Keeping kosher does not exclude anyone from experiencing a variety of good wines because Jewish wine from all over the world is now available at the click of a mouse. Even though the ingredients must be kosher, and certain substances are forbidden during the clarification process, if wine is Mevushal, or pasteurized, Gentiles can now prepare the grapes. This has increased the number of locations that can produce kosher wine. Anyone can experiment with wines and spirits imported from Israel, South Africa, Spain, Germany, Italy, and about 30 other countries.

Manischewitz wine and kedem wine are the two most popular kosher choices in the United States, with Manischewitz being the largest seller. Both brands are produced at New York state wineries. Now wine connoisseurs are no longer limited to vines from a singular region. While drinking wine is enjoyable, one can also used imported kosher wines in recipes, and not just for Passover. Favorites such as poached pears, sauces, or chicken cacciatore are easy to make and have made a good first impression on past guests.

Kosher wine is at least 2,000 years old and there is still a hearty market demand for various kosher wines. Approximately 21 percent of American Jews keep kosher and most of them are Reform Jews and of younger generations. The increase in the number of sophisticated wines being imported from around the world comes just in time for many of us as we seek the path to tradition with more freedom of personal choice.

Because of the recession, my husband and I had to cancel our European vacation this year, but that doesn’t mean our palates couldn’t travel. We found a great website offering a fantastic selection of kosher wines, drawing from countries the world over. One evening we’ll be strolling around the south of France, appreciating the region’s earthy flavors, and before I know it we’re in Tuscany, sampling a perfect Sangiovese. And if we’re feeling homesick, we pop open a bottle from California’s Napa Valley.

What’s really great is we don’t even have to travel to the store to find any of these great Jewish wines. We just log onto www.OnlyKosherWine.com, where we can browse bottles right in our living room and have them delivered to our door. The interface makes it simple to search for specific traits, like color, texture, and alcohol content.

And for those really special evenings, we browse the same great site for kosher spirits, from bourbon to rum to tequila. With so many great options, we never have to sacrifice diversity of flavor to keep kosher!

Lots of people see wine pairing as a rather intricate science, with right answers and wrong answers just like a lab report. But I like to take a more relaxed approach to pairing my meals with kosher wines. After all, what’s most important is finding a combination that you enjoy, even if a French sommelier wouldn’t necessary do the same.

One basic principle is to allow the wines in your meals to progress from light to dark. Champagne, for example, pairs excellently with a mild appetizer, and white wine works well with salads and other light plates. When you’re talking meat, I recommend a flavorful red wine to stand up to your seasonings and sauce. And finally, a glass of port can satisfyingly round out a meal when served with dessert.

If you’re looking to pair in a more casual setting, cheese is definitely the way to go. After all, there are almost as many varieties of cheese as there are of wine. In general, white wine works better with soft cheeses, while you should save the red wine for hard cheeses. Many connoisseurs even claim that cheese enhances wine by softening the flavors.

For any wine question or kosher wines information, you are more than welcome to visit us at www.OnlyKosherWine.com!