Domaine du Castel

What Domaine du Castel does

Domaine du Castel is a privately held, family-owned boutique winery founded by Eli Ben Zaken in 1988 in the Judean Hills of Israel, with operational headquarters in Yad HaShmona since 2015. The estate spans approximately 40 hectares of vineyards planted at unusually high density (6,700 vines per hectare across 76% of plots, versus the Israeli standard of 2,200), grafted onto low-vigour rootstocks and harvested at a low yield of ~50 hl/ha to drive quality concentration. Production uses traditional Bordeaux-style viticulture augmented by optical grape sorting, gravity-flow juice handling, and custom Italian concrete aging tanks, yielding a portfolio of seven core wines: the flagship red blend Castel Grand Vin, C' Blanc du Castel (Chardonnay), Petit Castel (second-label red), Rosé du Castel, La Vie Rouge and La Vie Blanc du Castel (entry-level range), and the late-harvest dessert wine M du Castel. The associated Raziel winery operates as a sub-brand under the Castel group.

The business generates revenue through four primary streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce wine sales (minimum 6-bottle order, free domestic shipping within Israel), on-site visitor center experiences (guided tours and tastings at 105–155 NIS per person), private and corporate events, and a recurring membership club with annual billing. International revenue flows through a network of 20+ named specialty distributors across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, with Royal Wine Corp serving as the primary North American partner. Pricing is positioned at the premium end of the Israeli boutique category.

The company is led by the Ben Zaken family across three generations: founder Eli Ben Zaken continues as winemaker, son Ariel Ben Zaken as CEO for over 15 years (trained in Beaune, France), son Eytan Ben Zaken as winemaker, and daughter Ilana Ben Zaken as Director of Export & Procurement, with grandchildren holding named vineyard plots at Kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamisha. Strategic vineyard partnerships with Kibbutz Tzuba (mid-1990s) and Kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamisha (2010) supply the majority of grape volume. The 2018 transition to organic viticulture frames the business around multi-generational stewardship rather than short-term scale.

Name

Domaine du Castel

Legal name

יקב קסטל בע"מ

Website

https://castel.co.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Domaine du Castel is a family-owned boutique winery in Israel's Judean Hills, producing premium estate-grown wines across seven labels from ~40 hectares of high-density vineyards, selling via Israeli e-commerce, an on-site visitor center, corporate events, a membership club, and a 20+ country international distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Boutique winery production
• Premium kosher wines
• Wine tourism experiences
• Corporate wine events
• Judean Hills viticulture

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: The winery sells its wines directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform and at the visitor center. Minimum order of 6 bottles with free shipping within Israel. Payment via credit cards with installment options up to 3 payments without interest.
2. Visitor Center Experiences: Revenue generated from guided winery tours and wine tastings, table reservations at the winery, Friday tastings, and picnic case experiences.
3. Gift Box Sales: Sale of curated gift boxes including single bottles, dual packs, triple packs, and premium wooden boxes featuring Castel wines, Raziel wines, and collaborations with partners like Meshek 33 and Ptora.
4. Corporate Events: Private and business wine events including team building, conferences, product launches, and private celebrations. Events are tailored and priced based on group size and requirements.
5. Membership Club: The winery operates a membership club offering benefits including holiday and birthday offers, special member prices, VIP winery visits, home delivery, event invitations, and early access to new releases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Domaine du Castel is a family-owned boutique winery producing premium wines from Judean Hills estate vineyards. Its core offering is a portfolio of seven wines led by the flagship Castel Grand Vin Bordeaux blend, alongside Chardonnay, second-label red, rosé, La Vie series, and a Muscat dessert wine. The winery also operates a visitor center with tours and tastings, hosts corporate events, sells B2B gift packages, and runs a membership club.

