I don’t know whether to be happy that many people have already discovered this blog after only a week of existence or upset that many – by no means all – discovered this blog because they were looking for information on kosher wine.
This will be a constant refrain on this blog:
ISRAELI DOES NOT MEAN KOSHER
At the same time, there is no reason for someone who is not Jewish or kosher-keeper not to drink wine that “just happens to be” kosher.
In fact, while all of the larger producers in Israel produce wine that is certified kosher, and thus most Israeli wine is certified, most of the smaller boutique wineries do not have kosher certification. Thus Israeli is not a synonym for kosher.
But, while we’re on this topic, what does it mean for a wine to be kosher? What doesn’t it mean?
It doesn’t mean:
- That it was blessed by rabbis
- That it is sweet and syrupy
- That it’s Concord
- That it was cooked
- That it was made in any way differently than non-certified wine
It does mean:
- That the wine production process is the same as any other wine
- That it was made only by observant Jews
- That the ingredients are all certified and do not contain any dairy (unless otherwise stated) or meat (such as bone fining, as is common in some European wines), particularly in the fining process.
- The equipment must be kosher, meaning nothing non-kosher (various meat and dairy products, for example) should have touched the equipment unless it was koshered (usually boiled thoroughly, this is empty and without the wine in the vats)
If it’s an Israeli wine it also means:
- That the grapes of new vines can’t be used for winemaking until the fourth year after planting (orla)
- No other fruits and vegetables may be grown in between the rows of vines
- The rules of shmita must be followed. Either land must be sold to a non-Jew in a leniency called heter mechira or the land must lay fallow every seventh year.
- A symbolic amount of wine must be poured away, reminiscent of the tithes to the Temple in Jerusalem.
As you can see, none of this affects the quality of wine. In fact, some of the issues specific to Israeli wine are actually recognized as sound agricultural practices.
Yet, in part due to the added expense of having only Orthodox Jews touching the wine, many of the small Israeli wineries are not certified kosher and the ones that are certified. So, both there is no reason for a kosher wine not to be worth drinking by all and also many Israeli wines are not certified kosher.
