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Alcoholic Beverages
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Rudolf Jelínek‘s 400-Year Tradition of Making Slivovitz Bears Fruit in the U .S.
Rudolf Jelínek is a joint stock company engaged in the production of alcoholic beverages and currently ranks among the major producers of fruit brandy in the world. The company was founded in 1894 and follows a 400–year-old tradition of slivovitz-making in Walachia, Czech Republic.
The first written record of the existence of a distillery was found in the land and duties register of the Vizovice estate from 1585. The Wallachian climate is ideal for fruit trees and especially for plums. Traditionally, plums were made into jam or were dried. The production of the famed slivovitz began around the middle of the 18th century. Among the firms that were founded in Vizovice during that century, the company of Zikmund Jelínek, the father of Rudolf Jelínek, gradually became well-known.
The Razov agricultural production facility founded in 1894 made increased production possible. In 1934, after achieving kosher certification, Jelínek started exporting its kosher slivovitz around the world, giving the product widespread recognition. Exports increased, particularly before World War II. In addition to kosher spirits the company also produced cognac and apple brandy among other products.
On the threshold of the 21st century, Rudolf Jelínek a.s. is the biggest producer of distilled fruit beverages in Central Europe. Today, the heritage of the Jelínek family and the centuries of distilling tradition in Wallachia continue to attract satisfied consumers.
Currently the exports of Rudolf Jelínek a.s. constitute 27 percent of the firm’s sales, a percentage that continues to grow. Following the split of Czechoslovakia into two countries, a significant quantity of exports goes to neighboring Slovakia, while the United States remains an important customer. Other countries importing Rudolf Jelínek’s products are Austria, Hungary and Germany as well as Canada, Australia and South Africa. The company anticipates expansion of its export trade in future years, especially to Poland and Russia.
Rudolf Jelínek has complied with the strict criteria for kosher production since 1934. The firm has exported kosher slivovitz and juniper brandy to the United States where it met with a warm response from the Jewish community, especially in New York. Within a short time, Rudolf Jelínek rose to second place in the export of pure spirits to the U.S.
With the exception of the Second World War, kosher production has continued without interruption, with its kosher products comprising some of the most prestigious items made by the company. Besides Silver Slivovitz for Passover and Kosher Gold Slivovitz 10 Year, the company also sells Bohemia Plum Vodka and Pear Williams Brandy among other products. Customers include the United States (distibuted through the renowned importers Royal Wine Corp. and Kedem), Austria, France, Belgium, Canada and Australia. Recognizing the need for an internationally recognized and respected kosher certification, Jelinek attained OU certification in 1999.
Jelínek premium products are already available in more than 25 states (including New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, California and Nevada) with the number constantly growing.
The following Rudolf Jelínek products are available domestically: Kosher Gold Plum Brandy 750 ml, aged 10 years; Kosher Slivovitz 750 ml, aged 5 years; Silver Slivovitz, Kosher for Passover 750 ml; Kosher Pear Williams 750 ml; Bohemia Plum Vodka 750 ml. Visit our websites at http://www.rjelinek.cz and http://www.rjelinek.us.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Kosher: Consumer News • OU Kosher News • (8) Comments •
An OU Expert Finds He Can Go Home Again To a Town Where Both He and Scotch Have a History
My grandfather was what they call in the United States a “revenooer.” He was the excise man for the Scotch whisky distilleries in Campbeltown, a little town on the west coast of Scotland. I was born there and still vacation there. A little town now, but in its heyday it had more than 30 distilleries. There was a distillery/maltings not far away from our house, and as a little boy I routinely played in the maltings with the cats who “lived” in the barley. I retained an interest in Scotch whisky, including drinking it when I was old enough, and was thrilled when Rabbi Safran asked me to audit some distilleries which wanted OU kosher certification on their single malt whiskies. One of them was only a few miles over the water from my vacation cottage!
