Valentines Day is on February 14 so it’s time to get a gift for the one who love. What’s better than a romantic bottle of wine, book about Israeli wine, or stemware or other wine accessory.

Here is our list of 10 Valentines Day Wine Gifts for the Israeli Wine Lover

6. It goes without saying but Daniel Rogov’s annual wine guide has always been the premier guide for what to drink and what not. With Rogov’s passing, this is the final and ultimate guide to Israeli wine. It’s a hefty 700 pages, with information about wine tastings as well as the most comprehensive list of Israeli wines ever published.

If you buy one book about Israeli wines, this is it. Buy it now!

5. Janna Gur’s The Book of Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey is a coffee table book that must grace every foodie interested in Middle Eastern food. With great articles and breathtaking photos, Gur takes on the Israeli culinary potpourri, from shakshuka at the shouk to gourmet halva. While there are amazing recipes, it’s just a tremendous read. In addition, the wine section, written by Adam Montefiore, tells the story of the Israeli wine revolution from inception to present. There’s no one better to write about Israeli food than Janna Gur and no one better to write about wine than Adam Montefiore.

If you’re interested in Israeli food, kosher food, kosher wine, or Middle Eastern food, check it out!

4. Looking for affordable red wine glasses? My recommendation: Schott Zweisel is my go-to-brand for those who don’t want more expensive Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6. Depending on your size and budget these two are highly recommended:

• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Pure Collection Burgundy 23.4 Ounce, Set of 6
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Forte Collection Red Wine/Light Soft Whites 13.6 Ounce, Set of 6

For white wine glasses:

• Schott Zwiesel Forte Sauvignon Blanc/White (Set of 6)

For champagne flutes:

• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Forte Collection Champagne Flute With Effervesence Points 7.7 Ounce, Set of 6
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Cru Classic Collection Champagne Flute with Effervesence Points 8.4 Ounce, Set of 6

3. If you want wine and not vinegar, you need to invest in proper storage. While we would love a cave or wine cellar, most of us can’t afford this. Instead, a wine fridge has to do the job.

Have lots of wine or a big budget? Try Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler – Platinum

Smaller budget or smaller collection? Try Haier HVTM16ABB 16-Bottle Wine Cellar with Electronic Controls

2. I discovered Vacu Vin when I was a young child in my parents’ liquor store and I’m still in love with the best wine stoppers. Buy Vacu Vin Stainless Steel Wine Saver Gift Set

1. There are lots of books and magazines about food and wine. Never miss them with the Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi. Then don’t forget to sign up for your favorite wine magazine subscription

And if you’re in Israel or want to give a gift to someone in Israel, why not a bottle of wine or high quality wine glasses and other accessories. You can get a custom order and even delivery at great prices from contributor David Rhodes. Contact him at israeliwineguy@gmail.com for a custom quote and inquiry.

Read the article in the Jerusalem Post.

Below is an excerpt from the article:

What’s good in Israel? Israeli wine! Wine recommendations for Rosh Hashanah

By Avi Hein, Editor-in-Chief: HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog

It’s not a Jewish holiday without wine. While the traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting is for a sweet new year, there’s no reason to settle for sweet wines (unless, of course, you’re pairing your wine with some sweet food like a honey cake or ice cream).

The religious commandment is to enjoy and feast. In order to truly fulfill this commandment, one should not drink any grape beverage but rather sanctify themselves with world-class wine that brings enjoyment to the drinkers.

Holiday Recommendations

Yatir Viognier — Yatir, one of Israel’s finest wineries, partially owned by Carmel Winery, recently received three to four stars in Hugh Johnson’s 2012 Pocket Wine Book. The Viognier is a fresh, white wine, which has tinges of autumn fruits, including citrus. The best Israeli Viognier. Yatir’s parent winery, Carmel, also makes a great Viognier in the Carmel Appellation series, a close second to Yatir’s take.  NIS 75

Yatir Cabernet-Merlot-Shiraz – This blended red is full bodied and elegant. Royal purple, with deep tannins and hints of plums, berry, and cherry. Not meant to be drunk quickly but rather sipped and savored slowly, with a long finish. NIS 95

Tzora Neve Ilan –Tzora is a boutique winery in the Judean Hills, outside of Jerusalem. According to Mark Squires, who writes about wine for The Wine Advocate, “The Judean Hills is one of the most underrated wine regions in the world.” The Tzora Shoresh is also highly recommended. Both are complex and reflect the terroir-driven approach of the winemakers. NIS 134

Saslove Aviv –Saslove Winery was established in 1998 by Canadian immigrant Barry Saslove. Highly recommended include the Saslove Aviv “April,” which is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Nebiolo, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the Saslove “Marriage,” which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz, as well as Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Nebbiolo. Saslove is kosher as of the 2010 vintage and also made a line of kosher wines under the ‘Sagol’ label. The Aviv wines retail for about 79 NIS.

Recanati Sauvignon Blanc — Recanati is one of Israel’s top value wines, with options at any level and budget. A short drive from Ra’anana and Kfar Saba, Recanati is straw in color with hints of citrus and grassy tinges, refreshing for a light meal or holiday lunch.  NIS 50

The Derekh HaYayin (Wine Route) chain also has a Red and White “Special Edition” which are well recommended for about 60NIS/bottle.

Segal Dovev Argaman Red – While Argaman was the failed experiment of the Israeli wine industry, this varietal, developed by Professor Roy Spiegel in the early 1990s, Segal’s Dovev Argaman is anything but a failure and Segal’s winemaker has shown that great wine can come from this grape. The 2007 vintage won the equivalent of a Gold Medal at ‘Les Citadelles du Vins’ Competition held in Bordeaux, France. NIS 90

Barkan Superieur Cabernet Sauvignon – Varying in quality from year to year, Barkan’s Superier Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, royal purple, firm, and concentrated, with a mineral  finish. NIS 180

Barkan Altitude +720 – Barkan’s Altitude is composed of grapes from a variety of altitudes in Israel, from Mitzpeh Ramon in the south to Dovev on the Lebanese border.  NIS 109

Teperberg Silver Sangiovese – the only mevushal wine on this list, Teperberg is one of Israel’s oldest wineries that began making worthy table wines in the past decade. The Sangiovese, a traditional Italian grape, is perfect with pastas, brisket, and foods with deep red sauces. NIS 45

Teperberg Late Harvest Riesling – Not for Kiddush at the main meal, but rather to enjoy as an aperitif or dessert, this wine will go great with an apple and honey cake, especially if you manage to make it a la mode. Teperberg also makes a white and red moscato, for a more simple dessert wine, and the only mevushal sparkling wine in Israel. NIS 50

Best Value Wines:

Young Value Wines: Don’t want to burst your budget or just need to make it to the nearest supermarket? At or under 40NIS, try Segal Fusion series, or the Carmel Private Collection or, for a sparkling wine, Carmel’s Selected Brut. Carmel has made an amazing turn around in the past few years and the Private Collection series provides some of the best quality-for-price.

A Holiday Bonus:

Rimon Winery – not a traditional grape wine, but rather a pomegranate fruit wine. As a pomegranate is one of the major symbols of Rosh Hashanah, Rimon (which means pomegranate in Hebrew) Winery makes several dessert wines and a unique sparkling wine as well. It’s a fitting addition to any Rosh Hashanah table. NIS 66 – NIS 75

Read the rest in the Jerusalem Post

The KFWE 2011 recently took place in Manhattan, NY. This refers to the Kosher Food & Wine Experience which was organized by the Royal Wine Corporation of Bayonne, New Jersey.

Royal Wine are owners of Herzog Wine Cellars in California, Kedem Winery in Upstate New York and Kedem Food. It is the largest food & wine specializing in the kosher market in the world.

They represent wines produced all over the world – in every wine producing country that produces kosher wines. However most important for this website, Royal Wine is the number one company in the United States advancing the Israel brand.

Royal imports and represents the following Israeli wineries or brands:

• Alexander
• Carmel
• Barkan
• Binyamina
• Castel
• Flam
• Gamla
• Netofa
• Psagot
• Segal
• Shilo
• Tzuba
• Yatir
• Zion

This list includes some of the major wineries in Israel such as Carmel, Israel’s largest winery, Barkan, the second largest winery, and Binyamina, the fifth largest winery. It also includes two large selling brands: Segal and Gamla. These taken all together represent quite a high percentage of Israeli wine production.

