Kosher Kings. Are Kosher Wines the Steals of this Era?

Kosher Kings. Are Kosher Wines the Steals of this Era? - Episode #297

August 21, 2007

Kosher wines have a cloud over their heads and to be honest they have deserved it up to about 3-4 years ago. Gary Vaynerchuk tastes what should be 3 serious Kosher wines!

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Comments on this episode(209) Leave a comment ›

“Tough episode, Gary. Sorry that none of the wines were really bringin…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
“Hey Gary and Vayniacs,
The political considerations in the comments …” by Harry
View all 209 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2002 Pardess Reserve MerlotIsraeli Kosher Wine
2003 Hevron Heights Syrah ReserveIsraeli Kosher Wine
2005 Covenant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (kosher)Other California Kosher

209 Responses

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about 2 months ago

Dessert Wine Nerd
Tough episode, Gary. Sorry that none of the wines were really bringing the thunder, esp. the last wine. Your poor face!! QOTD: Never had a single Kosher wine yet, but Im sure to try one down the line.
about 4 months ago

Harry
Hey Gary and Vayniacs,
The political considerations in the comments here was fascinating. i lived in Israel for several years, and currently work the wine director of a kosher restaurant, so have been in many of these debates before. Without going into it too much, I try to support the israeli wine industry, but avoid wines from the West Bank and especially Hevron, which is one of the more right-wing and controversial settlements. There are lots of great Israeli wines from the Galille region or the north, such as many mentioned below - Teperberg, Tisbhi, Galil, Dalton, etc. They tend to go very new world in style, with the exception of Castel, which produces great Bordeaux style wines.
One producer that often gets overlooked is Ernie Weir of Hagafen. His Syra, Cab and Prix Meritage are outstanding, and good values even with the kosher markup. Very worth trying
about 8 months ago

Sharon
I tasted the Teperberg Meritage 2006 yesterday and thought it was super yummy.
about 13 months ago

Leiby
Hey Gary! So I’m a newbie and I’ve been watching a marathon of your shows today. Was finally convinced to say hello! Glad you did one on the kosher wines. Manechevitz makes me want to hurl, but I can never find anything kosher that’s reallly happenin’. Even tried the new zealand goose bay sauv blanc because i love the tropical notes of those marlborough sauv blancs, but was dissappointed in its lack of tropical and citrus.

will you do another kosher wine show? one i tasted and liked was the special reserve “Z” Zinfandel from baron herzog.
about 13 months ago

Baruch Brodersen
Great show. Tasted the Hebron Heights Pardess last week so I know what you’re talking about. Also had the HH’s Isaac’s Ram. Similarly disappointing. Both of these wines, as well as the Syrah are not among HH’s best offerings, which imo are quite good.

If you can, check out the 2002 HH’s Armigeddon. Heavy on the oak, but boy what a wine! Their Makhpelah is also outstanding.

Other Israeli kosher wines that rock: Castel Grand Vin 2003. Yatir Forest 2003. Yarden Brut, non-vintage. Binyamina 2003 Sirah Chosen Series “Ruby.” A knockout! The Cave 2003.

Benhaim 2003 Cab Sav. Reserve.
about 13 months ago

Brendan L
“Tha GV”

COK
about 13 months ago

WINO
QOTD- Never had any Kosher wine.
about 13 months ago

YoungDave
QOTD: NOOOO I’ve never had a Kosher wine… that’s one more to add to the “yet to be tasted” list.
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
Al:
That’s interesting…I can respect that. It does bring me to another question though. Does this mean that a waiter can serve wine if he opens it right in front of the patron and leaves the open bottle on the table remaining in view of the religiously observant patron? Can he later return to the table so as to refill the glasses?

Lifestooshort: You make a good point, I must reconsider my own argument.
about 13 months ago

Al
TommyTom:
Just to respond; to explain why the prohibition applies to non-jews touching open wine bottles without actually touching the wine. In ancient times (when judaism was the only monotheistic religion) pagans would worship their idols, among other ways, by pouring wine upon the alter. Such wine would be prohibited to jews to drink. Consequently, a decree was enacted prohibiting consumption of all open bottles or casks of wine touched by non-jews because perhaps a pagan “tilted” or poured the wine with the intention of serving their idol. The decree was originally prescribed only to open casks or bottles for obvious reasons. Under the Jewish system of Stare Decisis (binding power of precedent) the decree remains in force today.
about 13 months ago

LMoC
Lifestooshort: Nicely put.