Scotch whisky production is not complex. Malted barley, yeast and water get fermented. The weak alcohol from the fermenters is distilled in old copper batch stills – not an efficient way to make pure alcohol but the only way to make the liquid gold that is a malt whisky — aged in barrels/casks and then popped into bottles with a little caramel color. Bottling is not usually done at a distillery but at dedicated bottlers.
The kosher problems are not at first obvious. Yeast is rarely a problem in the whisky industry; caramels likewise. Some distillers, though, may add a little antifoam to make distillation more efficient, and this can be a problem. Antifoams are little understood (magic, in fact) and can be made from almost anything, with the result that some are not kosher. This issue, however, is easily dealt with because antifoams are not part of the mystique of Scotch and are changeable. Casks, on the other hand, are very much part of the mystique.
Scotch is almost invariably aged in used casks, usually from United States Bourbon production. The chemistry of the interaction between cask and whisky is complex. The effect on flavor is also not simple. The use of casks which had previously held sherry or other grape-based wines is believed by some to improve the product. Thus a growing range of single malts are now aged for at least some period of time in such casks. This raises an instant kosher issue, and for kosher-certified whisky such casks must not be used unless they are from a kosher sherry production and are kosher certified (not yet available in large numbers). Happily, there are a number of distilleries where Bourbon casks are still the norm. Also happily such casks are easy to identify.There is a demand for kosher sherried whiskies. For the future – and kosher Scotch has a big future – we are considering possible techniques to turn existing not-kosher sherry casks into kosher ones. This would significantly reduce costs of such kosher runs. One obvious technique would be to char the interior of the cask. Alas this would destroy the virtues of the sherry cask for whisky aging. If the cask surface was very smooth, non-porous and uncracked, another approach would be to rinse the cask with boiling water. Whether the cask interiors would be smooth enough is one issue. Whether this would again destroy the virtues of the sherry cask is unknown. A less drastic approach currently under discussion is to use a technique more usually applied to make wine tanks kosher. In this the cask would be washed and then filled with cold water and left for 24 hours, with this process repeated three times.
Bottling plants are the major issue. A single bottling plant can handle a wide range of whiskies from heavily sherried to never sherried — which are of course by now out of their recognizable barrels and into tanks. It is important to ensure that the systems and tanks involved can guarantee separation and that the tanks never hold a wined whisky long enough for it to become not kosher. Distilleries are easy to audit but bottling plants take much more effort. Distilleries tend to be old fashioned, located in utterly beautiful, remote parts of Scotland and are a pleasure in every way to visit. Bottlers tend to be much more industrial, near the large cities, and are less exciting. Despite this, one characteristic feature of the whole industry is the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone one encounters. They are excited about their product and it shows.
Dr. John Meyer was born in Scotland and educated in Scotland, England and New England. He has a B.Sc (1st Class honours) from the UK and an Sc.D from MIT — both in Chemical Engineering. He has written a number of scientific papers and patents and worked for twenty years in the chemical industry, both in R & D and Plant Management, and lectured in Chemical Engineering in the UK. Since then he has worked mostly in the field of kashrut, spending the last 15 years with the OU. His specialty is microbiological engineering.
Alcoholic Beverages • Consumer Kosher • OU Kosher: Consumer News • (24) Comments •
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tomintoul Single Malt Whisky From the Scottish Highlands Announces OU Kosher Certification
From the highest of the Scottish Highlands now come varieties of single malt whisky manufactured by Tomintoul Distillery and newly certified by OU Kosher. Tomintoul, located in the community of the same name, the highest village in the Highlands, is owned by Angus Dundee, an independent company with over 50 years’ experience in producing, blending, bottling and distributing top-quality Scotch whiskies and other spirits.
These Tomintoul varieties, known in the industry as “the gentle dram,” include Tomintoul 10, 16 and 33 years old; they also include Peaty Tang, which is crafted using peated malted barley to impart a distinctive smoky and heathery flavor to the product.
