Giving you time to prepare ~
‘Tis the season to celebrate heritage, and what better way for the days of Hanukkah than to enjoy it with 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 have had three people of Jewish heritage enter my family through marriage, and each one is very dear and has added something very substantive to my life. 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…)
With Hanukkah beginning at sunset on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, and ending at sunset on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, I continue to think about my Jewish family and friends, and will be toasting them…
The following is short list of wines produced by Jewish vintners in California, and it’s time for me to purchase at least one bottle to celebrate these magical days.
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.
- Click on this link for 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) over the years:
- 7 Artisans
- Abban Vineyards – John Alban
- Bighorn Cellars – Dick Wollack
- Bonny Doon Vineyard – Randall Grahm
- Calix
- 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
- Don Ernesto
- Eagle & Rose
- Edge Hill Estate – Leslie Rudd
- Emilio’s Terrace – Phil Schlein (owner)
- Frank Family Vineyards – Rich Frank
- Gemstone Vineyard
- Hagafen Wines
- Hall Wines
- Harlan – Bob Levy
- Herzog Wine Cellars
- Honig Vineyard & Winery
- Howell At The Moon
- Jaffe Estate
- JC Cellars
- Joseph Zakon Winery and Kesser Wine
- Judd’s Hill
- Krupp Brothers Estate
- Lieff Winery
- Longboard Wines – winemaker Oded Shaked
- Match Vineyard
- Matthiasson
- Neiman Cellars
- Prix Vineyards
- Rashi Clara
- Reverie Vineyard and Winery
- Rock Creek Vineyard
- Rock Wall Wine Company
- Rudd Vineyards & Winery
- Ruston Family Vineyards
- Sara Bec
- 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 yours!
Who would have thought there were so many Jewish winemakers – and then of course, there are all those in Israel. So do all of these make kosher wine or are they winemakers who are Jewish? Ernie Weir is the owner-winemaker at Hagafen – some of their wines are kosher, maybe all, I’m not sure. To be kosher, the wine has to be made by someone who honors the sabbath, not sure what else is required.
So now when the 8 days of Chanukah start on Dec. 20, we can enjoy a wine everyday made by someone of a Jewish heritage. We can celebrate the light of life and potato pancakes with any juicy wine.
These are Jewish winemakers. The list of Kosher is very limited, and perhaps I should even expand this at some point to include that section.
I’m so pleased that you see the potential, Sondra!
Chaim Gur-Aryeh, the man behind C.G. DiArie, is from a Jewish-Israeli background as well. And, even better, the man makes a pretty good PS!
Is Larry Schaffer (Tercero/Epiphany) Jewish?
What’s the point, exactly, of listing winemakers by their supposed religious affiliation?
Are you following up at Xmas with a list of the Christians, and at Chinese New Year the list of Buddhists…and so on throughout the year?
“With Hanukah already underway…”? It doesn’t begin for several days. Unlike “the Christmas season,” it is NOT “underway” at all.
And the random stock photo of people at a dinner table…?
The whole post was bewildering.
P.Lou,
1) You’re right, it’s not underway yet. Thanks for the edit. This is a list I’ve had for a few years, with updating it as I go along. I’ll fix that.
2) The point? Read Sondra Barrett’s comments. She’s said it all.
3) Sorry to have upset you. That wasn’t my intent.
Thanks, and awesome.
Not sure. I can find out 😉
Weird. I’ve worked with two of the individuals on this list and they are not, in fact, Jewish. Admittedly, Rosenblum IS a Jewish name, but I wonder how this list was compiled. Is the only criteria that the winery owners have last names that SOUND Jewish?
xrs,
Good one. Now that you mention it, this was compiled years ago before Kent sold to Diagio, so I’m removing that one ASAP. If you want to share the other, I’ll remove it also. When it was compiled, it came from good sources. As we all know, things change rapidly in the wine business, and I’m open to edits.
Good post. There are 2 different version of kosher wine. I forgot what the names are. One is very strict though.
I do believe their are some good kosher wines coming from Spain also.
Thanks for your contribution, Greg. Next year, I’ll go into detail about the two different versions.
I had to follow up on some of your readers comments – why Jewish winemakers – maybe because they are rare compared to Christian. Rarer still Muslim winemakers – we can certainly celebrate different traditions and their winemakers. I remembered that there is actually a Jewish winemakers group – this is an event they put on in October http://www.sonomanews.com/News-2011/Celebrating-the-Rich-Tradition-of-Jewish-Winemaking/
And i guess we should distinguish between winemaker and wine owner. One winery name left out – BR Cohn.
Are there any Buddhist winemakers?
Sondra,
I also had a friend send this link to me: http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/30316/grape-expectations/
I’m sure there are Buddhist winemakers, and count me in as wanting to know who they are, too, along with Muslim.
It has been my life experience that the more I know others for the diversity that they bring to my life, the more well rounded I have become.
Worst case scenario? Everyone in the world would be just like me. I’d go out of my mind from boredom!
And, let’s not forget… wine making began in the Middle East.
The latest winemakers from the Middle East – Pari and Kamal Azari – http://www.azarivineyard.com/azary_winery.php – they’re Persian as is Darioush. We should go visit the Azaris – I just met them last week – very nice people with winery in Petaluma gap. They told a fascinating fable of how wine got its start in persia.
Love it, Sondra.
Hey thanks for the article I really enjoyed it and I would definitely love to hear the Persian wine fable! I love old stories like those there’s something irresistible about a story or a wine that’s been properly aged. 😉
Here’s to Jewish wine writers! Mazel tov, and l’chaim!
I’m with you on that one, Steve… a very talented group, IMHO.