They also represent some of Israel’s boutique wineries such as Castel and Yatir. Flam was also at the show, indicating that their kosher wines would be represented by Royal. These are three of Israel’s highest quality boutique wineries.

Representatives of the wineries including CEO’s, and winemakers, were on hand to provide tastings and give explanations firstly to buyers and those in the trade, and then to members of the general public who had purchased tickets.
The event showed off Royal’s excellent portfolio and gave a positive impression of the size of the kosher market in the New York area.

David Herzog of Royal Wine Corp, with Adam Montefiore and Arnon Geva of Carmel Winery.

And some non-Israeli kosher wines from California and Spain

There has been a trend in recent years of boutique wineries becoming kosher. Now two more wineries, have decided to make kosher wines from the 2010 harvest.

The first is Flam Winery which was the largest Israeli winery producing non kosher wines in recent harvests. Flam Winery is owned by the Flam family. Situated in the Judean Foothills near Beit Shemesh, the winery produces well over 100,000 bottles a year. The winery is run by the Flam brothers, Golan & Gilad, with the backing of their famous father, Israel Flam, for many years the chief winemaker of Carmel Mizrahi.

The second winery is Saslove, which is another family winery. The winery’s crush facility is situated at Tsuriel in the Upper Galilee and the barrel aging room & visitors center is at Kibbutz Eyal, near Kfar Saba. The winery is owned by Barry Saslove, who gained a name as one of Israel’s most innovative wine educators in the 1990’s and he now shares winemaking duties with his daughter Roni Saslove. They have in the past made a kosher wine called ‘K by Saslove’ at a kosher winery, but have now decided to go the whole way.

Continuing the trend, there are rumors that Tulip Winery will also be going kosher! If Tulip joins Flam and Saslove in producing kosher wines, the most prominent, remaining, ‘non kosher’ wineries in Israel will be Margalit, Clos de Gat, Chateau Golan and Pelter.

Wineries like Castel, Golan Heights & Yatir have proved that making kosher wine is no bar to quality. They are arguably Israel’s best wineries and each produces only kosher wines. Certainly the move to kosher is a sound move economically and the ‘new’ kosher wines will be eagerly awaited by kashrut observing Jews everywhere.

Tzora Vineyards

The vineyard of kibbutz-based Tzora.

Winemaker Yaakov Berg has a recycled winery under his land. Hewn out of stone in the days of Jerusalem’s Second Holy Temple, it holds an ancient wine press now flanked by oak barrels in which Mr. Berg’s best wines are aging. Above ground stands the home vineyard of his Psagot Winery—a player in an unexpected wine reawakening, after a slumber since biblical times, as the Judean Hills become an Israeli wine region to reckon with.

The 32-year-old Mr. Berg lives with his wife and two sons a few steps from this vineyard in a converted rail freight car, in the Israeli settlement of Psagot on the West Bank. During a visit to his vineyard among the stony hills near Ramallah, a muezzin’s call to prayer sounded from a nearby minaret—a stark reminder of the struggle over this land, to which Mr. Berg believes he is rooted through wine.

Surrounding Jerusalem at altitudes of up to 3,000 feet, the region has grown from a handful of boutique wineries in the late 1990s to nearly 30 today. Most are within Israel itself, dotting the gentle hills and valleys west and south of Jerusalem, although some start-ups, like Psagot, are on land occupied by Israel in 1967 during the Six-Day War.

Not long ago, it was assumed that Israel’s best wines were destined to come from the Northern Galilee, where the Golan Heights Winery jump-started the modern era of Israeli winemaking with its 1984 vintage. Overall, the Golan Heights winery continues to produce Israel’s greatest array of fine red and white wines, and numerous others in Northern Israel have joined it.

But the Judean Hills region has been coming on strong. Ranking the country’s top 10 wineries, Israeli wine critic Daniel Rogov awarded four of the first six spots to Judean Hills wineries. Strikingly, the average age of this quartet is under 15 years.

Summer temperatures heat up the Judean Hills, but the nights cool off quickly, allowing grapes to develop flavors that translate into wines that taste anything but baked. “Unlike the Golan Heights, which has a more continental climate, we get a breeze from the sea even on the hottest days,” says Eli Ben Zacken, whose Domaine du Castel put the Judean Hills on the Israel wine map with its first vintage in 1992. “And the nights are refreshed by lots of dew. It drips off the grapes in the morning. By 9 a.m., they’re totally dry with humidity at around 35%.”