Medek Wine & Spirits, a division of Royal Wine Corporation, is distributing this “Gold Medal” line of whisky that now is available to a wider audience worldwide thanks to its OU certification. “Given the growing popularity of Scotch whisky among kashrut observant Jews, Medek feels that providing the highly regarded OU kosher certification adds value to the Tomintoul offerings,” declared Gary Landsman, public relations spokesman for Royal Wine Corp.
Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing, commented that the Orthodox Union is pleased to add Tomintoul to the growing number of highly regarded OU certified scotch liquor products, and is gratified that the-ever growing kosher market place will now also be able to enjoy this ‘Gold Medal’ line of whisky.”
Angus Dundee, the parent company of Tomintoul, has a broad range of stocks of Scotch whisky of all ages, up to 45 years of age, which are supplied either as bottled in Scotland or in bulk for bottling locally. These whiskies are exported to more than 70 countries around the world, producing solid business growth, year after year, over the last decade. A key to the company’s success is the special relationships it establishes with its customers, who are treated very much as partners. Angus Dundee tailors product specifications to meet customers’ requirements, providing a rapid response to customers’ demands and expectations anywhere in the world by supplying excellent products at competitive prices.
Tomintoul, with its OU certification, is a perfect example of this business plan.
Alcoholic Beverages • Consumer Kosher • OU Kosher: Consumer News • Kosher Professionals • (23) Comments •
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Glenmorangie, Scotland’s Favorite Single Malt, Announces OU Kosher Certification
The Glenmorangie Company and Moet Hennessy USA announced today that Glenmorangie Original, Scotland’s favorite single malt, has become kosher certified by the Orthodox Union (OU), the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency. Additionally, its pioneering new expression, Glenmorangie Astar, has also become kosher-certified.
The company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whiskey brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). New packaging and promotional materials bearing the OU symbol will be distributed nationwide beginning in the next few months.
“We take great pride in producing Scotland’s favorite single malt whisky, using the finest Scottish barley and hand-selected American white oak casks of only the highest quality. The OU Kosher certification will bring our iconic brand to an entirely new consumer base that can now enjoy our products,” said Brian Cox, USA Brand Director, Glenmorangie.
“The OU rigorously monitors of all aspects of production. It supervises the process by which the whisky is created, examines the raw ingredients used to make Glenmorangie and regularly inspects the distilling and bottling facilities to make sure that its standards are met,” explained Mr. Cox.
“We are very pleased to have Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky become the first major single malt scotch brand to attain OU certification,” said Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing. “It was also gratifying for the OU to guide the Glenmorangie company through the certification process and bring this famous Single Malt brand to the growing kosher market place. It was rewarding for OU Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz and Dr. Avraham Meyer, to collaborate with the Glenmorangie team to bring these renowned products to an ever-growing kosher market place.”
The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, represents the fastest growing segment in Jewish life. The OU is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs), and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher certification label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 400,000 products manufactured in 80 countries around the globe.
Glenmorangie originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the 16 Men of Tain. The distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its fields, uniting tradition with innovation. Most recently, at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Glenmorangie was awarded the prestigious title of “Distillery of the Year.”
Today, the company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered near Edinburgh, Scotland, the company produces two main single malt brand — Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Kosher: Consumer News • (4) Comments •
Friday, September 11, 2009
Heering® Coffee OU Certification Announced
Kindred Spirits of North America, Inc. has announced that HEERING® COFFEE liqueur has been certified by the Orthodox Union. The OU, termed a “coveted seal of approval” by The New York Times, is one of the world’s best-known trademarks. Comparing it to the UL®, Forbes Magazine wrote, “If you want to know your food is kosher, you can look for the Orthodox Union’s OU symbol.” There are more than 400,000 approved OU products located in 80 countries around the world.HEERING COFFEE liqueur is made from a recipe using only natural ingredients and with no additives or artificial colouring. The base is a smooth blend of Caribbean rum, coffee and cacao. HEERING COFFEE liqueur can be enjoyed after dinner as a digestive but it is also excellent as a base for cocktails and long drinks.
