Traditionally, wine has been used extensively by the Jewish population for religious purposes, even being considered a sacred beverage. To comply with the religious laws of Judaism, the
kosher
In practice, the Jewish community has developed kosher wines, which are also consumed for the pleasure of tasting.

So what makes a wine kosher?

Making a product kosher means removing all its non-kosher components, none of which are used in wine production. In practice, the laws of
kosher
is more about who makes the wine than what it’s made from.

Kosher wine should only be handled by observant Jews. All ingredients, including the proteins used for clarification and stabilization, must be kosher.

When it comes to labeling, a bottle of kosher wine follows precise standards, such as the presence of the four signs of
kosher
(Hebrew Bible food code), the logo of the
Beth Din
(Council of Rabbis) logo, the words
“Kosher Pesach
(recognized kosher product). The logo
KBDP
may appear on the cork, label or capsule, indicating that the wine has been produced in a limited series under rabbinical supervision.

The history of kosher wine

According to archaeological evidence, the Jewish people have been drinking wine since biblical times. Yet it’s only recently that Israeli viticulture has developed and experienced its “renaissance”.

In 1980, the production of dry, quality wines increased and became significant. In 1988, Rabbi Dov Behr Abramson, renamed Manischewitz, moved to Cincinnati in the United States. After marketing unleavened bread, he moved into wine. Today, Manischewitz is, along with the Royal Wine Company, the largest producer and importer of kosher wine, still located in the United States. With 40% of the world’s Jewish population living in North America, kosher wine is widely available in local supermarkets.

In France, it was in 1996 that wine merchant Roberto Cohen introduced kosher wines from the Golan Heights to local wine lovers. Today, some of France’s great wines have their own kosher cuvée, so that the Jewish community can share in the pleasure.