While the Judean Hills lack the volcanic soils that lend flavor impact to wines in the Golan Heights, the region’s complex soils do seem to contribute to complex wines. Cool air, too, slides down the hillsides to merge, here and there, with warm air from the coastal plain, causing a rarity in Israel: mist, which also moderates temperatures. Tzora, a kibbutz-based winery at the base of the Judean Hills that has pioneered in identifying vineyard particularities, makes a mineral-inflected Bordeaux-style blend from just such a vineyard called “Misty Hills,” a ringer for a cool-climate wine.

At his vineyard, Mr. Berg showed me the ancient press he’d discovered when his tractor sunk into mud as he prepared the vineyard seven years ago. A stairway into the earth led to a heavy steel door. In contrast to the warm, dry afternoon, the ancient, stone-hewn winery felt cool and damp, and dark fungus covered the walls. Strands of roots from the Syrah vines above us hung from the ceiling, having snaked their way through cracks in the stone, giving the chamber a spectral look.

The region remained out of the running as a quality wine producer until the early 1990s when Mr. Ben Zacken, then a Jerusalem restaurateur, began making home-grown wine on a pine-forested hillside west of the city. “That little plot next to my house was really the first vineyard of the modern era in the Judean Hills,” he says. A bottle of his first red wine, Domaine du Castel 1992, found its way into the hands of the London-based head of Sotheby’s wine department, Serena Sutcliffe. Finding none of the “cooked” and “herbaceous” flavors she’d found “prevalent” in Israeli reds, she called the Castel red “a real tour de force, brilliantly made and very ‘classic.’”

That praise gave the Egyptian-born Mr. Ben Zacken the courage to embark on winemaking full time. The red blends and Burgundian-style Chardonnay coming out of Castel’s handsome cellar are labeled “Haute Judée” (“Upper Judea”). They are “haute” in price as well ($60 for the Grand Vin 2006) and, until very recently, were the most expensive in the region.

A group of ambitious young wineries is now challenging Castel for the Judean Hills crown. Yatir, an outrider set in a national forest behind a Bedouin village at the southern edge of the region, has become even pricier than Castel: $70 for the current 2006 Yatir Forest. Older vintages have even crossed the $100 mark.

The wines, crafted by Australian-trained winemaker Eran Goldwasser, are emblematic of the emerging Judean style: herbal and nuanced with a sneaky way of taking charge of your palate. Yatir’s home vineyard stands at an elevation of 3,000 feet, yet it’s just half an hour from the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Also fetching top prices is Clos de Gat, a decade-old winery bordering the Ayalon Valley, where Joshua is said to have defeated the Five Kings. Clos de Gat’s reds and whites have big yet precise flavors. The key, says winemaker Eyal Rotem, is “keeping yields very small.” Besides Psagot, a bevy of other, lower-priced Judean Hills wines nip at the heels of the top tier, including Agur, Bravdo, Ella Valley, Flam, Sea Horse, Tzora, Tzuba. All can be bought online in the U.S.

While most of the Judean Hills wines are kosher, the rabbinical seal, once prominent on the front label of most wines, has been relegated to the back labels. That’s a sign of producer confidence that their wines are being purchased first for quality, not for being kosher.

One exception is Mr. Rotem of Clos de Gat wines, whose wines have been scored high by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator magazine. Even though “kosherizing” his wines would broaden their market, the avowedly secular Mr. Rotem refuses to take that step, which would require rabbinical oversight of all winery practices. When I asked Mr. Rotem which other Judean Hills wines he favors, he shook his head and said, “I really can’t answer you since most of the others are kosher, and I won’t taste kosher wines.” That’s too bad. As ever more worthy bottlings come out of the Judean Hills, he’s missing a lot of good wine.

— Peter Hellman contributes to the Wine Spectator.

In most homes, Shabbat is the time to get out the finest crockery. People who look quite scruffy during the week will be dressed in their best suit and finest dresses. There is a lot of pressure on the lady of the house to prepare the best possible meal. With this effort to make Shabbat as special as possible, it is surprising how often people are happy to drink any old wine or even the most basic, sweet Kiddush wine.

