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Nestled among the rolling Judean hills sits Anava Vineyards, a place where passion, personal connection, and profound terroir converge to create something truly extraordinary. More than simply producing wine, Anava offers individuals and families the rare opportunity to craft wine from their own plots of land in Israel, guided by a world-class winemaking team.

Returning to our podcast, Nadav Jesselson shares how Anava has evolved through challenging times, including navigating the disruptions of war and military service while continuing to nurture both vines and community. In Part One of this episode, we explore the meticulous process of "designing" young vineyards – the careful training of vines that transforms mere plants into productive bearers of quality fruit. This labor of love demands patience, precision, and a profound understanding of agriculture.

The heart of our conversation reveals Anava's unique vision: creating lasting connections to the Land of Israel through wine. Each owner receives their own plot, separately planted and personally named, transforming anonymous rows into meaningful spaces with stories – "Fortress" from a Colorado family, "Yekev Merav" named for an owner's wife. These aren't just vineyard parcels; they're pieces of legacy that can be passed down through generations.

What makes this experience particularly meaningful for Jewish owners is the opportunity to fulfill agricultural commandments specific to the Land of Israel – Shmita (the sabbatical year), Orla (the prohibition on the first three years' produce), and Neta Revai (special rules relating to fourth-year produce). For those living abroad, this represents a rare connection to ancient traditions otherwise inaccessible.

Recognizing that not everyone can make the substantial commitment of full ownership, Anava is developing more accessible options, including the chance to participate for a single vintage cycle – allowing more people to experience this profound connection to land and tradition.

Ready to turn your dream of owning an Israeli vineyard into reality? Join us to discover how Anava Vineyards offers more than wine – it offers a piece of Israel you can call your own.

or more Information:
ANAVA VINEYARDS
Nadav & Moriah Jesselson
Address: 7 Hacharuv St. Nechusah, 9988300 Israel
Email: info@anavavineyards.com
Questions or to Visit: Racheli Arieli +972(0)50-717-5479

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Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

What does it take to create a perfect wine? Is it even possible? And is Israel ready to produce a bottle that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's most acclaimed wines?

Deep in the hills of Shiloh, winemaker Amichai Lourie isn't just crafting excellent kosher wines – he's on a mission to create Israel's first 100-point wine. His newest releases, the Legend series, represent not just exceptional winemaking but a philosophical statement about Israel's place in the wine world.

Named after King David's legendary warriors – Itai, Adino, and Ira – these wines embody the Jewish concept of "safra v'saifa" (the pen and the sword), reflecting the balance between scholarly wisdom and decisive action. Each wine tells a different story: the medium-bodied, spice-forward Ira challenging preconceptions about complexity; the elegantly powerful Itai with its remarkable mint notes; and the bold, quintessentially "Shiloh" Adino.

What separates a 95-point wine from a perfect score? According to our panel of experts, including Royal Wine's Gabriel Geller and Jay Buchsbaum, the distinction can be subjective, political, and occasionally transformative. A 100-point Israeli wine wouldn't just represent a personal achievement for Amichai – it would signal Israel's arrival on the world stage as a premier winemaking region.

The conversation ranges from tasting notes to barrel selection, from biblical warriors to modern marketing, all united by a passion for excellence and the belief that Israeli wine's greatest moments still lie ahead. Whether you're a collector, casual wine lover, or someone fascinated by the pursuit of perfection, this episode offers an intimate look at what drives one of Israel's most ambitious winemakers.

Pour yourself a glass of something special and join us as we explore what makes these wines worthy of our highest praise, but we're not just tasting wines, we're chasing legends.

For more information about Shiloh Winery, Please contact:

Amichai +972-50-342-2268

Ami@shilohwinery.com

​Main office: Office@shilohwinery.com

For the Visitor Center Reservations: +972-50-355-4764

​Address: Shiloh Winery, Shiloh Industrial Zone, Israel

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Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

The grape that once dominated French vineyards has risen from obscurity to become one of the most exciting varietals in kosher wine. Carignan's story is one of remarkable transformation – from bulk wine scapegoat to artisanal darling.

