Nes Harim

Nes Harim (Hebrew: נֵס הָרִים, lit. Mountain Banner) is a moshav in Israel, eight kilometers from Jerusalem. "The name ... derives from Isaiah, XVIII,3": "When a mountain banner is raised, you will see it." Located in the Judean foothills near Beit Shemesh, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 588.

The moshav was established in 1950 by immigrants from Kurdistan and Morocco, on the lands of the Palestinian villages Bayt 'Itab and Dayr al-Hawa, which were depopulated in the 1948 War.

It is situated 2,275 feet (700 meters) above sea level. The early farmers planted orchards and vineyards, taking advantage of the fertile soil and unique climate.

The ruins of a Byzantine monastery were discovered on a hill on the southwest side of the moshav.

The Katlav winery is located in Nes Harim. In 1998 Yosi Yittach left his profession as an architect to seek a quiet life with his family. He went into wine making, first learning the trade from a Persian friend of the family who brought knowledge from “the old country,” where there was a strong oenophile tradition. He then supplemented his education with courses. First production was in 2004, and by 2006 he was bottling better quality wines certainly worth sampling. House specialties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay (10 percent Viognier), but what is unique is Wadi Katlav, a house blend (50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Merlot, 20 percent Petit Verdot)—different from an older version that had 50 percent Sauvignon, 40 percent Merlot and 10 percent Syrah—aged in French oak barrels for eighteen months before bottling.