I recently attended a memorable Shabbat in Long Island. Kiddush was made using a Carmel Single Vineyard wine. Then I was entertained with the following wines: Corton Charlemagne, Yatir Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Herzog Alexander Valley 1994, Carmel Ramat Arad Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Castel Grand Vin 2002, Yatir Forest 2001 and Yarden Katzrin 2000. Not bad for six adults!

Most of these wines are unavailable from both wineries & the best wine stores. Only the avid collector can provide a list of such wines from their private cellar. However, despite their age, all the wines were superb – and kosher. What occurred to me, not for the first time, was how many kosher wines today are genuinely world class wines – losing absolutely nothing by being kosher. Secondly I was struck by the fact that so few people honor Shabbat by choosing a special wine. Now, if it is important for Shabbat, it is even more important for Passover, the Jewish people’s annual banquet. For a banquet, I will always take as much time choosing the right wines as I would in considering each course. Actually, to the annoyance of those around me, I will take more time over the wine than I will over the food. During preparation, you can alter the food to match the wine, but not vice versa.

Arguably the very best kosher wines in the world are: Castel Grand Vin, Yatir Forest, Yarden Katzrin, Carmel Limited Edition from Israel and Herzog Generation VII, Covenant from California; Chateau Leoville Poyferre , Chateau Valandraud from France. What a statement it would be to serve one of these at the most special wine event in the Jewish calendar.

However, they are rare, hard to find and very expensive. If you are looking for better value wines I recommend Baron Herzog, Gamla, Carmel’s Appellation and Private Collection, or Dalton wines.

To assist you select your choice, Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2010 (published by Mitchell Beazley) rates Israeli wineries. Those producing kosher wines with the highest rating are: 1. Castel, 2. Yatir, 3. Yarden, 4. Carmel, 5= Galil Mountain, Barkan & Recanati.

In Rogov’s Guide To Kosher Wines 2010(Toby Press), Daniel Rogov provides tasting notes for kosher wines produced all over the world. Here the wineries awarded the maximum 5 stars are: Covenant, Hagafen & Herzog from California ; Castel, Golan Heights and Yatir from Israel.

When I am choosing wines for Passover, I like to treat the event like a banquet. I choose one of my very best wines for the first glass, in order to honor both the occasion and my guests. We will then follow with a dry white wine for the second, a dry red for the third and a dessert wine for the fourth. I will also use the second and third wine to accompany the meal. My choice for this year will be:

Carmel Mediterranean – first glass; Appellation Viognier – 2nd glass; Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon – 3rd glass and Sha’al Gewurztraminer Late Harvest for the 4th glass. I will also have the Young Selected Carignano available as an alternative for the first glass. This is the perfect answer for those who would otherwise drink grape juice or a Kiddush wine. It is also a gentle start for the first glass on an empty stomach.

You can also have fun choosing a theme to make your wine selection more interesting. Maybe one night choose Israeli wines and the next Californian. Or choose each wine from a different growing region in Israel. Another idea is to choose one grape variety, but in different styles for each glass. Whatever the motivation for your choice, I recommend taking time to consider what is appropriate. It is absurd to make either Shabbat or Seder Night special in every way, yet with wine just to buy the cheapest possible. Now is the time to take time over wine. If not for Seder Night, when?

This article was written by Adam Montefiore for The Jewish Chronicle in London.

(This article originally appeared at wines-israel.com and the Jewish Chronicle and is reprinted with permission.)

So, I was pleased to see a blog post dispelling the famous kosher wine myth in the post “It’s Israeli Wine … Not Just Kosher“.

But why then, I wonder, when you say the word “Israeli wine” to most people, do they automatically retort, “Oh, Kosher wine? Like Manischewitz?” Why have so many people not explored the wines of the country as a whole, delegating the offerings only to when specific holidays arise where Kosher wine is required? There are not many areas of the industry that define a wine by the technique in which it was made as opposed to the place from which it came.

It’s a tricky segment of the industry that has its pros and cons. On one side, of course Israeli winemakers want to be known as producing world-class wines, not just Kosher wines, that could stand proudly next to some of the most established and sought-after wines. On the other hand, they certainly are not too quick to dismiss or even downplay the fact that their wines are Kosher, as they know they have a dedicated base that constantly relies on their product for religious purposes and would not want to detract from that consumer group. So, the question is how to get the best of both worlds.

