Judaism is firmly rooted in tradition, as are all aspects of kosher law. “Kosher” is an ancient Hebrew word meaning “fit” or “proper” with many of its rules, including those for food and drink, going back to Biblical times. While non-Jews have long embraced kosher hot dogs and kosher chicken, perceiving them to be clean, made with the highest quality ingredients, and under strict controls, this has not, until recently, been the case with kosher wine.
Common kosher wines of the past few decades consumed in the United States, including those from Manischewitz and Mogen David, were sweet, sticky, and often foxy — pungent and aggressively herbaceous — wines made with native grapes and then sweetened. Today kosher wine is one of the fastest growing segments in the wine industry, and found at all price points and styles. At the top end, noble grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese are grown and vinted just as they are for the traditional quality wines from their area. Today a kosher Bordeaux or Champagne should taste no different than a traditional Bordeaux or Champagne. The goal is to produce the highest quality product, and to satiate the needs of the ever-evolving American palate.
While styles, varietals or origins are not mandated, kosher wine is produced under rabbinical supervision and must be handled from the moment grape skins burst open as they are brought into the winery, and throughout vinification, by a Sabbath-observant Jew. In the past, wine handled or served by a nonobserver was considered unfit for sacramental use. These days, if the kosher wine is flash pasteurized, it becomes “Mevushal.” It may be handled by the general public and still remain kosher.
When thinking of kosher wines and how they are different from non-kosher wines, it may be helpful to think of the difference between organic and nonorganic wines. There are very high quality wines in both categories.
The grapes are handled only by Sabbath-observant Jews from crush to serving. If a non-Jew or a non-Sabbath-observant Jew touches a kosher wine even accidentally at any point from crush to serving it may not be consumed by someone who strictly follows kosher dietary law (see Mevushal below).
Only certified kosher products (yeasts, fining agents, etc.) may be used in the production. For example, gelatin may not be used to filter out sediment, and no dairy-based acids may be added to balance the wines). There is yeast involved in making wine, but this does not mean wine is forbidden during Passover. The only leavened products, or chometz, which are forbidden are those made with barley, oats, rye, spelt, and wheat. Wine, of course, is not made with any of those grains.
One Further Step: Mevushal
A Mevushal wine is one that may be handled by the general public and still remain kosher. To become Mevushal, the must, or crushed grapes and juice, is flash pasteurized before fermentation for white and blush wine, and just after alcoholic fermentation for reds. In the past, the much harsher process of boiling was used. The point was to “morally sterilize” the wine so it could be shared by non-Jews, and nonobservant Jews with observant Jews. Torah scholars noted that boiling wine would make it unfit for pagan consumption and therefore less likely to encourage fraternization, which was frowned upon. In flash pasteurization, the wine (or must) is held for a few seconds at a temperature above 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit) and then dropped back down to its normal temperature.
This process may actually help to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors, and does stabilize color and fruit tannins. Beer, juices, and many non-Kosher wines are flash pasteurized for positive effect and also to naturally retard spoilage. Many Kosher wines today are Mevushal.
Kosher Wines from Around the World
United States (California): Weinstock; Hagafen, Napa Valley; Gan Eden, Russian River Valley; Baron Herzog; Mount Maroma by St. Supery
Chile: Alfasi, Valle del Maule
Australia: Beckett’s Flat, Margaret River, Western Australia
France/Bordeaux:Barons de Rothschild Haut Medoc, Chateau Belair, Chateau, Giscours, Chateau La Gaffeliere, Mouton Cadet
There are three symbols of kosher wine: “U” enclosed within a circle, which means the wine has been approved by the Orthodox Union, “Kof-K” or “Star-K.”
Here are two Kosher wines that are delicious on their own right and a bargain at $9.99 each at Bay Area Trader Joe's stores:
2006 Baron Herzog Chardonnay Central Coast
2006 Baron Herzog Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi
Join Catherine Fallis MS, CWP, aka grape goddess, named “Best of the Bay” by San Francisco Magazine for wine education, for this delectable lineup of artisanal chocolates and eight wines. $75 per person. Call 888-PCI-LEARN or e-mail deriksen@pcichef.com; grapegoddess@planetgrape.com for reservations and information.
France/Champagne: Laurent Perrier Brut Rosé NV, Nicolas Feuillate Brut NV, Heidsieck-Monopole Brut NV 
South Africa: Zandwijk, Paarl
