Kosher Wine
Kosher wine refers to wine that is produced according to Judaism's religious law - specifically, the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut. However, other sectors of Judaism are more lenient with some of these laws, and Reform Judaism does not observe them.
In general, kashrut deals with the avoidance of specific forbidden foods. However, none of these foods are usually used in winemaking, so it may seem safe to presume that all wines are automatically kosher. Because of wine's special role in many non-Jewish religions, though, the kashrut laws specify that wine isn't considered kosher if it may have been used for idolatry.
Idolatry is a word that is used by various religions to describe the worship of a false deity, which is an affront to their understanding of divinity. Many religions consider the beliefs and practices of other religions to be idolatrous. The concept of worshipping icons and images is called iconolatry, but idolatry only rarely refers to the worshipping of physical idols. Some of these kosher wine concepts include: Yayin Nesekh, which means wine that has been poured to an idol or with idolatry in mind. Stam Yainom, which is wine that may have been touched by a person who may believe in idolatry, but wouldn't have had it in mind at the time of contact. When kosher wine is mevushal it means it has been cooked or boiled. This means it is unfit for idolatrous use and it will keep the status of kosher wine even if it is touched by an idolator.
There has been an increased demand for kosher wines recently as it is becoming more popular. Various wine producing countries are now making a wide variety of sophisticated kosher wines under strict rabbinical supervision. This is particularly common in Israel, the U.S., France, Italy and South Africa. Two of the largest producers and importers of kosher wines in the world, Kedem and Manischewitz, are both based in northeastern America. When kosher wine is made, marketed and sold commercially to Orthodox Jews, it must have the hechsher or seal of approval from a supervising agency or organization. This seal may be the OU sign of the Orthodox Union.
There are many varieties of kosher wines available and they shouldn't be too hard to find. However, if you want to make sure the wine is kosher, be sure to lo for the kosher seal or label.
Related Links: