What Are Kosher Wines ?

Kosher wines are made under strict laws and guide lines that are steeped in history and traditions. The laws dictate that no animal products come in contact with the wine. All of the equipment including tanks, crushers, presses have to be cleaned three times by steam cleaning, scalding hot water and when needed, blowtorches. Barrels should be new, but if they are used, they have to have been used for Kosher wines exclusively.

The Kosher laws are so strict that anyone who is not Jewish, for instance a waiter at a restaurant, cannot open a bottle unless the wine has been produced in a special manner called Mevushal, which means cooked. The belief is that making wine in the Mevushal method will keep its religious purity no matter who opens it. The law allows grapes from any vineyard to be used because all fruit is considered to be Kosher.

Manischewitz Wines is probably the best known Kosher winemaker in the United States. The company has been in existence for more than 60 years, first in Brooklyn, New York and now in Naples, New York .

Manischewitz produces a sweet Concord Grape, 100% Blackberry wine, a Smooth & Light Concord Grape, a full bodied sweet Cherry, Extra Heavy Malaga, a hearty red Elderberry, Medium Dry Concord,hearty red Loganberry, Cream White Concord, Cream Red Concord and Cream Peach.

Ferzog Wine Cellars is another American producer of fine Kosher wines. They produce a large variety of wines including Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet/Syrah, Zin Gris, Black Muscat, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvingon Jeuness.

Israel is also a major producer of Kosher wines. The wineries produce some of the finest in the way of traditional varieties. There are some that do best in the soil and climate of Israel.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most successful. It can be fruity with a touch of tea, a little spicy, or with an herbaceous flavor. Merlot is another variety that does very well. It tends to be on the dark side while keeping the traditional spicy and fruity touches. Sauvignon Blanc will be delicate and cirtusy with other fruit flavors. Chardonnay can be smooth and buttery or spicy with the flavors of pear and oak.

Some of the tho wineries in Israel that produce these wines are Carmel Winery, Ella Valley Wineries, Binyamina Winery, Galil Winery, Psagot Winery, Barkan Winery. Dalton Winery and Tbor Winery.

Sources:

Abarbanel Wine Company

Top Kosher Wines

Manischewitz Wines

Herzog Wines