The village has an interesting history. Originally called "Zamarin", the first settlers arrived in 1882 from Romania. At that time, the area was an inhospitable place with rocky soil. The early settlers attempted to grow wheat and potatoes. That farming venture was unsuccessful and soon 10% of the population were dead. Despite all that, the settlers were determined to tough it out.
A European philanthropist was so impressed with these settlers that he approached Baron Edmond de Rothschild in France for financial support. Rothschild sent an envoy to check out the village, who recommended the area would be ideal for vineyards. Five years later, the Baron visited the village and discovered a thriving community. At his request, the village was renamed "Zichron Yaacov" (which is Hebrew for "In Memory of Jacob". However, instead of being in honor of the Biblical patriarch, the village was named in honor of Baron James "Jacob" de Rothschild, who was Edmond's father.
Due to the success of the vineyards, there are many wineries in the area. Probably the most famous of them all is the Carmel Mizrahi Winery. It is Israel's largest winery and accounts for about 75% of the country's wine. Established in the late 1800's, this winery has stood the test of time. Carmel offers tours and wine tastings, where visitors are invited to learn all about the winery and about the process of making wine. They strive to educate visitors to the max, by even teaching you how to hold your glass and the best method for tasting all the different wines.
Next up is the Morad Winery. They too offer tours and include demonstrations on how they incorporate fruits, vegetables, and herbs, into their wines and liqueurs. The fruits they use are exotic - ranging from passion fruit to pomegranates. While not quite as established at the Carmel Winery, Morad has been in the wine business for over 40 years.
The Tishbi Winery has something a little different to offer. In addition to their winery, they also have a tourist center which boasts a popular Kosher dairy restaurant. The menu includes fresh cheeses from the Hameiri Dairy Farm (which I blogged about earlier), fresh baked bread, and a gourmet chocolate/wine tasting center. One especially unique feature of the Tishbi Winery is that they have a "filling station", where you are encouraged to bring in your own empty bottle of wine, fill it up, and pay for your wine by the liter.
Other wineries in the area include: Smadar Winery, Somek Winery, and Poizner Winery. I could see wanting to spending a few days checking out this cool little village.