"Cherry Heering has long been OU certified and I have no doubt that Coffee Heering will undoubtedly find its place of distinction within the ever growing worldwide kosher market place,” stated Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher's Vice President of Communications and Marketing in welcoming Coffee Heering to the ever growing list of the finest liqueurs that have attained OU kosher certification.
HEERING® COFFEE liqueur was introduced for the first time on the world market during the UK Bar Show in June 2007.
“The Heering liqueur brands are among some of the most recognizable and credible brands in the world,” stated Adéle Nilsson, CEO, The Xanté Company/Peter F. Heering. The Heering high brand standards are now aligned with the highest standards of kosher certification.”
The Heering brands have more than two centuries of history, beginning with the CHERRY HEERING® liqueur, which has been produced in Denmark since 1818. Since the re-introduction of CHERRY HEERING liqueur, the brand is making its presence undeniably known in the U.S. among discerning consumers and talented mixologists. CHERRY HEERING® liqueur, purveyor to H.M. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and H.M. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the original “Cherry Brandy.”
The re-introduction of CHERRY HEERING and debut of HEERING COFFEE liqueur in the U.S., brings with them new campaigns which will reinforce the brands’ authenticity and style.
HEERING® COFFEE liqueur OU labeled bottles will be available starting in the Fall of 2009.
For more information on CHERRY HEERING & HEERING COFFEE liqueur, please visit http://www.heering.com.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Kosher: Consumer News • OU Kosher News • Newly Certified • (6) Comments •
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Lucid’s Lucid Decision: To Seek OU Certification to Satisfy the Kosher Market for its Genuine Absi
Lucid Absinthe, the first genuine absinthe to be legal for import and sale in the United States in over 95 years, has acquired kosher certification from the Orthodox Union. After receiving enormous interest in Lucid from consumers who keep kosher, and committed to serving that segment of the market, Viridian Spirits, owners of Lucid, contacted the OU to determine whether Lucid would qualify for the certification. The company was delighted to learn that all of its existing processes and ingredients already were sufficient to achieve Orthodox Union’s hallowed seal.
Lucid Absinthe Supérieure was launched in May 2007. The launch was the result of extensive negotiations between Viridian and the U.S. government paving the way for the ban on absinthe effectively to come to an end. Viridian retained renowned absinthe historian and distiller T.A. Breaux to develop Lucid in France. Breaux had spent over a decade studying and perfecting his techniques after sampling and analyzing several unopened bottles of vintage absinthe.
Consumers in the New York region were the first to sample the ultra-premium product, crafted exactly the same way absinthe was made 100 years ago. Due to the strong demand over the several months since the launch, Lucid is now distributed throughout the country in 28 states and more markets are expected to be added throughout the year.
“We initially felt that there would be a demand for absinthe in the U.S. after we witnessed its reemergence on the European scene and in American pop culture,” said Jared Gurfein, President of Viridian Spirits LLC. “Our expectations have truly been exceeded and we are looking forward to taking this brand to new levels.”
Lucid is an authentic absinthe in the tradition of absinthe from the Belle Époque period. Unlike many contemporary imitations currently available in the U.S. and abroad, Lucid, naturally green in color, is distilled entirely from spirits and whole European herbs and uses no artificial additives, oils or dyes. Lucid begins with a full measure of Grande Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium), Green Anise, Sweet Fennel, and other culinary herbs representative of European traditions and historical absinthe crafting.
Lucid is distilled at the historical Combier Distillery in Saumur, France, in the heart of the Loire Valley. T.A. Breaux chose to use the distillery’s original antique copper absinthe stills and apparatus, much of which was designed by Gustav Eiffel in the nineteenth century.
As a testament to the brand’s early success, Lucid was recently named as one of The Top 12 Picks for 2008 by Beverage Industry News Magazine. Voted on annually by a panel of key retailers, distributors and beverage professionals, B.I.N. award recipients are selected as influential spirit brands to watch for in the coming year.
