“I believe that each phase of my life, in one way or another, was preparation for what I am doing now. Without those experiences, I don’t think I could have done what I did with Castel wines,” confided Eli ben-Zaken, founder and director of the Castel Winery. http://www.castel.co.il/homepage.html

Creating what is arguably Israel’s best boutique wine was only the most recent of Eli Ben-Zaken’s many challenges. Born in Egypt, life for his family, along with that of most Jews, became ever more difficult in the mid-50’s. The tumultuous period subsequent to the 1919 revolution when Egypt broke away from Britain and many businesses were nationalized became untenable during the Suez war in ’56. Jews were perceived to be Zionists and communists – the excuse given for endless arrests. Eli’s uncle, an attorney who defended many Jews accused of the crime of being a Zionist, was also arrested. Foreigners had been departing Egypt en masse. Fearing they would no longer be able to avoid the dangers, Eli’s parents planned to leave Egypt for Australia. However, attaining identity papers necessary to leave the country was nearly impossible.

Although Eli’s father was born in Egypt, he was never given citizenship making it that much tougher to come by departure visas. The government instituted a range of taxes and fees forcing the Jewish community to leave behind most of its wealth in order to exit the country. After much tribulation, Eli’s parents finally managed to secure three exit visas. Just before leaving Egypt for Australia, Eli’s Italian mother’s connections led to his father attaining a job in Italy as an export manager for a factory.

It was September, the start of the school season. With his plans to attend school in Australia abruptly terminated, Eli had only a few days he had to decide whether to study in Italy in a language he did not yet know or go to a boarding school in England. At 14yrs old, Eli Ben-Zaken headed to Britain on his own. He pursued his first degree in Economics and language at University in Italy followed by a masters attained at the School of Interpreters in Geneva.

Throughout his life, Eli felt an affinity for the land of Israel. In July 1967, he postponed his impending marriage and university exams in order to serve with the Israeli army during the Six Day War, after which he volunteered on a farm here for 3 months. Subsequent to his return home to Geneva, Eli observed the 1968 student revolution in Europe. He saw that although the Jews joined in supporting the revolution, they were perceived as dangerous outsiders. “That convinced me that there was only one place for the Jews – to be in my own country,” Eli explained.

So in 1970 with a one year old daughter, Ilana, and his wife, Monique, Eli made Israel his home. In 1971 they purchased the farm in Ramat Raziel, a small Moshav in the Judean hills just West of Jerusalem. The setting was well suited to Eli’s and Monique’s first business venture in the land of Israel – a horseback riding school. Meanwhile, Eli entered the Israel Defense Forces. However, as a father, the full three year army service was not an option. Eli was placed in the program called Shlav Bet, or Second Stage, and sent to an artillery unit. His service time was limited to a few months spread out over each year. That is until the Yom Kippur War. Like many fathers during this war, Eli was called to serve for six months straight. And like many families, the Ben-Zakens suffered the ravages of that war including watching their business go bankrupt. “Luckily, we had the house,” Eli said in all sincerity. “Although we had no money for food or heat, we had a roof over our heads.” Without hesitation, Eli took the first job that was offered – working in a nearby hatchery. “My ability to read English got me the job and it went well. But there’s little money in agriculture. So a few years later, in the early 80’s, Monique, the three kids and I opened a restaurant in Jerusalem.” Meanwhile, Eli continued his reserve duty. “I was a second lieutenant by the age of 34 and a Major at 48,” Eli noted with pride.

Things were going well at the restaurant. With an Italian menu, wine was a must. Seeking supplies for his customers exposed Eli to quality wine for the first time. “I never liked wine as a kid. My family was not into wine; we only had cheap, simple wines that were boiled until they had no flavor.” After many years of financial pressure, the Zakens were finally able to go on holiday abroad. It was the late-80’s when they traveled through France and Italy tasting top-of-the-line wine. “The par between Israel’s wine and what we were tasting abroad was huge. It gave me incentive to start making wine.”

What began as a hobby came to take up more and more of Eli’s time. Yet he was unprepared for the unbridled success of his first bottling in 1992. Serena Sutcliffe MW, Head of Sotheby’s Wine Department, London was given a bottle of Castel’s Grand Van by journalist Dallia Penn Lerner.

The reply was stunning…

Dear Dallia

Thank you for bringing over that fantastic 1992 made by Mr Ben-Zaken. I tried it with my husband, David Peppercorn (also a MW) and we both thought it absolutely terrific. It is quite unlike other Israeli wines and
does not have any of those “cooked” and “herbaceous” flavours that I am afraid are prevalent in Israeli reds. This wine is a real tour de force, brilliantly made and very “classic”. Please give him our congratulations.
I hope others take the hint and learn how to do it. I wonder if his vineyard is at some altitude? He also must
have just the right clones and root stocks. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to know this wine. With all best wishes,

Serena
London, 15th August,1995

“I never had a dream to make wine. I really saw it as a hobby. But after that, we had to consider doing it seriously,” Eli stated matter-of-factly. “Wine is something to pass onto the next generation – a legacy for the children. We discussed it as a family and decided to go forward.” So while Monique and the three children ran the restaurant, Eli devoted himself full time to developing the winery. That is until Intifada broke out. “Bombs were going off everywhere in Jerusalem. I was in Ramat Raziel while my wife and children were at our restaurant. Each day I felt like I was sending them to the front line. Finally in 2002 we closed the restaurant.

“We put everything into the winery. They say good wine is about climate and technology. But it’s just as much about personality – being consistent, meticulous, having conviction in your chosen path.” In many areas of wine-making, the Castel Winery is a pioneer. No vines were grown for wine in the Judean Hills until they planted in 1988. “It was just serendipity that we happened to have a farm in the Judean Hills and that land turned out to provide excellent soil and climate for wine-making.”                      

                                                                When planting, Eli decided on a high density vineyard. The average vineyard has 2200 vines per hectare. The Castel Winery’s vineyards hold 6700 vines per hectare. Although this requires specialized equipment to maneuver the extra narrow paths between the rows of vines, the results are higher quality grapes. Another higher is cost that ensures the best possible wine is handpicking all the grapes. Machine picking causes loss of the juice that drops into the machinery during the harvesting. When machines are used, many stems stay on the vine instead of coming off w/the grape, contributing to reduced quality. At Castel, only French, oak barrels are used to age the wine. Each barrel yields a maximum of 300 bottles. Then these expensive barrels are replaced.

According to Eli, managing the finances of a business like wine-making, where a great deal of equity is in the cellar much of the time, takes solid financial acumen. Fortunately for Castel, Eli and Monique’s son, Ariel has the talent and education to carry the winery forward. In 1997 Ariel returned from a two year course of wine-making study and apprenticeship in Beaune College in France. “He came home wanting to do the actual wine making. I explained it had become my passion – and how many more years would I have to do it? He was miserable until he discovered that he is an excellent business and financial manager. He saved us from bankruptcy and made all the right decisions regarding finance and marketing. He’s not afraid to take advice and receive consultation. Even in the wine making I often ask his opinion.” As Eli said, to succeed in this business a wine-making personality is what it’s all about.

more photos: http://www.castel.co.il/images/Pictures/index.htm

To visit the Castel Winery or attain the oak wine barrels at a token cost, please contact them at http://www.castel.co.il/form2.html.