Ronnie James’ connection to the land was established early in life at various agricultural schools. His affinity to vines began some 50 years ago when he was asked to take over responsibility for Kibbutz Tzora’s long established vineyard. His love affair with wine began when he first tasted a wine made by a winery which purchased Tzora’s crop. Immediately, he decided to begin making his own wines.
James viewed the wine through the vines and weaved the various components together with an artist’s touch. He studied the behavior of the vines, analyzed weather conditions, took calculated risks – and ultimately followed his own instincts.
As the Israeli pioneer of Terroir, James was awarded the “Eshkol Hazahav” (Golden Bunch) award for his remarkable contribution to Israel’s wine culture. Sadly, he passed away in April 2008.
