The coastal regions of Sharon and Central Coastal Plain are Israel's traditional grape growing areas, where Carmel's vines were originally planted. In the northern Sharon Plain, Israel's largest wine growing region, benefiting from Mount Carmel Range and from breezes off the Mediterranean Sea, Carmel owns extensive areas of vineyards. The main concentration of vineyards is in the valleys surrounding the winery towns of Zikhron Ya'akov and Binyamina. This is the largest region for Carmel which surrounds the Zikhron Ya'akov Winery. It was announced in early 2008 that a wine park would be created on the slopes between Zikhron Ya'akov and Binyamina in order to promote tourism in the area and wine tourism in Israel in general.