Kosher wines

Requirements for Kosher wine

There are various requirements that all Kosher wine must meet:

-The vines the grapes come from must be a minimum of 4 years old.
-The grapes have to be harvested manually.
-No organic fertilisers can be used in the vineyard or, at least, the vines must not have been organically fertilised for at least two months before harvest.
-The winery must keep excellent cleaning and hygiene standards.
-Adding oenological products to the wine is not permitted: no commercial yeasts, no lactic bacteria, no enzymes.
-The wine can only be clarified with bentonite or white shell egg yolks. However, these products must be examined by a rabbi before use.
-Only new bottles can be used.
-Once every seven years, the plots are not harvested to allow the land to regenerate.
-1% of the profits from selling the wine must be given to charity.

-Only Sabbath-keeping Jews and followers of Jewish law are allowed to make the wine, so they are the only ones who can come into physical and visual contact with it during the production process.

Types of Kosher wine

There are two types of Kosher wine that are set apart by the different production methods:

Mevushal: Kosher wine that has been boiled or pasteurised to preserve its Kosher essence. So if it is handled by someone who is not part of the Jewish community, it keeps its essence and remains fit for Jewish consumption.

No Mevushal: the highest quality, leading Kosher wine, which can only be served by people who follow the kashrut rules. It is typically used for Jewish Passover.

Kosher wine can be certified by a certifying organisation, a rabbi, the Orthodox Union or a Beth Din, a Jewish religious court.

Some Kosher wine producing wineries

Celler de Capçanes: in the DO Montsant, the Capçanes cooperative has been a pioneer in the production of Kosher wines. They are produced in accordance with Jewish law under the supervision of the US Orthodox Union and the London Federation of Synagogues, in collaboration with local Rabbis from Chabad Lubavitch in Barcelona.

Pinord: a family winery in Pendès and Priorat with 150 years of experience. They work organically and produce artisan and sparkling wines using the traditional method.

Elvi Wines: a family business that produces and sells quality natural and kosher wines and cavas in various denominations of origin, seeking to express each terroir within their project. The DOs they work in include La Rioja, Ribera de Júcar, La Mancha, Montsant and Priorat and Alella.

Kosher wines are guaranteed to have been produced following the criteria set out in the Torah to achieve the highest quality. This makes them special wines that are well worth trying.