MetalDave: If the UN is your moral compass, then you may as well not drink wine produced by any UN member country which refuses to officially recognize the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
about 13 months ago

lifestooshort
Sorry, but MetalDave can’t drink any US wines, either. Our actions in Iraq have directly led to the deaths of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. In fact, relative to Israel? Our occupation of Iraq has killed a LOT more people than Israelis have–and that’s just in the last few years, forget about decades of occupation. And yes, wine is fun, but if you’re gonna bring politics into it, better be consistent in your logic…
about 13 months ago

lifestooshort
a LOT of dudes don’t wash their hands, and what’s up with that? I’ve got my excretory member of congress out, handling things and whatnot–I wanna share that with the world? What’s up with that?? Didn’t mama teach these people nothin’?
about 13 months ago

MetalDave
Yes, I know it was about Kosher wines, not Israeli wines.

I’m not going to get into a debate about Israel because this is not the place. I will say however, that of all of the countries you mentioned, Israel is the only one CURRENTLY perpetrating gross human rights violations and also the only one whose policies and “borders” are in direct violation of UN law. Once they comply with UN law and end the human rights abuses, I will be happy to forgive all past indescretions and drink all the Israeli wine I can find, just as I now drink South African wine (and German wine for that matter). The point of my boycott is to put economic pressure to effect change, not to judge or play a moral equivalence “hand.” Also, using past crimes to justify present ones is a flawed policy.

Also, to say that “the French collaborated with the Nazis” is quite inaccurate. Yes, a traitorous portion of the French population did collaborate with the Nazis, but apart from that there was a large passive population and a large resistance. Also, the de Rothschild family (Chateau Lafite, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, et. al.) are Jewish so I would seriously doubt their collaboration.

Anyway, forget about it - WINE IS FUN!!!!
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
Sorry for the double entry on the political issue–I did not realize it posted, due to an error…I just got the same error with this entry
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
Please excuse the second entry on the Political topic— I thought that my first statement failed to post due to error
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
I have a question for any kosher wine drinker able to answer. As a bartender, I have been told that, because I am not Jewish I cannot serve kosher wine nor can I even handle the bottle. Simply put, I cannot contact the wine.

My question is what does that mean? As long as I don’t dip my finger inside a filled glass, how is my touching the bottle different from the delivery person carrying a case (ultimately handling the wine), or the driver transporting the load, etc.? How would by touching the bottle amount to comming in “contact” with the wine in a manner greater than that of the delivery driver, or the stockperson in a wineshop?
about 13 months ago

Brandon M
#190 es Muy Lamo
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
MetalDave; I feel your pain –Kosher wines, yes…Israeli wines, no

LMoC, If boycotting American products would help the plight of the natives, then why not? If doing the same with Australian did the same, then again, yes….but the fact is that such efforts would prove futile, for these crimes are history. All human cultures are guilty of crimes against humanity, it’s in our nature.

Focusing of the here and now, future results can indeed be achieved by denouncing Israel with such boycotts. Israel’s actions actually do stand a chance of being tempered. As for Native Americans, their plight is tragic albeit history.
about 13 months ago

TommyTom
MetalDave, I can relate…kosher wines yes, Israeli wines no!
LMoC Certainly, all of mankind representing all cultures is guilty of crimes against humanity. However, those of Israel are most recent and most relavent in the present. Boycotting American products will do nothing for the natives, for their fight is history. Israel’s actions, on the other hand, can be tempered and something CAN actually be done by leading such denunciations as boycotts. Doing such things agains Australia, etc. would be futile.
about 13 months ago

LMoC
MetalDave: The episode was about Kosher wine, not Israeli wines. There are Israeli wines which are not Kosher, and there are Kosher wines which are not Israeli.

If political persuasions are going to be a factor in shaping your wine consumption habits:
Forget American wine. It’s “Wine from Occupied Native American Territory.”
Forget wine from France and Austria, as they collaborated with the Nazis. Forget Australian wine. It’s “Wine from Occupied Native Aboriginal Territory.”

If you’re going to play the moral equivalence hand, as so many critics of Israel do, then please, at least be consistent.
about 13 months ago

MetalDave
QOTD: No.

Just as South African products were boycotted during Apartheid, so should all Israeli products. No one should ever buy Israeli wine. If you want Kosher wine, get it from somewhere else. “Israel’s” best wines come from Syria anyway. In fact, one Scandanavian country has now required that all wines produced in the Golan Heights be labeled as “Wine from Israeli-Occupied Syrian Territory.”
about 13 months ago

crazy olive
new viewer…love the show…live in napa
about 13 months ago

SoCal
QOTD: sorry bro…I have not….but maybe someday
about 13 months ago

Jayhitek
QOTD: Nope.