Benhaim Winery

Rich Heritage from Romania

The Benhaim family's connection to wine dates back to 1880 in Botosani, Romania. This town, located near the Moldovan border, is renowned for its vineyards. Ruth Ben-Haim's grandfather, Shimon Binder, belonged to a family that owned a wine barrel workshop, crafting barrels from local oak trees. Shmuel Butnero, who worked for Binder, married his daughter and continued the family tradition of barrel-making. In the early 1940s, Shmuel and his family immigrated to Israel, where he built barrels for Carmel Mizrahi Wineries. In 1964, Eli Benhaim began his journey in the family business, and after marrying Ruth in 1967, they started making wine in small barrels. By 1970, they established a home winery in Ramat Hen, which later evolved into a boutique winery.

Vineyards of Distinction

Benhaim Winery's vineyards are located in the Upper Galilee region, specifically in Kfar Shamai within the Maron Reserve, at an altitude of 700 to 800 meters. This area is celebrated for its exceptional grape varieties. The rocky soil and favorable climate, characterized by ample sunshine, rainfall, and gentle breezes, create ideal conditions for grape cultivation. The Benhaim family employs a dense planting method, which yields a limited quantity of high-quality fruit. This meticulous approach requires frequent manual labor and is more costly but results in superior grapes. Additionally, the winery sources grapes from mature vineyards over 20 years old in the Upper Galilee, enhancing the unique character of their wines.