Month: October 2024

Israel Flam has celebrated his 80th birthday joining other famous wine octogenarians like Eli Ben-Zaken of Domaine du Castel and Yair Margalit of Margalit Winery, not forgetting Mimi Ben-Joseph who is in his nineties. Flam worked for 35 years at Carmel Winery, the largest winery in Israel, and is the now the patriarchal figure of Flam Winery, one of Israel’s very finest small wineries.  During his career, he has overseen enormous changes in the wine scene in Israel. 

Baron Edmond de Rothschild founded the Israeli wine industry by planting vineyards in the coastal plain. These were in the valleys of the southern Mount Carmel, and south east of what was to become Tel Aviv.  When the quality revolution took place from the 1980s onwards, Israeli wine gradually moved northwards and eastwards in search of altitude. At high elevation, the climate was cooler, the growing season was longer and this was more conducive to a quality product. Today, more than 40% of Israeli vineyards are situated in the Galilee which borders on Lebanon, and on the Golan Heights, which borders on Syria.

Yatir Winery is approaching its 25th year anniversary. During all this time, the same CEO and winemaker have steered the winery. That is rare continuity amongst Israeli wineries. As a result of their skill and a unique terroir, Yatir has become one of our finest small wineries and it is the undisputed star of the south. Yatir Winery was founded in 2000 at Tel Arad in the northeastern Negev Desert. The winery overlooks the traditional Ramat Arad vineyard and close by there is a swathe of newly planted vineyards which hint at success, growth and a productive future. All is overlooked by the Tel Arad Citadel, an archaeological site with 3,000 years of history. Wine was part of the story even then. An ancient papyrus was found there with the important message scratched on it by a soldier: “If there is wine, send quantity.” This was dated 2,600 years ago!

It is hard to believe nearly a year after October 7th, that we are still at war in Gaza, that Israelis in the north are still living like refugees in their own country and that the hostages are still not home. The country has never been so split. We are going through the worst times since the founding of the State and a collective depression has descended on Israelis everywhere.

Quite apart from anything else, Israeli wine has been under attack. A winemaker was killed; wine hobbyists kidnapped and murdered in captivity; a winery destroyed; vineyards burnt and other vineyards abandoned for security reasons; winery workers called up; visitors centers closed and wineries operating on a security footing. The damage to the Galilee and Golan has been eco terrorism at its worst.

A similar article first appeared in the Jerusalem Post