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| Kosher wine intrigues French amateurs
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Photo: EJP
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A cover story on kosher wine in one of the most prominent French wine magazines is being seen as a sign of increasing interest and support for kosher wine in France.
French amateurs are curious about the Jewish community’s new passion for oenology as sales increase and kosher wine workshops are created.
“La revue des vins de France” just commissioned an article on the kosher wine success story for its next April issue from oenologist Claudine Abitbol who a year ago created ‘the Kosher wine workshops’ where beginners learn to taste the best wines.
A second magazine, Vins et Gastronomie, published in its October issue an article on Israeli wine.
Better quality
In the past ten years, the kosher wine market has boomed and the Jewish community has developed an unprecedented passion for the red, white or rose drink.
Jews have always drank a little wine on Shabbat and on holidays such as Passover and Rosh Hashana, but their “prayer drink” wasn’t highly regarded and could be classified as ‘piquette’, the French word for bad quality wine.
With the new trend, Jews are becoming true connoisseurs and are developing genuine interest in wine culture.
 It is quiet unbelievable, but some traditional chateaux initially run by monks and that used to symbolise the church are now producing kosher wine
Claudine Abitbol, oenologist | “The interest the Jews are showing is revolutionary,” Claudine Abitbol told EJP.
“There is a link between wine culture and Judaism and many people feel that when they learn more about wine they also get closer to Jewish tradition,” she said.
Roughly 40 per cent of the bottles sold throughout the year are purchased at Passover. Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) comes second.
New Jews
According to Abitbol, the quality kosher wine phenomenon was initiated by Jews who returned to religion. Some of them used to drink non kosher wine as seculars and longed to keep their drinking habits while following kashrut (Jewish culinary laws)
There is a link between wine culture and Judaism and many people feel that when they learn more about wine they also get closer to Jewish tradition
Claudine Abitbol, oenologist | These consumers created a demand for quality kosher wine and their call was heard and answered by winemakers. Even the most notorious Chateauxs, such as Saint Julien Chateau Gruaud-Larose, started producing kosher wine.
“It is quiet unbelievable, but some traditional chateaux initially run by monks and that used to symbolise the church are now producing kosher wine,” Abitbol noted.
“The new phenomenon also shows the Jewish amateurs have adopted the traditional French way of life,” she added.
Israeli imports
With the new demand for kosher wine, Israeli producers have also invested in their industry to increase their exports. Israeli winemakers have purchased new equipment, improving their products’ quality and their exports to France have doubled in the last decade.
They are now at 200,000 bottles a year, according to French importer Moise Taieb.
They want to learn as much as possible about wine but, most of the time, they just don’t drink as much as the average French amateur
Moise Taieb, wine businessman | The world’s best wine tasters, such as Olivier Poussier and Philippe Faure-Brac, consider Israel a “rising star” on the wine scene.
Although sales have gone up, the kosher and Israeli wine markets are still relatively small.
“Prices are too high and although the quality is now often excellent, the kosher and Israeli wines’ reputation is not very good among the common French consumer,” Moise Taieb told EJP.
Some notorious chateaux still have in their cellars stocks of unsold kosher bottles and they decided not to produce new wine until their reserves are emptied out.
“The passion is there, but many Jewish consumers have a cultural approach to wine,” Abitbol said. “They want to learn as much as possible about wine but, most of the time, they just don’t drink as much as the average French amateur.”
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