What makes a wine Kosher?

What makes a wine kosher?

It must be made without preservatives or artificial coloring, and any products used in processing must themselves be certified kosher. Moreover, kosher wines are subject to a strict filtration procedure, in which agents such as gelatin, rice or milk products may not be used.The equipment and machinery must be used exclusively for the production of kosher wines, and only Sabbath-observant Jews may physically handle the grapes, production equipment and wine. According to the teachings of the Midrash, the "forbidden fruit" that Eve ate and which she gave to Adam was the grape from which wine is derived.

Kosher wine (Hebrew: יין כשר, yayin kashèr) results only when wine is produced according to Judaism's religious law, specifically, the Jewish dietary laws of (kashrut, Hebrew: כשרות), and then is known as "kosher wine". Kashrut deals with avoiding specific forbidden foods, none of which are normally used in winemaking, so it might seem that all wines are automatically "kosher". However, because of wine's special role in many non-Jewish religions, the kashrut laws specify that wine cannot be considered kosher if it might have been used for "idolatry".

Kosher wine are drunk on the following Jewish feast:-

• Pesach (Passover) seder use for 4 cups of wine
• Purim
• Shabbat Kiddush cup
• Jewish Marriage
• circumcision
• Rosh Hashana
• Sukkot
• Hannukah
• Redemption of the Firstborn
• the obligatory blessing of Borei Pri HaGafen ("Blessed are you O Lord, Who created the fruit of the vine") is almost always recited over kosher wine (or grape juice.)

Some of these concepts include:

• Yayin Nesekh (Wine that has been poured to an idol, or with idolatry in mind.)
• Stam Yainom (Wine that may have been touched by someone who might believe in idolatry, but wouldn't have had it in mind at the time of contact.)
• When kosher wine is mevushal ("cooked" or "boiled"), it thereby becomes unfit for idolatrous use and will keep the status of kosher wine even if subsequently touched by an idolator. See section below for more details.
• Intermingling - There are prohibitions on several foods, including wine, in order to prevent intermingling amongst non-Jews in order to reduce the chances of intermarriage.

Procedure for production of "Mevushal" wines

Kosher wine is mevushal ("cooked" or "boiled"), it thereby becomes unfit for idolatrous use and will keep the status of kosher wine even if subsequently touched by an idolator. The boiling process killed most of the fine mold or "must" on the grapes, and greatly altered the tannins and flavours of the wine. The result was typically a weak, insipid wine. Rather than being full red in colour, it often displayed an opaque, permanganate-coloured tone.

Later, the process was modified to require only that wine be heated to 90 degrees Celsius. (At this temperature, the wine is not bubbling, but it is cooking, in the sense that it will evaporate much more quickly than usual.) This managed to reduce some of the damage done to the wine, but still had a substantial effect on flavour.

Recently, a process called "flash pasteurization" has come of vogue. This method avoids causing the juice of the grapes to simmer or boil, and is said to have a minimal effect on flavour, at least to the casual wine drinker. Indeed, the non-kosher winery Château Beaucastel flash pasteurizes and its wines are considered among the world's finest, although few others have copied this technique. Ironically, relatively flavourful flash pasteurized wines faced resistance in the market as observant Jews had come to associate kosher wine with the traditional pinkish, tea-colored wines.

In most territories, the bulk of kosher wine is supplied by wineries producing both kosher wine and wine for the general market. However, irrespective of the method, the pasteurization process must be overseen by Jewish clerics to ensure the kosher status of the wine. Generally, a team of rabbis will attend the winery to physically tip the fruit into the crush, and operate the pasteurisation equipment. Once the wine emerges from the process, it can be handled and aged in the normal fashion.

During these difficult and traumatic times in Israel, express your solidarity with your brothers and sisters in Israel, by purchasing Israel made products. Not only have Jews died and been injured, but the Israeli economy is cripple, and tourism is nearly dead..

http://www.allhlwines.com/ .

Kosher food & wine from Israel

Kosher drinking and usage of wine

In Biblical understanding wine speaks of Joy, fellowship, a happy reunion, a victory, a happy occasion usually a case for a wedding banquet.

In following occassion

Ge 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Nu 18:12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.

So 4:10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

Ec 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works

Ps 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

Wine for healing effect

Lu 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

Yeshua at the wedding feast - turning water into wine - John 2:1-11

Warning not to be a stumbling block to another

Ro 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby * * thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Warning for wine abuser

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein * * is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

1Ti 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Beware of drinking the wine that is the wrath of G-d

Re 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Re 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Re 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Re 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Re 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Re 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Re 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.