Jules Polonetsky
I recently caught up with Zev Steinberg, a wine expert who has been one of my guides to understanding kosher wine.
Steinberg decries being called an expert; instead, he considers himself to be a passionate lover of wine who is immersing himself in education through books and in the vineyards with the goal of inspiring others to share his passion and to enjoy wine. Steinberg’s business, the eponymous “Wine with Zev,” runs an annual kosher Bordeaux wine trip, coordinates wine education classes and curates and promotes wine for the idrinkkosher.com wine retailer.
Steinberg himself was first intrigued by wine when, as a child, he visited his grandparents, who had immigrated to Boro Park, New York, from Romania, where they had a vineyard. Although Boro Park row houses often don’t have yards, Steinberg’s grandfather had managed to plant a grapevine as a canopy over the driveway between his home and the adjoining house.
I was lucky enough to travel to Bordeaux last year with Steinberg on a trip that was a wonderful educational experience, and I was eager to hear about the latest insights from his recent trip. I wasn’t let down. Although anyone can rent a hotel room and book a visit to wineries in Bordeaux, the kosher consumer who just shows up is likely to be disappointed because the wineries that produce kosher wines typically do a special production and then ship those wines off to the market. Steinberg goes to immense efforts to source bottles of the relevant wines, coordinates to have them on hand at the wineries and arranges for the winemakers to be available to discuss the wines with the Wine
with Zev delegates.
It’s fascinating to hear many of these top winemakers waxing rhapsodic about their winemaking process, as well as explaining any nuances involved in their kosher wine production. Steinberg explained, “Domaine de Chevalier owner Olivier Bernard and the winemaker Rémi Edange are just phenomenal human beings. Their passion, their love of wine, is just beyond, and they would not commit to making kosher unless they thought they could make it at the level of their celebrated nonkosher wines.” One challenge Bordeaux winemakers have is that the harvest is often during the Jewish holidays, resulting in the unavailability of the kosher supervisors on the precise days that a winemaker may have determined as ideal for harvest.
One exception to the kosher wine availability is Domaine Roses Camille, where respected winemaker Christophe Bardeau has been providing all his wines under kosher certification for several years. Steinberg and Bardeau teamed up to put on a kosher barbecue dinner, featuring cowboy steaks that matched perfectly with the winery’s complex wines. Bardeau hopes to one day open a kosher restaurant at his winery, an effort desperately needed in the region now that Yad, the only Bordeaux kosher restaurant, has closed.
While working with the Orthodox Union to arrange kosher supervision for the special “pop-up” dinner, Steinberg learned about the biggest new kosher development in Bordeaux. A Jewish investor group has purchased a Bordeaux chateau and its vineyards and is working on producing kosher wines that should be released in 2026. Château Jupille Carillon has a long history making wine in Bordeaux in the St. Emilion region, but today it has a mezuzah on its door and is operating full-time under kosher supervision. The Wine with Zev group tasted barrel samples of the wines and was provided with a spread of kosher food. The consensus is that the final release of finished wines will be well received.
Speaking of food, it’s fair to say that kosher Bordeaux is all about the wine, while kosher food availability is more limited, especially now that the Chabad-run Yad restaurant is closed. A small market provides the basics, and with some coordination, you can get by fine, but it’s a far cry from the incredible kosher food scene in Paris. For the next Bordeaux trip, Steinberg has teamed up with award-winning kosher chef Avner Guzman, a gastronomic star with experience in a Michelin-starred restaurant, and Parisian caterer By Ella. The elite wines will finally be matched with a suitable fine dining experience for the travelers.
One challenge for beginners tasting high-end elite wines is that many of these wines are very expensive and are intended to be enjoyed only after years of aging. In fact, the reputation of these wines is tied to the aromas and flavors that emerge as these wines age.
When released young, many of these wines may not be appealing or ready to drink. They may be very tannic or taste quite tight and closed. Steinberg recommends that beginners exploring Bordeaux wines do not spend more than in the $30 to $50 price range. But beware: a bottle simply labeled Bordeaux with a village appellation is often a very simple “table wine.” Steinberg advises looking for affordable wines from prestigious wineries like St. Corbian, Fourcas Dupre, Montviel, or Rothschild family-owned Chateau Clarke.
Those lucky enough to live in a city with a large Jewish population and specialty kosher wine stores should be able to find an extensive kosher Bordeaux selection. Otherwise, head online to idrinkkosher.com, where you can find wine selections curated by Steinberg, or to kosherwine.com and other online kosher retailers.
As we finished our chat, Steinberg offered a final word of advice. “Wine is about community, building relationships, about Shabbos and celebrations and should only be positive,” he said. “Don’t let anyone’s opinions or all these details stress you. It’s
about enjoyment!”
Jules Polonetsky is a Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 Certified wine expert who writes for the Wine and Whiskey Globe when not occupied with his day job as CEO of a tech policy think tank. He is a former consumer affairs commissioner of the city of New York.
