Wine Education

 Following are some essential sources that are not kosher specific, but are excellent reading for knowledge about developments in the world of wine, as well as important basic information

Jancis Robinson: renowned writer and expert.  Read every one of her books! Her online web site with news and more is at jancisrobinson.com

Kosherwine.com runs a regular series of online classes, see https://academy.kosherwine.com/

(and thanks to them and Royal for coordinating the kosher classes for WSET 2 and 3 which I enjoyed!)

Speaking of WSET - if you are serious, take one of their classes!  WSET 2 is easy enough for most beginners, WSET 3 is quite serious.  WSET doesnt require a wine tasting to pass the test for certification.

WSET 3 requires a great deal of tasting and a tasting test to pass, so you may need to wait for a rare kosher opportunity - which can be done in Israel, or the next time Kosherwine.com coordinates the opportunity.

WSET4 has never yet been presented with kosher wines - it requires tasting from all over the world, including many regions that dont produce kosher wines - yet.  But great reading if you can purchase the materials.

Jewish Wine Books:

Jews and the Wine Trade in Medieval Europe: Principles and Pressures (The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization) by Haym Soloveitchik

Although Jews were at the centre of commercial activity in medieval Europe, a talmudic ban on any wine touched by a Gentile prevented them from engaging in the lucrative wine trade. Wine was consumed in vast quantities in the Middle Ages, and the banks of the Rhineland hosted some of the finest vineyards in northern Europe. German Jews were, until the thirteenth century, a merchant class. How could they abstain from trading in one of the region’s major commodities? In time, they ruled that it was permissible to accept wine in payment of debt, but forbade trading in it, and they maintained that ban throughout the Middle Ages.Further study in the twelfth century, however, led Talmudists to discover that Jews were only forbidden to profit from trading in Gentile wine if they dealt with idolaters, but that trade with Christians and Muslims was permitted. Nevertheless, the German community refused to take advantage of this clear licence. Using Jewish and Gentile sources, this study probes the sources of this powerful taboo.

In describing the complex ways in which deeply held cultural values affect Jews’ engagement in the economy of the surrounding society, this book also illustrates the law of unintended consequences―how the ban on Gentile wine led both to a major Jewish contribution to German viticulture and to the involvement of Jews in moneylending, with all its tragic consequences.

Wine and Wisdom - A Halachik Overview of Fine Wines and their Brachos

Serious books - my recent favorites

One Thousand Vines: A New Way to Understand Wine by Pascaline Lepeltier

first book by one of the most highly regarded women in the world of wine, the French-born, US-based star sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier

“Wine is easy to drink but complicated to understand. Most modern books focus on one element — a region, history, wine science, tasting and so on. Few seek to explain it in its totality. That’s what makes Pascaline Lepeltier’s new book so extraordinary. It examines every aspect of wine, starting with the domestication of the grape vine thousands of years ago through the nature of the vine, the geology, flora and fauna of vineyards, the production and serving of wine, how we taste it and how we talk about it. It’s a remarkable synthesis that incorporates biology, chemistry, history and philosophy… It’s often said that the more we learn about wine the less we know. But wine lovers who read this book will deeply, richly profit.” New York Times

Behind the Glass: The Chemical and Sensorial Terroir of Wine Tasting 

In Behind the Glass readers will discover the science involved in wine tasting and learn why wine tastes the way it does. Wine is chemically very complex, while sensory appreciation can be subjective, meaning that our perception of wine is many layered. Behind the Glass is aimed at the non-scientist curious wine lover or wine professional and uses flavor chemistry and sensory science to help readers understand what is going on when they taste a glass of wine. The book is divided into three sections, on the visual appreciation of wine, the taste of wine on the palate and the smell of wine, and explains the chemical and sensory aspects of each. The text is illuminated by accompanying graphics. The book concludes with six pairs of wines to taste, to allow readers to put into practice the ideas explored in the book. By understanding more fully the chemical and sensorial aspects of wine tasting readers will equip themselves to better appreciate each glass of wine they taste.

Introductory Books - favorite classics

Wine Folly

The best introductory book on wine to come along in years” (The Washington Post) from the creators of the award-winning Wine Folly website

(Disclosure - these are my favorites!  I have used affiliate tracking links to Amazon - any proceeds to me will go to charity)

Israel and Wine

Free Book Download A History of Israeli Wine

Adam Montefiore has posted his book A History of Israeli Wine..a great read. Now available at his web site, which is worth looking at, if you havent previously..lots if his articles and useful resources. Direct link to the book here.