A few days ago someone asked me what kosher wines were. I guess my first post should have been explained what that is.
“A kosher wine begins like every other – as grapes on a vine. These grapes may be grown and picked by any one (kosher or non-kosher). But once grapes reach the winery for crushing, the process is under strict rabbinal supervision.
- From crushing through bottling, the wine must be handled and processed by Sabbath-observing Jews.
- Barrels and tanks must be deemed kosher for use.
- The rabbi or Kashrut trained supervisor must observe all of the winemaking process.
- No work can be done on the Sabbath.
- During the production of kosher wine, no animal products may be used. Gelatin or egg whites are sometimes used by non-kosher wine makers, to clarify the wine, while kosher wine makers use a clay material, called bentonite, which pulls suspended particles to the bottom of the barrel.”
Wines produced in Israel also have other requirements.
“For a wine to be kosher, strict regulations must be followed. It really all begins in the fields.
- Grapes from new vines may not be used for making wine, until after the fourth year.
- Every seventh year the fields must be left fallow and there is a prohibition on growing other fruits and vegetables between the vines.
- For wine to be kosher one percent of the wine must be discarded, a symbolic remnant of the 10% tithe, paid to the Temple in Jerusalem in days gone by.
- Additionally, barrels must be cleaned three times.
There are two levels of kosher wine. The first includes the restrictions outlined above, while the second, known as “mevushal” utilizes an additional process. This is important since Kashrut law stipulates that in order for a wine to retain its ‘kosherness’ once opened and poured by a non-Jew or Jew who does not observe Sabbath, (such as a waiter, for instance) the wine must be "mevushal."
Bringing the liquid to a boiling point makes this type of wine, causing air bubbles to be brought to the surface and the loss of some wine, due to evaporation. A wine that is produced in this manner retains its religious purity, regardless of who opens or pours it. A study at the University of California at Davis, has proven that it is not possible to consistently taste the difference between non- mevushal and mevushal wine.”
For many years kosher wines in the US had a bad reputation because most of them were made in New York using concord grapes, which are not good for making wine because it’s very acid. In order to balance out the acid sugar was added to the wine. However, in the recent years great kosher wines have emerged from all over the world, not only in Israel but also in California, Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand and Australia, among others.
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