“We’re far from defining what Israeli wine is,” notes Shatsberg. “It’s a long process. We’re now defining where we want to go. A major change occurred when the industry stabilized, making good industrial wine without flaws… now we have to make it significant. People are more exposed and demand better; the audience has a major role in creating the way for the industry.”

And indeed, the wines keep getting better and better, and hopefully one day people will understand the true merit of Israeli wine without regard to its religious affiliation.

Jewish agricultural laws, with regard to vineyards in the Land of Israel, go back to the Biblical times. The Kosher wine laws are from Talmudic times. However whereas wine is used in the Jewish faith for every festival or lifecycle event, it was never prescribed what sort of wine should be used.

Maimonides, the first Jewish wine connoisseur, had high standards. He suggested that ‘wine had to be red, it couldn’t be diluted with water or sweetened with sugar and it couldn’t have any off taste, vinegar, bacteria or oxidation. It should not be mevushal (flash pasteurized) wine. A wine had to be pure and of high quality.’ It is certainly not written anywhere that a Kiddush wine has to be sweet! So how did it come to pass that Kiddush wine became associated with sweet red wine?

In Eastern Europe, due to the scarcity of grapes, wine made from raisins was acceptable. Raisin wine may be made by the soaking of dried grapes in water. This was in vogue more in countries where vines where not grown, particularly in Poland and parts of Russia. These wines were weak and watery compared to wines that we know today, so the added sweetness was necessary to mask the taste and was also most welcome in the cold climate.

In America, Jewish immigrants made wine from a Labrusca grape variety called Concord in New York State. However the harvest often had to be brought forward to avoid bad weather, the grapes were often unripe and the resulting wines were thin and harsh. Therefore they had to be sweetened to be drinkable.

In Israel in the 19th century, wine was made from food or table grapes grown by Arabs in areas like Bethlehem and Hebron. In those days much of the wines drunk were naturally sweet, with added sugar or fortified with alcohol.

So sweetness became necessary for taste and it became the norm. Sweet wines were preferred by all the family and even the children could enjoy them. Furthermore, drinking by Jews in context with religious ritual was always in very strict moderation. A bottle was never finished. However, the sweetness acted as a preservative and ensured an opened bottle would last from week to week.

Price was also always an issue. Many Jewish communities were poor. Buying wine was an extravagance. So the chosen wine was often the cheapest, though of course it had to have the right hechsher or Kashrut certificate too. The basic sweet wines were the least expensive available.

Some believe the Kiddush ceremony is important enough to choose a special wine ‘to honor the Shabbat.’ However many wine mavens, even though they decry Kiddush wines for their low quality, will still use a sweet wine for Kiddush because of tradition. They will then revert to quality, dry wines for the rest of the meal.

So this is how it was. Habit became a tradition. Kiddush wine equaled sweet red wine, particularly in the Ashkenazi world. However this was not the case throughout the Jewish world. Sephardi Jews in traditional winemaking countries like Morocco for example, and later in France, would make Kiddush using dry red table wine. It would be unthinkable for them to use a sweet wine.

However things are changing elsewhere. Grape juice which has the same status in Jewish culture as wine, is particular popular in Israel. It is seen as healthier than Kiddush wine and more suitable for children. Many have reverted from Kiddush wines to using pure grape juice. Furthermore more and more people are using dry table wines for the Friday night blessings. Still, old habits die hard – it is true to say that many people continue to use the more traditional style of Kiddush wine.
The main wineries producing Kiddush wines are the more historic wineries in Israel: Carmel, Binyamina, Efrat, Arza, Zion and Hacormim. The total production of Kiddush wine is 3.5 to 4 million bottles a year, which represents more than 10% of Israel’s total wine production. So it is not an insignificant market sector. The same wineries also produce grape juice and up to 7 million bottles of grape juice are annually produced in Israel.

