Wine is a worldwide phenomenon, but it plays a unique role in Judaism. It’s been part of the culture for thousands of years! The old testament mentions wine more than a few times. As you might know already, like every other religion, Judaism has special rules, and they’re particular about what you’re allowed to eat and drink — we know these rules as Kosher.
Kosher or Kashrut are laws that protect people that choose to follow them from food that could be possibly contaminated or dangerous, something beneficial thousands of years ago. Today, Kosher laws are still prevalent, and they include more than food; they regulate wine.
What is Kosher Wine All About?
Kosher wine doesn’t necessarily look, smell or taste different from any other wine. This is because it’s still just fermented grape juice. For a while, though, Kosher wine had a bad reputation. Most of it was produced as “Mevushal” wine, a wine that’s been boiled or cooked before bottling, in a way, pasteurizing it. And although some people love the style, regular wine drinkers found these wines too sweet and peculiar thanks to their cooked aromas.
Luckily, flash pasteurization, a process that elevates the wine’s temperature for just a few seconds, doesn’t damage the wine or change its organoleptic properties, so even Mevushal wine is now pretty similar to ordinary wine!
Today, most of the Kosher wine in the market is not Mevushal but regular table wine. Still, its production is supervised by Sabbath-observant Jews, from the grapes’ harvest to the bottle.
Every ingredient in contact with wine must be kosher, including clarifying agents. However, standard winemaking ingredients (isinglass from fish bladders, egg whites, gelatin, and casein) are not Kosher, so every tiny detail matters. In addition, producers must use non-animal products to precipitate the solids in the wine, like bentonite clay.
Where to Find Kosher Wine?
A few years ago, Kosher wine was only consumed by the Jewish community. Still, today it’s more available than ever—at least one Kosher winery in every wine-producing country, from South Africa to Argentina. And since the wine is better than ever, it’s often worth seeking out.
Besides, if you want to enjoy the superb wines coming from Israel, an up-and-coming wine producer, it will probably be Kosher, and that’s okay. It comes without saying winemakers need more than a rabi’s blessing to market their wines as Kosher. They need a legitimate Kosher certification, and these demand quality standards are of the highest level. As a result, kosher wine is generally above average, at the very least.
Wine Is Meant to Be Enjoyed by All!
Kosher wine might be slightly different from standard wines, but it serves the same purpose — wine brings people together and makes any meal more enjoyable. So the next time you walk the wine aisles in the supermarket or browse your favorite online wine store, see if you spot a Kosher certification symbol. Give Kosher wine a try; we’re sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