The OU rabbinic staff responsible for the certification of Lucid agree with the raves. Rabbi Yony Kantor, OU Senior Wine and Liquor Supervisor, who visited the distillery was “impressed with the meticulousness with which this premium product is crafted.” Rabbi Yisrael Hollander, OU Director of European Supervision, said, “This product has been manufactured the same way for over 150 years – same recipe, same process, same taste.” And Senior Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz “welcomes this fine product into the growing ranks of OU certified spirits.”
The suggested retail price for Lucid is $59.99 for a 750 ML bottle. Lucid is currently available in high-end retail shops and finer establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Viridian also sells classic absinthe accessories such as fountains, glasses and absinthe spoons. For more information, please visit http://www.drinklucid.com.
Rabbi Jacob Mendelson serves Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator for Viridian Spirits.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Companies Speak • Corporate • Case Studies • (21) Comments •
In Fine Spirits—Chicago’s First Artisan Distillery is OU Kosher and Organic
Koval is a Yiddish word for ‘blacksmith’ or ‘to forge,” but the term has also been used to refer to someone who does something out of the ordinary, or a “black sheep in the family.” It is thus fitting that Sonat Birnecker Hart and Robert Birnecker chose to name their company Koval, since it is not every day that one hears of a Professor of Jewish Studies and a Foreign Deputy Press Secretary leaving their careers to make spirits. Indeed they named the company after Sonat’s great-grandfather, a renegade in his own right, who left Vienna at the turn of the century for Chicago at the age of 17, in search of a new way of life, much to the dismay of his parents and gratitude of later generations, earning him the soubriquet, Koval.
Sonat and Robert thought about making spirits for a while before relocating from Washington, D.C. to found Chicago’s first boutique distillery. Robert’s grandfather, whose name Schmid coincidentally also means “blacksmith,” has made spirits in Europe for over 40 years. Robert felt that Americans are becoming more interested in low volume hand crafted spirits, similar to the regional spirits of Europe. Koval gains its inspiration from these European distilleries and thus plans to offer a variety of seasonal as well as annual products that make use of local flavors and produce.
In fact, Koval is now one of a growing number of artisan distilleries offering consumers an array of spirits made in small batches for more regional markets. These products are a welcome alternative to big name brands from abroad with little regional flair. Indeed, during this period of economic turmoil, many are turning away from such brands in order to support their local economy and revive what was once a flourishing American spirits industry largely lost due to prohibition. It is only recently that the American distillers have been able to follow the lead of the craft brewers in making a variety of creative new products that manage to capture national attention.
Koval is already making a name for itself as a unique spirits house, not least because it avoids the common practice of outsourcing the production of neutral grain spirits that are then only flavored in house. Koval makes everything from scratch, which includes the mashing of the grain and fruit to peeling sixty pounds of ginger by hand for each batch of organic ginger liqueur. They even label each bottle by hand including the number of each batch.
Koval is also trying to start a small revolution in the spirits world. Although they are producing organic rye vodka, they discovered that distilled grains have a smooth flavor and heady aroma that is completely stripped away when made into vodka. According to American law, vodka must be odorless and tasteless. Koval’s founders felt that it was a shame to remove the natural flavors of organic wheat and rye and so they created “Rye Chicago” and “Midwest Wheat,” both spirits that let the taste and aroma compounds of the grains shine through. In addition, Koval is producing a Ginger liqueur and is the only distillery in the United States to offer a Rose Hip liqueur. As soon as springtime arrives, Koval will be adding a variety of liqueurs and fruit brandies to its portfolio.
One of the reasons why Koval’s founders left their traditional careers is because they wanted to get back to basics, to manufacture something of high quality, to participate in the kind of practices that made this country strong. They believe that by maintaining both organic and kosher certifications they are ensuring that their products are held to the highest standards. They use organic raw ingredients not only because they consider them more flavorful than conventional produce but also because it is a way to support sustainable agriculture. Koval sees its OU kosher certification as a key element of the company’s identity as well, one that not only serves as a measure of quality but also as a means of maintaining a sense of community with other Jews. Koval wants to be able to supply superior taste to all L’Chaims.
