While this site is not a kosher wine site, with many Israeli wine not being kosher and much kosher wine not being Israeli, I know it’s of interest to some readers and so I’m reviewing a new book out on the market, written by a New York real estate expert, The Kosher Grapevine: Exploring the World of Fine Wine
Disclaimer: I received the book as a review copy
Irving Langer’s The Kosher Grapevine: Exploring the World of Fine Wine is a beautiful coffee table book, with stunning photography and one of the most attractive layouts that I have seen in any wine book. In addition, it does not suffer from the English flaws of other books about Israeli or kosher wines. Kudos to the copyeditor! It would look great on any bookshelf or coffee table.
With an introduction by Daniel Rogov, providing a short introduction to the modern kosher wine industry, this is a broad overview of the kosher wine industry and the elementary tips to start. This provides the basic foundation for begin entering the world of kosher wine.
Surprisingly, though, Rogov does not touch on the issues of Israeli wine. For example, in his discussion of what makes a wine kosher, he leaves out the agricultural laws related to wine from Israel, providing an incomplete picture when understanding kosher Israeli wine.
Written by a real estate expert, not a wine expert, this is not the book to go to for accurate knowledges on wine. Unfortunately marred by several factual errors, it should not be seen of as an objective reference book with several errors in the glossary both about wine and also kosher/Jewish law. It was not reviewed by wine experts and, unfortunately, that shows. If you are seeking a reference guide about wine, you would be better served with The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition. In the glossary, they incorrectly define a varietal as a wine from a single grape variety and the word “derech” as a way of life, instead of “way” (Derech chaim would be a way of life). This errors do not stop, however, one from beginning their journey into wine appreciation, although, these glaring errors mar an attractive book.
In addition, one of the major flaws most books on kosher wine is that they treat kosher wine as a type of wine. So, for example, the chapter “Grape Varieties Used for Kosher Wines,” seems to imply that only certain grapes can be kosher — sure to lead to some misconceptions that other varietals can not be kosher. Nevertheless, for someone new to wine, The Kosher Grapevine: Exploring the World of Fine Wine provides an introductory framework to discovering the world of wine and beginning to enjoy it and is a great book if you are getting started on your journey to wine appreciation with its cute nostalgia (“no peasants with bare feet participate in this stage [crushing] anymore.”) The layout and beautiful pictures immerse the reader into the world of wine enjoyment.
While not intended for the expert, just as there are entry-level wines, The Kosher Grapevine is an acceptable entry-level wine book for people looking for the cultural nostalgia and some guidelines for how to start enjoying wine for pleasure. Just as an elementary school textbook does not have the accuracy of a university level textbook, this elementary book is a suitable entry into the world of kosher wine.
With high quality binding, amazing photography, and attractive layout, it is certainly appropriate for the bookshelf of the casual drinker.
