WINES WITH A SENSE OF PLACE, GROWN IN THE JUDEA REGION, UP ON THE JUDEAN HILLS AND IN THE UNIGE VALLEYS OF THE JUDEAN FOOTHILLS

The family history of the brothers, Golan and Gilad Flam, is intertwined with the story of the development of the Israeli wine industry. The smells of the cellar, the fermentation, the barrels, the excitement and tension of the harvest season, the bottles and the life cycle of the winery, all these were formative childhood experiences for them. As children, the brothers used to play on hot summer days in the cool cellars of the winery, when their father, Israel Flam, was the head winemaker of Carmel Winery – Rishon Le Zion Cellars in the 1970s. Golan, the eldest brother, was born amongst the vineyards of the famous Stellenbosch wine region in South Africa, during the family’s stay in the country for his father’s specialization in wine production. Thus, he was introduced into the world of wine virtually from the day he was born. He then grew up working at the winery in the summer months and was very aware of the different seasons of wine production. When Golan reached the age of Bar Mitzvah, the family went on a trip to Napa Valley in the United States. Later it became clear that this is the trip that caused Camelia Flam, the mother of the family, to plant the seeds of the family dream. As the years passed, Golan gained experience in the world of wine. After completing agricultural economics studies at the Faculty of Agriculture, he went on a motorcycle trip with a friend in Europe.

After an unforgettable visit and stay in Bordeaux, he understood the passion that was burning within. So it happened that in August 1996, Golan went to study Oenology in northern Italy. He is nothing if not a perfectionist, so for six months he studied Italian. He then continued to study Oenology while working at the Carpineto Winery in Tuscany. These were years which clearly influenced Golan’s preferred wine style. He was exposed to elegant and well-balanced European wines, and this style would accompany him throughout the years of creativity to come. After he finished working and studying in Italy, with a desire to deepen and gain further experience, Golan continued his professional journey in South Australia. There, he had the opportunity to learn about growing grapes in warm climate conditions, reminiscent of the local conditions in Israel. At the same time, his brother, Gilad Flam, finished his law degree. Being young, energetic, full of energy and blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit, he found himself buying in to his mother’s dream. On a trip to Tuscany, the two brothers met. Both of them had been deeply influenced by the idea of Italian family wineries, particularly regarding the quality Tuscan wineries. The two put flesh on the bones of their mother’s dream and built a vision of establishing a family winery.

The idea of founding a family winery to produce quality Israeli wines that best reflect the local terroir, was extremely innovative it its time. So, at the end of the 1990s, these young brothers, aged 25 and 27, together with their mother, decided to fulfill the vision and make the dream come true by establishing a quality family winery. They were without experience, but they were overflowing with passion and ambition. The beginning was full of challenges. Resources were limited, in terms of logistics, budget, knowledge and experience, but courage, determination and the willingness to learn, were in abundance. From the first moment, Golan did not compromise on anything, either in the vineyard or winery. He was determined to do whatever was necessary in the pursuit of quality. At the same time, Gilad faced the challenges of a new and complex business. Building the market in Israel and learning about markets overseas, exporting and managing the communications and logistics. The spirit and determination of the trio, also brought in Israel Flam, their father, who became harnessed to the common goal. Gefen, Golan and Gilad’s younger sister, also joined the family project from the very first day. The family vision, whose roots are deep in the soil, expresses pioneering alongside faith and confidence in the local terroir.

This led the family to decide to settle in the Judean Hills in 2005. From then until today, the winery is situated in the green heart of the Forest of Eshtaol, surrounded by vineyards and overlooking the magical landscape of the Judean Hills. The winery has vineyards in the Judea region, most of them in Even Sapir and Givat Yeshayahu, and the vineyard plot next the winery at Eshtaol. Today, Flam Winery, a pioneer of family wineries in Israel, is one of the leading quality wineries in the country. The winery consistently produces wines showing well-balanced elegance, which express the unique character of the local terroir. Futhermore the wines, across the board, are internationally recognized. The brothers Gilad and Golan Flam, together with their mother Camelia, founded the winery out of a shared vision, great passion and a love for wine are fully active in what is going on at the winery, Gilad is responsible for business development and day-to-day management, Golan is the winery’s winemaker and Camelia is responsible for the financial side. The family are involved in every aspect of managing the winery, from the vineyard to the glass.