Forty percent of annual kosher wine sales occur in the months leading up to Passover, so it’s not a surprise that reviews of the latest kosher wines begin appearing in publications around this time.  Invariably, these reviews start with the purportedly surprising news that sweet sacramental wines are no longer the norm for kosher wines, and the classic Manischewitz is no longer the only kosher bottle available. That it’s time to put those stories to rest was quite obvious at last week’s unofficial “kosher wine week” in the NYC area.

The annual Kosher Food and Wine Experience, run by kosher food and wine giant Royal, which owns dozens of leading kosher brands, was only open to the trade this year, so the Jewish Link newspaper of North Jersey stepped in to host a public event that had hundreds of bottles of kosher wines from just about every major wine region in the world.  The informal “Kosher Wine Drinkers” group—several hundred kosher wine fans and people in the wine trade—organized a tasting that brought many of the same wineries and distributors to Brooklyn for an extensive tasting. Small private events with individual winemakers who had flown into town took place all week. The kosher wine market may be niche compared to the broader market for kosher food products, but the range of wines, regions, and styles exhibited this past week made it clear that the era of quality kosher wine is now well established.

One of my favorite wineries was well represented all week with a number of wines that are highly regarded for quality and affordability.

Clos Mesorah in Monsant. (Photo: Jules Polonetsky)

Elvi Wines produces a wide range of wines from multiple regions in Spain, with its own wineries in Monsant and Priorat and arrangements with other wineries in the wine regions of La Mancha, La Rioja, Alella, and Cava. As in other premium wine areas in Europe, the grapes must be grown and the wine produced within the legal boundaries of the appellation to be eligible for a label that indicates the coveted appellation. Other requirements will also apply, such as the variety of grapes that can be used and how long the wine must be aged before release.

Elvi, the only fully kosher winery in Spain since 1492, has its flagship winery in the Monsant region, about an hour’s drive from Barcelona, where its facility known as Clos Mesorah winery grows Garnacha and Carignan vines, some more than 80 years old, on a soil mix of licorella, clay and granitic sand.  The eponymous wine, made from 40% Carignan, 30% Grenache, and 30% Syrah, sells for around $80 and regularly wins top awards.  More affordable and equally well regarded are Elvi’s Rioja wines under the Herenza label, tempranillo wines priced from $20 to $75, depending on whether the bottle is a 24-month-old Crianza or 36-month-old Reserva. And for only $10, the Elvi Sangria is deliciously refreshing for those outdoor picnics or poolside days.

For many, wine is about more than a tasty beverage in a bottle.

The winemaker, the terroir, and the site’s history are all part of the story of the wine. Elvi’s charm is burnished by its owner and head winemaker, Dr. Moises Cohen, a Casa Blanca-born and Haifa Technion-educated inventor of technologies that allow vineyards to be remotely monitored for a range of factors affecting the vines.   Cohen’s spouse, Anne Aleta of Toulouse, was a sommelier whose love for wine led to the couple founding their winery. Son David Aleta Cohen travels the world today marketing the winery, while daughter Leah studies enology at a top university in the region.

I had the pleasure of visiting Clos Mesorah in Monsant recently and trekking with David Aleta Cohen to their new winery in nearby Priorat. It was a treat to see the famous Priorat soil known as llicorella, layers of red slate, separated by clay, that are believed to give the grapes their famous intensity.  Elvi makes another highly-rated flagship wine here, the El26, which is 75% Grenache and 25 % Carignan. Elvi wines are increasingly appreciated far beyond the kosher market, and their flagship wines regularly sell out. So, these wines are worth checking out for a taste of Spain at every level of affordability.

Jules Polonetsky