The recent resurgence of viticulture in the Negev desert highlands appears based on the same regional bioclimatic features, known in the wine world as ‘terroir, that existed in the ancient past when the area contained a prolific grape cultivator- wine making network. In both eras, the intense sun, constant wind, early-morning mists, mineral-rich loess soil and varying diurnal temperatures enabled Negev viticulturists to produce fruity, crisp and well-balanced wines. Even as the operational dynamics of this enterprise have significantly evolved, then as now Negev farmers apply a mixture of technologies to contend with the desert aridity, with some of the modern-day fixes assuming a relatively straightforward form likely appreciated by earlier farmers. The ethnographic based images depict the intergenerational overlapping woven into the mechanics of producing grapes at Kerem Ramon, the largest vineyard in the Negev that in 2010 was established by fourteen local families within the context of an agro-tourism development initiative.
