Jules Polonetsky
The 20th anniversary of the Kosher Food and Wine Experience (KFWE), presented by Royal Wine Corp., felt less like a trade show and more like a high-stakes unveiling of where the kosher wine market is headed. Held at the World of Blue Hotel near the Meadowlands in New Jersey, the energy was palpable, underscored by the presence of legendary winemakers from Israel, France, Spain, California and beyond.
One of the VIP figures in the room was NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who was attending as the owner-operator of Cheurlin Champagne, a new kosher wine production I wrote about in these pages several weeks ago. Thomas was all about the business opportunity when I asked him about his interest in wine and the kosher market. But he shared with me one story that truly resonated. Years ago, the basketball star traveled to Israel with the late Detroit Pistons owner, William Davidson. “While at the Wailing Wall, I followed the tradition of placing a note in the stones. My wish was to win a championship”. As history records, his team, the Detroit Pistons, went on to win the NBA championship the next two years, back-to-back.
Speaking of Champagne, we witnessed a historic “first” this year. The illustrious House of Champagne Barons de Rothschild, a joint venture between the three branches of the family (Lafite, Mouton and Clarke), has finally released its first-ever kosher vintage Champagne. Until now, we have enjoyed their non-vintage labels, but the arrival of a vintage-dated bottling represents a new level of commitment.
In most wine regions, every year is a vintage year. In Champagne, however, a vintage is only “declared” when the weather and harvest are exceptional.
- Non-Vintage (NV): These are blends of several years. Cellar masters use “reserve wines” from past harvests to maintain a consistent “house style” year after year, regardless of the weather.
- Vintage: These are snapshots of a specific moment in time. They are not meant to taste consistent; they are meant to express the unique character of the sun, rain and temperature of that one specific harvest.
To be labeled as vintage, the wine must follow stricter laws than its non-vintage counterparts:
- Extended Aging: By law, Vintage Champagne must age for at least three years on its lees (yeast sediment). In reality, many top houses age five to 10 years or more before release. (Non-vintage only requires 15 months.)
- Limited Supply: Vintages are typically only declared three or four times in a decade.
- The 80% Rule: To ensure they have enough wine for future non-vintage blends, producers are only allowed to use up to 80% of an exceptional harvest to make vintage wine.
Because of the extended time spent aging on the yeast, Vintage Champagne develops a different flavor profile than the fresh, fruity style of NV bottles:
- Complexity: You will often find “autolytic” notes — flavors of toasted brioche, biscuits, roasted nuts, honey and dried fruits.
- Texture: The bubbles tend to be finer and more integrated into the wine, resulting in a creamier, silkier mouthfeel.
- Longevity: These wines are built to last. While an NV bottle is usually ready to drink immediately, a good Vintage Champagne can often be cellared for 10 to 20-plus years.
Drappier recently released a kosher vintage champagne, which may have been the first-ever kosher vintage champagne, and now Rothschild joins this special kosher club.
Unfortunately, the bottles had not arrived in time for KFWE, so I haven’t yet had a chance to taste this release. Stand by!
Italy’s Growing Footprint: Masseria Frattasi
The Italian section of the KFWE floor was notably more crowded this year, reflecting a fast-paced growth in high-end Italian kosher offerings and the hard work of importer Ralph Madeb. Among the standouts was Masseria Frattasi, a historic 18th-century estate from Campania making its kosher debut. Their most intriguing pour was an Aglianico made using the appassimento method.
Commonly associated with Amarone, this process involves drying the grapes on mats after harvest to concentrate flavors. The result is a wine, specifically their Kapnios, that is deeply inky, full-bodied, and packed with notes of dark chocolate and smoky black fruit. It’s a bold, “meditation wine” that proves Aglianico can be as sophisticated as any top-tier Bordeaux.
Teperberg Winery’s new Inspire Art series had people chattering, both for the quality of the wines but in large part due to their new labels. The labels feature the “Band-Aid” motif of the well-known Israeli street artist, Dede. While the visual caused a stir, the backstory is profound: Dede began using the motif to process his own PTSD following military service, turning urban “wounds” into symbols of healing.
The wine inside is just as evocative. I spent time with Teperberg Dabouki. Dabouki is an ancient, indigenous Israeli white grape that was nearly lost to history. The winery manager aptly described it as a “Tel Aviv summer wine.” It is light, vibrant and incredibly floral, the kind of wine you want when drinking at a street cafe.
An additional highlight of the evening for me was enjoying a “French 75” cocktail made by winemaker Jonathan Hajdu, using his new gin mixed with sparkling wine. Hajdu’s Pinot Noir was also a crowd favorite.
Outside the Royal ecosystem, we have some incredible “local hero” news to celebrate. Congratulations to Kevin Danah of Binah Winery of Pennsylvania. His 2022 Binah Blanc de Blancs recently secured a Double Gold Medal and an impressive 96-point score at the 2025 San Francisco International Wine Competition.
While Binah wasn’t at KFWE (they aren’t a Royal partner, so you’ll need to buy direct from the winery), Danah was in Brooklyn the night before KFWE for the annual KWD. This public event saw a tremendous showing of winemakers and fans, and Dannah’s wines were exceptionally well-received. It is a proud moment for our regional wine scene to see such high-level recognition on the international stage and in the kosher community.
L’Chaim!
Jules Polonetsky is a Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 certified wine expert who edits a wine education website at kosher-wine.org. He is a former consumers affairs commissioner for New York City.
