Jancis Robinson

Kosher

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

  • About
(meaning pure). To the Jewish people, there is no communal, religious, or family event without wine. The vine was one of the seven fruits blessed in the Bible and there is even a special blessing devoted to wine: ‘Blessed are You, Lord our God … who creates the fruit of the vine.’

Adhering to the Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) is essential for all Orthodox Jews. Kosher wine laws were established in ancient times, so an observant Jew could avoid drinking Yayin Nesech, a wine used for idol worship and Stam Yayin, wine made by non-Jews.