Product overview

Domaine du Castel is a family-owned winery in the Judean Hills, Israel, producing a portfolio of premium wines under its core brand plus the sub-brand Raziel. The portfolio includes 7 distinct wines: Castel Grand Vin (flagship red blend), C' Blanc du Castel (Chardonnay white), Petit Castel (second-label red), Rosé du Castel (rosé), La Vie Rouge du Castel (entry-level red), La Vie Blanc du Castel (entry-level white), and M du Castel (dessert wine). Supporting offerings include a visitor center with guided tours and tastings, corporate events and private celebrations, and B2B gift packages in various formats. The wines are sold through e-commerce, international distribution partners, and the visitor center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Wines peak 3-8 years after harvest depending on varietal
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, regional and preferred.

• Kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamishacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership established in 2010 for direct vineyard cultivation. Approximately 200 dunams planted, with Castel working the land directly. Grandchildren have named vineyard plots at this location.
• Kibbutz TzubacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Partnership established in mid-1990s for vineyard cultivation. Approximately 200 dunams (40 hectares) of quality vineyards planted and tended by kibbutz members according to Castel's growing protocol.
• Royal Wine Corp (USA & Canada)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary North American distributor with facilities in Bayonne, New Jersey. Also offers online purchase through kosherwine.com.
• Well of Wine (Netherlands)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch distributor for Castel wines with location in Sassenheim, Netherlands.
• Kedem Europe Ltd (UK)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK distributor based in London offering Castel wines through kedemeurope.com and kosherwine.co.uk.
• Sieva Bokobsa (France)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench distributor located in Bagnolet, Paris, representing Castel through winesymphony.fr.
• Wine & Vines Cellars PTE LTD (Singapore)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSingapore distributor for Castel wines with online presence.
• Bari Dairy (מחלבת בארי)preferredChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCheese supplier for winery events, visitor center tastings, and picnic cases featuring boutique cheeses from the Judean Hills region.
• Meshek 33preferredChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for combined gift boxes featuring Castel wines with Meshek 33 products.
• PtorapreferredChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for combined gift boxes featuring Castel Rosé du Castel with Ptora products.
• The Mutagene / HaMitapesset (המתססה)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCider house located in Yad HaShmona, offering full day experiences combined with Castel winery visits including brunch or lunch at Logos Hotel Yad HaShmona.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Segal Winery: Israeli boutique winery producing premium wines for domestic and kosher export markets. Comparable in scale, premium positioning, and family ownership structure.
• Flam Winery: Israeli boutique winery producing premium, Bordeaux-style wines with international distribution. Comparable in scale, family ownership, and high-end positioning to Domaine du Castel.
• Covenant Winery: California-based boutique winery specializing in premium kosher wines. Comparable in small-scale, quality-driven, kosher-focused positioning and international distribution strategy.
• Dalton Winery: Boutique Israeli winery in the Upper Galilee producing premium wines with international export. Comparable in size, premium positioning, and reliance on kosher export channels.
• Recanati Winery: Israeli premium winery with strong domestic distribution and growing export footprint, focusing on Mediterranean-style wines. Comparable premium positioning and multi-channel go-to-market model.
• Tzora Vineyards: Boutique Judean Hills winery producing terroir-driven, premium wines with high-density planting and French-style winemaking. Closest geographic and stylistic peer to Domaine du Castel, serving similar on-premise and kosher export channels.

Broad incumbents

• Barkan Winery: Large-scale Israeli producer with significant export presence, particularly in kosher markets. Competes with Castel across multiple price tiers in international kosher distribution.
• Carmel Winery: Israel's oldest and largest winery, offering a full price-tier portfolio from entry to premium. Competes with Castel primarily in domestic retail and export channels but at vastly greater scale and broader product range.
• Yarden Winery (Golan Heights Winery): One of Israel's most recognized premium wineries with broad international distribution and a wider portfolio than Castel. Overlaps on premium positioning but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple Israeli regions.

Emerging players

• Tabor Winery: Israeli boutique winery in the Galilee producing premium, terroir-focused wines. Comparable size and family-business profile, though distributed more domestically than internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiPnGHNgCRK8gCsAtMN10Gw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DomaineduCastel
• Instagraminstagram.com/domaineducastel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/domaine-du-castel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Domaine du Castel