Weekly Holidaze Drawing: Just leave a comment on any wine-blog entry this month, to win gifts this December.
Tis the season to celebrate one’s heritage, and what better way ~ for the next eight days ~ than to enjoy a glass of wine produced by someone of this culture?
If this is not your cultural heritage, you’re still invited to toast the season on behalf of your Jewish relatives and/or friends. Personally, I’ve had three people of Jewish heritage enter my family through marriage. This is a special time of year when our cultures intermingle, so I can’t help but reflect on everyone’s joys of this month of seasonal and ethnic celebrations.
There’s always so much ado about Christmas that other cultures seem to take a back seat to the marketing of Santa Claus, Black Friday shopping, and everything tied up with a red velvet bow. (This almost makes me wonder if it’s we who were born to Christian families that are by nature conspicuous consumers, and that’s what drives Madison Avenue? Hum…)
Today, with Hanukkah just beginning for 2008, I thought about my Jewish family and friends. I decided to take the time to create a short list of wines produced by Jewish vintners in California, and purchase at least one bottle to celebrate these magical days ahead.
The world list is daunting, so I’m providing a link for those who are curious to see how much wine is produced by Jewish vintners.
- Jewish Wines ~ Kosher Wines (By country of origin and by cultivar)
The list of California vintners that I’ve gathered (with the help of others, most especially Lowell Jacobson for adding to this year’s list from last year’s list). This is NOT a list of Kosher wines. It’s just a list of Jewish vintners:
- 7 Artisans – Jeff Miller
- Abban Vineyards – John Alban
- Bighorn Cellars – Dick Wollack
- Bonny Doon – Randall Grahm
- Calix
- Cameron Hughes Wine
- Cannonball
- Carelia-Kaplan Cellars
- Cliff Lede – Michelle Edwards (winemaker)
- Clos Pegase – Jan Shrem
- Coho
- Cote Rose
- Covenant Kosher Wines
- Diamond Creek – the late Al Brounstein and his wife Boots
- Distillery No. 209
- Don Ernesto
- Eagle & Rose
- Edge Hill Estate – Leslie Rudd
- Emilio’s Terrace – Phil Schlein (owner)
- Expression Wines
- Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery
- Frank Family Vineyards – Rich Frank
- Gemstone Vineyard
- Hagafen Wines
- Hall Wines
- Harlan – Bob Levy
- Herzog Wine Cellars
- Honig Vineyard & Winery
- Howell At The Moon
- Idell Family Vineyards
- IDS Kosher Wine
- Israel Wine Company
- Jaffe Estate
- JC Cellars
- Joseph Zakon Winery and Kesser Wine
- Judd’s Hill
- Kendall-Jackson
- Krupp Brothers Estate
- Leaf & Twig
- Lieff Winery
- Match Vineyard
- Matthiasson
- Neiman Cellars
- Oakville East
- Prix Vineyards
- Qupé Wine Cellars
- Rashi Clara
- Reverie Vineyard and Winery
- Rock Creek Vineyard
- Rock Wall Wines (Kent Roenblum)
- Rosenblum Cellars
- Rudd Vineyards & Winery
- Ruston Family Vineyards
- Sara Bec
- Schlein Vineyard/Emilio’s Terrace
- Selene Wines – Mia Klein
- Silver Oak
- Sola Rosa
- Spring Mountain Vineyard
- Sly Dog Cellars
- Talbas Creek
- Water Mark
- Weinstock Cellars
- Z-Mor
Happy Hanukkah to you and/or yours!
Quite a list. I really only knew of Hagafen…as I drive by there on my way to work.
Happy Hanukkah by the way 🙂
Thanks Jo! Here’s hoping I win those glasses to start the holiday off right 🙂
These are great glasses for celebrating. Thanks Loweeel and Vinogirl for the final day of signing up for these glasses. Happy Hanukkah to everyone.
So, are these all Kosher wineries? I love the iconoclastic choices made by Randall Graham at Bonny Doon, and have enjoyed his wines at every opportunity, but thought of Hagafen as the only premier wine maker keeping Kosher.
Great list, thanks for the information!
John,
No, these aren’t all Kosher. Sorry if that was misleading. These are all wines produced by people who are of Jewish descent. There is a Kosher list on the Internet (I’ve seen it), but I decided to provide a more broad list for my readers.
I, too, love Randall’s iconoclastic choices. He’s just so brilliant… He’s never talked about just having Kosher wines, that I know of, so keep going with Hagafen, until we hear differently.
Happy holiday to you!