Kosher Wine: More Than Manischewitz

Imagine a Sunday night dinner amongst family or friends. The simultaneous laughter and chatter sounds like hyenas from a distance. All are gathered around the table and a silence sweeps over as glasses are raised for the toast or blessing. A speaker gives a few words and the meal begins. Each sip of the rich Hagafen Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon harmoniously coincides with every bite. California's greatest viticultural offspring sits at the center of the table. Upon grabbing the bottle, you recognize the Napa Valley designation. Would it surprise you to find the kosher seal on the label as well?

Decades ago, a kosher wine in the U.S. implied a sweet simplistic fermented juice from the concord grape. Back in the early 1900's, Manichewitz responded to the growing population of Jewish immigrants to the East Coast by providing an immediate source of wine for celebrations. Consumed religiously in the spring for Passover, on Shabbat the weekly day of rest, the festivities on Purim, and with other life celebrations, demand has continued to soar. Today, most countries around the world are satisfying our palates with kosher wines and upping the ante on quality in the bottle.

So what exactly does kosher imply on a wine label? The entire method of winemaking must be performed by a Sabbath-observant Jew and only kosher ingredients are permitted in the latter stages of production (i.e. filtering and fining). As the American melting pot of cultures continued to simmer together, standards evolved allowing other individuals to pick grapes and handle finished product while remaining kosher. According to these principles however, a Sabbath-observant Jew must cook the wine to restore its purity. This approach to winemaking that now accounts for the majority of kosher released, carries a meshuval status. Unfortunately, experiments with this boiling method sacrificed complexity in the glass. In recent years, a new technique called flash pasteurization has been enforced to prevent this impediment. Consider green beans. In order to avoid a dull and wilted vegetable, quickly blanching the beans on the stove top and submerging into an ice bath will restore the flavor and crunch. Similar to this cooking technique, modern technology has allowed for wine to reach a boiling point quickly and then immediately cool down without compromising any character.

Certain producers are worth seeking the next time you browse the aisles of your neighborhood wine shop. Manichewitz, as mentioned above, will cater to the cost-effective consumer looking for simplicity on the taste buds. Sweetened by cane sugar, this wine represents an easy drinking style. For stateside producers offering more complexity, Hagafen Cellars, Weinstock, Gan Eden, and Baron Herzog offer typical California varietals in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. The finesse and richness of Hagafen's Cabernet Sauvignon holds ground against the other hearty reds in the Stags Leap District. Weinstock Chardonnay keeps up with the Russian River pack by offering an oaky version with tropical notes. For the Old World Bordeaux seeker, invest in Baron Rothschild of the famed Lafite Rothschild family. And for those consumers keeping up with the Australian craze, Israeli producer Barkan has a Shiraz to satisfy the dark berry and peppered palate. Another Israeli born winery, Yarden has often received the quality stamp of approval from the Wine Advocate on their Bordeaux style varietals(Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay).

In a traditional sense, kosher wine will always maintain its significance for sacramental purposes. Fortunate for those consuming this sacred juice, the quality in their glass has evolved and continues to boom with the modern world of winemaking.

— Written by Kristen Muir

Photo credit: salon.com

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Tags : Kosher Wine, Manichewitz

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