Koval is located in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood and offers a variety of events and tastings throughout the year. To see what is happening now, check out the website: http://www.koval-distillery.com.
Rabbi Jacob Mendelson serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator for Koval.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Companies Speak • Corporate • Case Studies • (23) Comments •
Monday, December 24, 2007
Dear Rabbi, How Do You Make Kosher Wine?
The Orthodox Union receives many inquiries about certification of wine. This is a typical response, as written by Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator.
Dear _______:
Thank you for your inquiry and interest in OU kosher certification. Please be advised that although the primary ingredient of wine — the grape — is inherently kosher, kosher wine and grape juice, due to kosher ritual requirements, are among the most kosher sensitive products. In the manufacturing process, subsequent to the point of grape delivery and pressing, all handling and processing is done exclusively by special kosher workers. This restriction remains in effect through the final bottling unless the product is sufficiently heated, such as in pasteurization.
In practical terms, kosher wine production entails having a team of kosher workers for the crushing phase and one kosher worker to be on call for sampling, modification, transfer and bottling of the product.
Depending on your location and the accessibility of kosher workers to the winery, the organization of such a program can be challenging. If you are interested in pursuing kosher certification, the first step would involve an evaluation of the facility at which time the details for your winery can be laid out.
Should you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz
Senior Rabbinic Coordinator
Alcoholic Beverages • Consumer Kosher • Behind the Scenes (Theoretical Kashruth) • Industrial Kosher • The Certification of Specific Industries • (3) Comments •
Monday, April 04, 2005
Wine This Passover Is Different From All Others
The Jewish people are known for asking questions. If you ask a Jewish man or woman why this is so, the inevitable answer will be, “Why not?” Appropriately, the Passover Haggadah*, the book read at every seder table around the globe, begins the story of the Jews’ exodus from Egyptian slavery with the youngest participant asking the famous Four Questions.
But here’s one question not included in the prescribed four.“Why on this night must we drink four cups of wine or grape juice?” Here’s another:“Does it really have to be made from Concord grapes?” And: “Would one be breaking with tradition if he/she were to pour Bordeaux Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Bartenura Chardonnay?” Let’s make it an even four:“What’s new in the world of kosher for Passover wine this year?” A barrelful! Many barrelfuls. A great number of us grew up on the original Manischewitz kosher wine (certified by the OU) at our Passover seders, and still find nostalgic comfort nursing a glass of Concord grape wine. “Most Jews who immigrated to the United States moved to the New York region,” says Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, OU Rabbinical Coordinator. “And what we have in New York are Concord grapes, which are very acidic and low in sugar content. To counter the low sugar and acidity, wine manufacturers added more and more sugar, so people associated kosher wine with thickness and sweetness.”
Rabbi Rabinowitz explains that as the Jewish population became upwardly mobile, their tastes moved towards more upscale dining and drinking. The industry quickly responded.“We’ve seen kosher wine go places no one would have ever imagined,” says Yaakov Yarmov, Corporate Category Manager for Ethnic and Specialty Foods for the Albertson’s supermarket chain, a man who takes his wine avocation very seriously.“You can see the trend in supermarkets throughout the country. They’re carrying more and more kosher wines, some integrating them into the nonkosher sets. That makes a tremendous statement that the kosher wines today are that good.”
Jay Buchsbaum, Vice President of Marketing and Director of Wine Education for OU certified Royal Wine Corporation, the world’s largest producer, importer, and distributor of fine kosher wines and spirits, among them Kedem, Bartenura, Baron Herzog, Rashi, Weinstock, and Joseph Zakon, says he’s amazed at what has happened in the wine industry in the past 18 years. “The move towards fine table wines has taken over in earnest,” says Mr. Buchsbaum. “Kiddush** wine has changed from strictly sweet Concord to drier or fruitier, less sweet wines for the rest of the meal.We’ve seen a dramatic turnaround. Where Passover was almost entirely a Kiddush wine market, it has now become almost entirely a table wine market.” He says it’s not so much that Kiddush wine sales have declined; rather, people’s drinking options have expanded. “Because they used the sweeter Kiddush wines in the past, people took a little sip and nursed the rest through the other three cups,” says Mr. Buchsbaum. “Now the wines are so much more palatable, they are actually finishing each cup. Kiddush wine and table wine have essentially become one.”
