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Kosher is an ancient Hebrew word that is translated as "fit" or "proper," and when applied to food or drink, it signifies that a particular substance is suitable for consumption according to Jewish ritual law.
The law specifies that for a wine to be kosher, it must be made under strict rabbinical supervision and with equipment that is used exclusively for the production of kosher wine. In addition, products used in the winemaking process, such as yeasts, must be certified kosher. The grapes and wine can be handled only by Sabbath-observant Jews — in other words, those who refrain from work of any kind from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. That means, of course, that harvesting and winemaking cannot take place on the Sabbath or on important religious holidays. "But," as Ernie Weir, winemaker at Hagafen Cellars vineyards in the Napa Valley, explains, "there is usually enough flexibility in the grape-growing season, winemaking schedule, and holiday calendar so that kosher regulations don't adversely affect production."
Many kosher wines are also taken one step further. Jewish law states that for wines handled by the general public — for example, poured by waiters who are not Sabbath-observant Jews — to remain kosher, they must be boiled, or mevushal. The "boiling" of these wines is accomplished by flash pasteurization, a sophisticated technical process in which wine is held for a few seconds at an elevated temperature. Some wine experts believe that this procedure helps stabilize colors and tannins and can even enhance aromas. Other experts argue that while this process may not hurt wine in the short term, it does destroy bacteria that contribute to the aging of fine wine. |
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