The most famous and biggest selling Kosher wines in the USA and UK are Manischewitz, and Palwin respectively. Both are Kiddush wines, which are mocked for their quality, mostly by the Jewish community itself, but still drunk in copious amounts. Both are sold in their respective countries, but curiously, not elsewhere with any success. Manischewitz is owned by Constellation Brands, the largest wine company in the world, and Palwin is owned by Carmel, the largest producer of Kosher wines in the world. Other famous brands are Kedem, owned by Royal Wine Corp, the world’s largest importer and distributor of Kosher wines, and Mogen David, owned by The Wine Group, Amerca’s third largest wine company.
The main Israeli Kiddush wines are as follows:

Kadmon
This has been a well-known Israeli brand for well over 30 years ago. It is made from Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah grapes grown in the coastal region of Israel (Mount Carmel and the Shefela). Over 15% alcohol, it is sometimes referred to as a Red Liqueur Wine in Europe. It is fortified with the alcohol added on the grape skins. It is then aged in oak casks, (not new), for 5 to 6 years. Kadmon will appeal to those who are looking for a higher quality Kiddush wine. It is rich, sweet & well balanced, with an aroma of plums, nuts & dried fruit. It is produced at the Rishon Le Zion Winery.

King David
King David Kiddush wines were introduced over 25 years ago to be an upgrade over the traditional range of Kiddush wines then in the market. King David Concorde is made in the ‘Concord style’ made famous by Jews in New York State. It is made from Carignan, Petite Sirah, Argaman and Concord grapes. A proportion of the wine is aged in old oak barrels. It is made by a mistelle – with alcohol and grape juice added to the wine.
Though reds are recommended for Kiddush, there is no actual bar to using a white wine. An example of a white Kiddush wine is King David Muscat, which is a sweet, white wine, made from Muscat of Alexandria grapes. It is straw colored, with ripe Muscat aromas.

Conditon
This is a well-known brand, recognizable by the parchment colored label. It is referred to as ‘the oldest sweet wine.’ It is made from grapes grown near the Jerusalem hills by Hacormim, a winery owned by descendants of the Shor family, that opened the first recorded winery in the Old City of Jerusalem in 1848. Conditon was the name given to a sweet wine in the days of the Talmud.

Massoret
Massoret is a sweet red wine produced by Efrat, which is owned by the Teperberg family. It is also an oak aged wine with a cooked ripeness and a touch of cinnamon and cloves on the nose. The Teperberg family were drink distributors in the Old City of Jerusalem from 1852 and then founded Efrat in 1870. Eventually it developed from a drinks retailer and distributor into a winery. Only recently they have changed the name of their winery to Teperberg 1870, but their Kiddush wine is still sold under the Efrat name.

Hallel
Hallel is a new, innovative Kiddush wine, in a world where little is new or innovative. It is semi sweet and is therefore considerably less sweet than many of its competitors. It is produced 100% from Merlot grapes, and therefore is a varietal wine. It is light, almost refreshing and should be served chilled. It also has a Zork closure and so is particularly easy to open. Hallel Merlot is produced by Arza Winery, which is owned by Moti Shor, another descendant of the Shor family. The winemaker is French trained Philippe Lichtenstein.

Other Kiddush wines include Yashan Noshan, which translates as ‘old & aged’ and is the largest selling Kiddush wine in Israel. There are other brands like Nitzahon, Topaz, Caesarea, Kings, Ninve, Ginnosar. Each one has its own following. The main Israeli grape juice is Carmel Tirosh, made 100% from wine grapes. It is pure with no added sugar or water.

Today many Israeli wineries have changed their attitude to Kiddush wines. Carmel has decided to stop selling Kiddush wines in export markets where possible, in order to concentrate on its quality table wines. Until comparatively recently, Eliaz and Efrat were two medium sized wineries mainly devoted to Kiddush wines. Now with a change of name to Binyamina and Teperberg respectively, they have reverted to mainly producing table wines. The latest traditional winery to begin the change to table wines is Zion Winery.

These wineries have made the change in the knowledge that tastes and practices are also changing. However Kiddush wines remain like an old friend.

So even though they have never been officially categorized as having to be sweet red wines, this is what they became. These are the wines that have given quality Kosher wines an unjustified bad name. However like gefilte fish and chicken soup, the Kiddush wine will linger on as a nostalgic reminder of the homely Jewish world, particularly when surrounded by family on Friday nights.

(This post originally appeared on wines-israel.com)

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