Wine has been produced in the Land of Israel since biblical times.Today, Israeli wine making takes place in five vine-growing regions: Galil (Galilee, including the Golan Heights);the Judean Hills, surrounding the city of Jerusalem; Shimshon (Samson), located between the Judean Hills and the Coastal Plain; the Negev, a semi-arid desert region; and the Sharon plain near the Mediterranean coast and just south of Haifa, which is the largest grape growing area in Israel.