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(213) Leave a comment ›

“QOTD: I’ve never had kosher wine….” by ulu ulu ulu ulu
“QOTD: I’ve never had any kosher wine. I don’t care about “kosherness”…” by Phredd
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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

213 Responses

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September 19, 2009

ulu ulu ulu ulu
QOTD: I’ve never had kosher wine.
July 29, 2009

Phredd
QOTD: I’ve never had any kosher wine. I don’t care about “kosherness”, so I’ve never sought one out. I still won’t, although if a good one comes my way, I’m game.
June 28, 2009

Adrian aka AnGkEr
Interesting show on kosher wine. Is there a possibility of trying out altar wines?
March 24, 2009

Kittysafe
Being Jewish I grew up around Kosher wines, and there are plenty of them that all tasted the same to me growing up in the ’80s. Very boring stuff and all the same. Finding a good Kosher wine in the 80s to me was not easy at all, of course I wasn’t looking as I was a little kid, but I have always remembered the taste of those wines.

I have not bought any Kosher wines myself until today, so I’m very curious how they will taste.

What I bought:

2004 Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint Julien
2003 Yarden Syrah
August 7, 2008

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.
May 19, 2008

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
January 20, 2008

Sharon
I tasted the Teperberg Meritage 2006 yesterday and thought it was super yummy.
September 8, 2007

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.
September 6, 2007

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.
September 1, 2007

Brendan L
“Tha GV”

COK
August 25, 2007

WINO
QOTD- Never had any Kosher wine.
August 25, 2007

YoungDave
QOTD: NOOOO I’ve never had a Kosher wine… that’s one more to add to the “yet to be tasted” list.
August 24, 2007

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.
August 24, 2007

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.
August 24, 2007

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.
August 24, 2007

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…
August 24, 2007

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’?
August 24, 2007

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!!!!
August 24, 2007

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
August 24, 2007

TommyTom
Please excuse the second entry on the Political topic— I thought that my first statement failed to post due to error
August 24, 2007

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?
August 24, 2007

Brandon M
#190 es Muy Lamo
August 24, 2007

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.
August 24, 2007

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.
August 23, 2007

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.