Some wine companies (e.g., Abarbanel, under OU certification) bring in wines from other countries such as France, Africa, Australia, Portugal, and Israel, putting their label on the bottles, while Gan Eden (also OU certified) in California, makes its own. “New companies are sprouting up throughout the world,” says Mr. Buchsbaum.
The production of fine kosher wines requires two essentials —exceptionally delicious grapes and reliable certification. “When new producers ask me the world over what certification they should use, it is very clear that the OU is the most universally recognized and accepted symbol,” says Mr. Buchsbaum. “Whether from Israel, South America, Europe, Spain,Australia, or Chile, the OU is the standard for recognition and reliability among new producers.”
In Search of the Delicious Grape
Kedem, one of the major kosher wine manufacturers under OU certification, has introduced three new wines from California’s Herzog Special Reserve label this year. “The first two are made from a blend of different grapes. The Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah is harvested from Napa Valley, where the best Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown,” says Eitan Segal, Kedem’s Director of Public Relations. “The Syrah grapes originate from the Edna Valley region.These regions produce the most ripe, full-flavored grapes, which translate into full-flavored and what we in the wine-world call ‘complex’ wines. When you drink the wine, you taste a variety of flavors that naturally occur and remind you of a variety of fruits, such as blackberry, cherry, and spices – even a hint of oak from the oak barrels (in which the wine ages). The other two, Cabernet Sauvignon Zinfandel Syrah and Herzog Special Reserve Merlot, come from California’s Alexander Valley, in Sonoma County. These are also created from a carefully orchestrated blend of grapes; it’s like a symphony of flavors on the tongue.”
According to Mr. Segal, Kedem’s kosher wine consumers fall into two categories – those who prefer dry wine and those who prefer the sweet traditional wines.“What we have found is that general consumers are leaning more toward dry wine as opposed to sweet,” he says. “Fine wines are generally dry wines, because they contain many flavors, more complexity than sweet ones.” Kedem decided to come out with finer wines that would also interest those who prefer a sweet taste, such as Bartenura Biscato from Italy, a 2004 vintage, and Backsberg Pinotage, a blend of two grapes indigenous to South Africa, the first kosher Pinotage in the world.“We look carefully at what’s popular in the wine world in general and produce it for the kosher community,” says Mr. Segal.
Kedem continues to expand its portfolio of wines from France, Chile, Italy, Australia, and to include even more exotic varieties. For example, the company produces wines in Spain under the Ramon Cardova label. “These wines have a pronounced berry, cherry, spicy flavor, good with a full-flavored dinner with spices,” says Mr. Segal. “It’s important to properly pair the food with the wine; certain flavors can work together to actually enhance the taste of the food.Wine elevates the dining experience.”And that includes the holiday table. Although most prefer to use red wine for the four required cups at the Passover seder, Mr. Segal emphasizes that there are numerous opportunities to enjoy a glass of kosher wine during Chol HaMoed*** during the week’s festive meals.“How about a nice white wine for lunch with fish or a Bartenuna Moscato, perhaps?” suggests Mr. Segal. As kosher wine drinkers discover the increased availability of new wines, the industry continues to boom.“Every year, there has been a substantial rise in the sales of kosher wines,” reports Jay Buchsbaum of Royal Wine. “There was a time people only bought wine for Passover and the rest of the year they would use grape juice or just a sip of wine for Kiddush. Now they’re buying wine and enjoying it throughout the year.”
