With Rosh Hashanah around the corner, those who celebrate the Jewish New Year are likely planning their apples-and-honey-spiked holiday spreads—and that means choosing the just-right wines to complement them. For many celebrants, kosher wine is the name of the game.
In many respects, kosher wine is no different from mainstream wine. The winemaking processes are much the same, except for a few key distinctions: It must be made under the observation of a religious authority and earn a hechsher, a rabbinical product certification, which is clearly marked on bottles.
Decades ago, those who desired kosher wines were largely limited to syrupy-sweet bottlings (Manischewitz, anyone?), but these days, fantastic kosher wine is made across the globe. Israel is understandably a notable producer, but in recent decades, wineries in France, Italy and California have entered the scene as well, often producing limited runs of kosher vintages.
We’ll drink to that. Below, check out some of our favorite kosher wines, independently selected by our in-the-know editorial team. L’chaim!
Recanati 2019 Syrah (Galilee)
90 Points Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of dark plums and violets lead to flavors of cranberry, pomegranate, cherry and Mediterranean herbs. Smooth in the mouth, this wine has silky tannins and a final note of orange zest. —Mike DeSimone
$17.99 Wine.comGolan Heights Winery 2021 Mount Hermon Red (Galilee)
Five Stones 2019 5X5 Dry Red (Judean Hills)
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Red-violet to the eye, this wine offers a bouquet of jammy red and black fruits. It shows luxurious tannins and flavors of raspberry, pomegranate, butterscotch, oregano and thyme. The finish is remarkably bright. —M.D.
$43 Wine-SearcherGolan Heights Winery 2021 Mount Hermon White (Galilee)
89 Points Wine Enthusiast
This wine has aromas of pineapple, lemon and baked apple. It has flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, green apple, white flowers and a floral lift on the finish. Best Buy—M.D.
$13.99 VivinoLewis Pasco 2019 Lewis Pasco Project BDX Red (Judean Hills)
90 Points Wine Enthusiast
Deep garnet in the glass, this wine has a bouquet of blackberry, elderberry and aniseed. It feels almost cool at first, offering notes of clove, eucalyptus and licorice that are followed by flavors of pomegranate and cherry. Velvet tannins ease into a rose petal finish. —M.D.
$21.99 Wine LibraryDalton 2020 Canaan Red (Galilee)
88 Points Wine Enthusiast
This wine has a nose of black plum and mountainside herbs. It is easy drinking, offering gentle tannins and flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, vanilla, violet and pencil lead with a hint of baking spices on the finish. Best Buy —M.D.
$18.99 VivinoRecanati 2019 Reserve Carignan (Judean Hills)
93 Points Wine Enthusiast
Dark ruby in color, this wine has a bouquet of dark plums, bramble berries and a hint of summer farm stand. It has flavors of blackberry, ripe cherry, bittersweet chocolate, espresso bean and olive tapenade wrapped up in supple tannins. There is a pleasant but unexpected note of jalapeño on the finish. —M.D.
$65.99 VivinoGalil Mountain 2019 Galil Ela Red (Galilee)
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a bouquet of cherry, blackberry and black olive paste. It is bright at first sip, with flavors of black cherry and Valencia orange that are joined by note of dark chocolate and thyme. Glossy tannins recede into an orange zest infused finish. —M.D.
$25.99 Wine.comGalil Mountain 2018 Meron Red (Galilee)
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
This wine offers a bouquet of pomegranate, caramel and smoke. It has flavors of black plum, blackberry, milk chocolate, coffee bean, clove and anise. Bold tannins fade into a note of violet on the finish. —M.D.
$38.50 VivinoGolan Heights Winery 2020 Mount Hermon Moscato (Galilee)
88 Points Wine Enthusiast
Light straw to the eye, this sparkling wine has aromas of peach, apricot and rose petal. It is effervescent on the tongue, with flavors of white peach, mango, orange zest, honeysuckle and a cotton candy finish. Best Buy —M.D.
$17 VivinoCovenant 2021 Red C Rosé (California)
91 Points Wine Enthusiast
A snappy texture and lively peach and apricot flavors light up this exceptional, medium-bodied, light-copper-colored wine. It offers both mouthwatering palate-cleansing acidity and fruit that is well concentrated. —Jim Gordon
$44.99Last Updated: June 6, 2023
