Judean Hills is an ancient wine-growing region located near Jerusalem in the foothills of the Judean mountain. This is the core territory of the Kingdom of Judah, where the earliest Jewish settlements were settled. The region is small, but it contains nearly a third of all Israel’s vineyards. Most of them are small parcels composed primarily of terra rossa topsoil over limestone bedrock, and many of the vineyards are grown on terraces or in narrow valleys. The climate of Judean Hills can be described as continental with beneficial diurnal fluctuations resulting from warm daily temperatures that are balanced by cooling winds from the Mediterranean Sea and cool nighttime temperatures. It is as well a high altitude region that goes from 300 to 1,000 meters. The region has four main wine-growing areas including Hebron, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah. The most popular grapes planted are the Burgundian grape varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which have demonstrated great potential, and the Bordeaux grapes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Although not one of Israel's better-known wine regions, Judean Hills is an emerging viticultural area, and significant potential has been identified for its future.