Kosher Wine

This year, the Jewish holiday of Passover, which commemorates the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt, starts next Tuesday, March 30^th, and continues for a week. As the Jewish calendar stipulates a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, the first night of celebration begins in a week, on Monday the 29^th. During this ritualistic dinner, called Seder, four cups of wine are drunk ceremoniously, and it is in honor of these cups that today we discuss kosher wine.

The Hebrew word kosher translates to “proper” or “pure”. Kosher wines are those that satisfy strict criteria, making them suitable for consumption by religious Jews. Generally speaking, kashrut (dietary law) concerns the source of food, and forbids certain foods, none of which are typically used in wine making; kashrut in wine, then, mostly concerns production. Kosher wines can be made worldwide, from any variety of grape, and are not restricted by style. However, to be considered kosher, the wine must be handled by an orthodox Jew at all times – from harvest, to wine making, to bottling. Certain ingredients are forbidden, as well, like casein (a dairy derivative) and gelatin (an animal derivative), which are sometimes used in the fining process.

Strictly religious Jews may require yayin mevushal wine. Mevushal means “cooked” or “boiled”; boiling renders the wine unfit for non-Jewish religious rites, and keeps the wine kosher, even if served by a nonobservant Jew, or someone who is not Jewish. Though once upon a time, this meant wine was actually boiled, today Mevushal wine can be produced through flash pasteurization, which avoids bringing the grape juice to a simmer or boil, and reduces any loss of flavor and texture. Note, however, that most higher quality kosher wines are not Mevushal.

Those who have celebrated Seder dinner at an American table are probably familiar with Manischevitz: a sweet, heavy, sacramental red made from Concord grapes. Concord grapes are from the species Vitis labrusca, and indigenous to North America. When Jewish immigrants settled in the northeastern United States, this was the principal variety available to make wine. Concord grapes are rather acidic, and sugar was added to make the wine more palatable.

Kosher wine for Passover is not longer relegated to super-sweet styles like Manischevitz; quality kosher table wines are available from regions all over the world, like California, Spain, Australia, Italy, France, and, of course, Israel. (Not all wines from Israel are kosher; if you are looking for an Israeli Passover-friendly wine this year, be sure to ask your salesperson for more information.) Most wine-producing countries make kosher wines, which means you can enjoy almost any style of wine you’d like in your four ceremonious cups this Seder.