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Kosher Wine
There is quite a bit of history related to Kosher wine-making so we'll just cover a few facts you might find interesting. Since Biblical times Israel has been making wine which was shipped to ancient Egypt. These wines were generally not very good. They were seasoned with honey, pepper and juniper berries. It was very thick, syrupy, and it was so sweet that it was almost undrinkable. In the 1870's Kosher wine production would get a boost from Baron Edmond de Rothschild. His attempt to construct a winery was halted when the Turks heard that Rothschild was building a "fortress" possibly aiming to liberate Palestine from the Turks. (This is another history lesson.) During this period the wines were red, sweet and very unappealing. In 1875 the British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, was given a bottle of Kosher wine from Palestine which he said tasted like an elixir he would receive from his doctor for a bad cold. This review did not help Israel's wine-making reputation. It was well into the 1960's that Israel's reputation for making Kosher wine continued to be criticized. Finally in the 1980's the demand for more sophisticated wines from Israel came about as travel abroad became more common. Israel's Wineries In the 1980's a state-of-the-art winery was built with trained wine makers from the University of California at Davis and the Golan Heights Winery came to be. Since they began production, their wines have received accolades and a gold medal in International competitions.
The Golan Heights Winery along with at least eight other important wineries in Israel now produce wines made from the popular grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, as well as grapes from other regions such as Tempranillo, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Viognier, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Not to be ignored is the growing number of boutique wineries in Israel that are also producing high quality wines. Today, some Israeli wines are being compared to wines of the respected chateaux of France. Age-Worthy Kosher wines are being produced in many regions other than Israel. Quality Kosher wines are produced in California, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and South Africa as well as other wine producing regions throughout the world. Kosher Wine Society If you would like more information about Kosher wine, go to www.kosherwinesociety.com. They pride themselves as the foremost educators in Kosher wine. They have started a catalogue of Kosher vintages so that you can locate a wide selection of quality Kosher wines. There are recipes and pairing information as well.
La'Chaim! Kosher Wine Selections and Pairings
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