I had seen wines around with the brand name ‘Oblass’ on the label and was curious. Wine lovers were mentioning them in passing, and some people I respect in the industry were listing them. It bothered me that I, who was meant to be up to date, had not come across the wines. I decided to investigate and invited Zlil Oblass for an interview.
The Golan Heights Winery taught the Israeli wine industry about state-of-the-art viticulture and New World winemaking technology. It also taught the wine trade about marketing a quality product of prestige and value. This included selling an image rather than just cases of wine, and emphasized the importance of wine education, professional wine service, gastronomy and wine tourism as integral parts of the overall effort. This was a revolutionary message in Israel at the time. Up front, above all else, was the concept of success through people. The winery understood it was part of the people business, not just the wine business. After all, everything is personal in the end. Whether it was co-opting growers to grow wine, creating a sense of family at the winery, moving closer to the end customer or maintaining positive relationships with retailers and sommeliers, the Golan Heights Winery was the first to teach the industry that the personal approach is how it is done.
It has been a horrible year for Israelis and Jews worldwide. Demons that we thought were at bay have come out of the woodwork to ruin the horizon. The loss and pain have been so great in the House of Israel, that it is difficult to carry on as normal. However, some days demand a spirit of togetherness which creates a sense of enjoying the moment and looking forward.
At Terravino 2024, Israel’s leading international wine and spirits competition, I was awarded the Terravino Lifetime Achievement Award. The person who rang me to give me the news was the Terravino creator, owner and manager, Haim Gan. In my acceptance speech, I said I looked forward to being present when Haim Gan himself received his Lifetime Achievement Award. The chances of him awarding himself this prestigious prize is pretty remote, so I thought I would least record for posterity his extraordinary career. This is someone I have known for more than thirty years, so I am well placed to tell the story of his contribution to Israeli wine.
