CARMEL LEADS BY EXAMPLE: New Practices at Carmel Benefit the Region

CARMEL LEADS BY EXAMPLE
New Practices at Carmel Benefit the Region

It is nothing short of a winemaking revolution and it is already reverberating across Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean. Since David Ziv took over as CEO and Managing Director of Carmel in 2002 the winery has undergone sweeping changes. The Israel Wine & Grapes Board has heralded those improvements and recently recommended that all Israeli wineries follow Carmel's new initiative in the search for greater quality.

"This is an exciting time for us, as our vision of a new Carmel finally comes to fruition. We are confident that all of Israel's wine producers will benefit from our new practices and policies,' says Ziv. "Carmel's metamorphosis is evident at every level. In and out of the vineyards, a true revolution has taken place that will affect the whole of Israel's future in wine.'

Follow the Leader
Israeli wineries are now urged to consider practices recently deployed by Carmel in regard to their winegrowing management. Growers have been given incentives that encourage excellence at all stages of vineyard management, including lower yields at harvest and the growing of quality varieties. The message from Carmel is clear; growers are cultivating wine, not just grapes in their vineyards.

In another pioneering move, Carmel introduced a two-tier trellising system in the Upper Galilee—they are the first to adopt this idea in Israel, which was recommended by famed Australian vitculturalist Dr. Richard Smart. The two-tier trellising system was implemented in order to improve canopy management. This new practice will insure that the delicate balance between amounts of sunlight, number of leaves, and quality of fruit is enhanced to produce higher quality, more concentrated wines.

Innovative Programming Advances the Region
But, this is merely the beginning. Carmel's mission to lead the winemaking renaissance in Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean has driven them to develop and sponsor many new programs including a professional forum for Israeli winemakers. According to Ziv, "the development of this forum is to advance the professionalism and pursuit of excellence of all Israeli winemakers.' Seminars, guest lecturers and tastings will be featured at the meetings.

Recently Carmel also announced the sponsorship of a new award at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition in London. Starting in 2004 ‘The Carmel Trophy for the Best Wine Producer in the Eastern Mediterranean' will be awarded in a sustained effort to support what Ziv calls "one of the ‘newest' and most historic quality wine growing regions.'

Furthermore, Carmel plans to market a series of boutique wineries from different parts of Israel around the globe. Wherever possible the wines will be distributed together, and even where existing agreements are in place, joint public relations and marketing events will be held together. Ziv explains, "Our aim is to show the quality and variety of the Israel wine industry, and with the boutique wineries and Carmel together, to advance the image of Israel as a quality wine producing country.'

Infusing Wine with New Spirit
Of course, creating incentives and programs alone will not improve Israel's current winemaking reputation. Adam Montefiore, Carmel's new International Marketing Director, realizes that the region must increase its commitment to quality in order to gain the recognition it seeks and deserves. "Our goal at Carmel is to produce handcrafted wines that represent the terroir of Israel,' says Montefiore. "Therefore, we have created a team that combines experience and tradition, along with cutting edge practices and beliefs. We have completely returned winemaking to the domain of winemaker starting with accountability; our oenologists are now responsible for a wine from vineyard to bottle.' Montefiore believes that young winemakers such as Eran Goldwasser, Lior Laxer, Sam Soroka and Yaniv Stern bring not only a fresh outlook, but also knowledge and experience from around the world. Carmel believes this infusion of new talent is leading them in the right direction.

Carmel's pioneering spirit is again evident in the recent appointment of Etty Barad as the Manager of the Zichron Ya'acov winery—Barad is the first woman to manage a commercial winery in Israel. Zichron Ya'acov is also the location of Carmel's micro winery, where their most innovative ideas are tested such as clones, watering regimes and other pilot programs.

By infusing new energy from the top down at Carmel, Ziv has created a team that is significantly raising the bar on winemaking in Israel. Key members such as Montefiore possess qualities that are in tune with a ‘New Carmel'. Both Ziv and Montefiore are dedicated to the transformation—every step forward, no matter how big or small, is in the right direction for Carmel, the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, and wine lovers around the world. Israel will soon be a force to be reckoned with among the world's winemaking elite—led by the advances of Carmel.

Carmel is imported by the Royal Wine Company, Bayonne, NJ.

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