Direct from the Vineyards of the Holy Land
According to Mr. Buchsbaum, Israel has proven to be the fastest single region of growth for kosher wines.“The rise in the quality of wines coming out of Israel has been astounding,” says Mr. Buchsbaum. “In just the last ten years alone, the country has grown from twenty wineries to 120.They have gone from basic wines to those that are selling for as much as $100 per bottle — not because they are so chic or interesting, but because of the fact that they are so good.” He says that nonkosher Israeli wines are now becoming kosher and certified so that they can be exported to the United States.
Carmel, Israel’s oldest and largest winery (founded by Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1882), continues to play a pivotal role at the Passover seder table. After World War II, as the interest in a more “international” style of wine increased, Carmel promptly turned towards the production of drier wines.To accommodate the increased demand for Carmel’s products both at home and abroad, the company took advantage of the technological advances in wine production, and improved techniques in fermentation and storage, as well as researching the best types of grapes for varied Israeli climatic regions. “It’s good news that wines are improving exponentially in quality,” says Adam Montefiore, International Marketing Director for Carmel. Exports continue to boom and Carmel currently ships container loads of wine to over 35 countries. Carmel wine bottles proudly bear the OUP (kosher for Passover) on the label. Some wines produced during the shemita year (Jewish law mandates that the land in Israel lay fallow for a year every seven years) will not have the OU on the label.
More confident of the public’s interest in higher scale wine, the industry has begun to approach noted world wineries to produce special kosher runs.“Although not a stampede at this point, there is a definite move towards the non-kosher wineries to start making private label kosher Chardonnay, Cabernet, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Chablis, Merlot, Bordeaux, and other fine wines,” says Mr. Buchsbaum.
Kosher Wines’ Three-Time Medal Winner
Those who know fine wines are well aware of the plethora of wines coming from California’s lush vineyards. These connoisseurs also know that, of the numerous wineries that have won bronze, silver, and gold medals (out of well over 2,500 wines), only Baron Herzog Wine Cellars (under OU certification) won the coveted Chairman’s Award for its Chenin Blanc three years in a row. Not bad for what costs the consumer only $6.99 a bottle!
“In many instances, our kosher wines are, in fact, better than their non-kosher counterparts,” says Mr. Buchsbaum. Eitan Segal of Kedem reports that kosher wine continues to make news. “We’ve received rave reviews from major wine trade publications,” says Mr. Segal. “Recently, Wine Enthusiast Magazine awarded 94 points out of 100 to one of our Herzog Special Reserve wines (Syrah). And both Gourmet magazine and The Wall Street Journal ran prominent features on the new California winery we are building, the largest in the state,” says Mr. Segal. “When it opens in June of 2005, visitors will be able — by way of a specially designed pathway — to view our full production.”
In the End – It’s All About Tradition
While we welcome the addition of more and more fine wines to the kosher-for-Passover shelves throughout the world, in the end, the traditional choices still hold a steadfast place in the Jewish home and on the seder table. Manischewitz recently conducted research to find out the current consumer sentiment towards kosher wines for Passover.“We thought that the Manischewitz packaging might need a change, that people wanted to see something more contemporary,” says Jon Guggino, Brand Manager for Canandaigua Wine Company. “They told us in no uncertain terms,‘Do not touch that package!’ It’s that iconic within the community. This is the wine their parents and grandparents had on the Passover table. Even the younger consumers felt this way. Passover remains our biggest sales period.” (Some of the Manischewitz wines contain corn syrup, so these particular bottles are not considered kosher for Passover use; consumers should take care when selecting.)
At the Passover seder, each participant pours the wine for the other, to demonstrate that we sit together as royal servants of the King. No matter which delectable kosher wine fills our cups, we all drink from the cup of gratitude, remembering our slavery and savoring the noble taste of freedom.
*Tells of the Jewish people’s slavery in Egypt and the miracles God performed for them, as He brought them out of slavery to freedom: the book also dictates the order of the evening’s proceedings.
**The blessing said over wine or grape juice on Shabbat and holidays. (The word “kiddush” means holy or to sanctify.)
***These are the intermediate days of the Passover festival and do not have the same level of work restrictions as the first and last days.
Alcoholic Beverages • OU Companies Speak • (9) Comments •