine. As Erez Ben Saadon of Tura Winery said, “When you love the Land, the Land loves you back”. A land that was mostly desolate for near two millennia becoming fruitful and productive again is a testament to the deep love of a people to their homeland.
The name “West Bank” Wines naturally had people raise their hackles, on both sides of the fence. Tzvi talks about how he arrived at this name as well as some of the reactions he has received, and the impact it had on his resolve to keep the name…which has now changed to Heart of Israel Wines.
Some fascinating research has been done into the grapes indigenous to the region, the history of how these grapes were forgotten, and how the grapes we now have in Israel, got there. That, and other areas of history, research and stories are discussed.
We hope you enjoy!
Links to content from the interview
Heart of Israel Wines: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Articles and Videos:
- Dr. Shivi Drori, Ariel University, on the revival of 2,000 year old grapes: Here is a link to a short video on the science of reviving the grape, and here is the full lecture.
- Professor Ian McGonigle, Harvard University, and his article about Israeli Wine in Times of Israel.
Heart of Israel Wines reviews:
- Review of 2000 ancient Israel wine and reenactment of the Incense ritual in the Temple
- Review of the Psagot Peak.
Three reviews by 2007 world #1 sommelier Andreas Larsson:
- Mount Hevron – Reserve Syrah 2009 – Judean Hills
- Psâgot – Single Vineyard 2013 – Benjamin Mountains
- Gvaot – Masada 2012 – Judean Hills