Born in northeastern Spain so long ago it gave its name to a town rather than the reverse, Carignan traveled through the Mediterranean basin adapting to new terroirs and playing crucial roles in viticultural history. By the mid-20th century, it became France's most planted grape before falling victim to its own success. Overcropped and mismanaged, it gained an undeserved reputation for harsh, tannic wines lacking distinction.

For Israeli agriculture, Carignan proved invaluable during the First Aliyah of the 1880s. Baron Edmund de Rothschild imported French cuttings to help establish Jewish farming communities, with Carignan's resilience perfectly suited to Mediterranean conditions. For decades, it formed the backbone of Israeli wine, particularly for sacramental purposes, before being overshadowed by international varieties in the quest for prestige.

Today, visionary winemakers have rediscovered this ancient varietal's true potential. Through careful farming of old bush vines, limited yields, and thoughtful vinification, they're revealing Carignan's extraordinary range – from powerful, structured reds reminiscent of top Rhône wines to light, chillable natural expressions, elegant rosés, and even rare white versions.

What makes Carignan truly special is its chameleon-like ability to express terroir. The same grape produces wildly different wines in France, Chile, California, and Israel, each reflecting their unique growing conditions with remarkable transparency. Add its natural resilience to drought, heat, and disease, and Carignan suddenly looks like the perfect varietal for our changing climate.

Whether you're exploring bottles from Vitkin, Tepperberg, or boutique producers in the Judean Hills, Carignan offers something authentically Mediterranean yet distinctly modern. In its journey from rejection to renaissance, it tells a quintessentially Jewish story of resilience, adaptation and rebirth – a narrative worth savoring with every sip.

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Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

Wine begins with passion, curiosity, and an open heart – elements that define Penina Kustanowitz's remarkable journey into winemaking. Speaking while journeying from Jerusalem to Yerucham's Pinto Winery, Penina shares how a simple love for kosher wine blossomed into a full-fledged winemaking career that's quickly establishing her as one of Israel's rising stars.

Her story unfolds organically – from joining the RCC Club and volunteering at harvests to a fortuitous phone call that led to her first assistant winemaker position. Now armed with UC Davis certification and producing her own label, Penina invites us into the intimate world of fermentation management, barrel aging, and the surprising practice of singing to her fermenting yeast (which actually responds to her voice!).

What makes this conversation special isn't just the technical insights but the human elements woven throughout. Penina's "Upstream" California-style Chardonnay embodies her winemaking philosophy: "Make what you want to drink," even when it goes against prevailing trends. Her experiences blending wines reveal the artistic side of the craft – "like painting with grapes" to create harmonious expressions that tell a story in every sip.

The warmth and generosity of Israel's winemaking community shines through as Penina recounts how established figures freely shared knowledge and opened doors for her development. From managing the challenges of desert heat waves to the careful orchestration of harvest timelines across multiple climatic regions, we witness the unique elements that make Israeli winemaking both challenging and rewarding.

Pour yourself a glass of something wonderful and join this heartfelt conversation that captures not just how wine is made, but how a winemaker is made – through passion, perseverance, and an ever-curious spirit. Whether you're dreaming of making your own wine or simply appreciate the stories behind what's in your glass, this episode offers a taste of what's possible when you follow your palate and your heart.

For More Information:

Penina Kustanowitz : Winemaker

email: Peninak@gmail.com

You can find Penina's wines at Kos Shel Beracha #16 Halamed Hei Street Jerusalem 93661 / JLMwines.com / +972-2-561-1557 / +972-54-537-5663. They do ship throughout Israel and internationally.

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
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TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
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Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

The soulful journey of Jeff Morgan from jazz saxophone virtuoso to kosher wine pioneer unveils a remarkable story of passion, transformation, and unexpected spiritual connection. With natural charisma and refreshing candor, Morgan recounts his first culinary awakening in France as a 19-year-old music student that would eventually reshape his entire life's trajectory.

At the heart of this conversation lies the birth story of Covenant Winery—an enterprise that began almost as a dare between Morgan and his late business partner Leslie Rudd. Could they create a kosher wine to rival the world's finest? From securing premier Napa Valley grapes to confronting the technical challenges of kosher winemaking, Morgan's dedication to quality and authenticity shines through every anecdote.

What makes this story truly captivating is how making kosher wine became Morgan's unexpected gateway to Jewish tradition. Despite growing up disconnected from his religious heritage, the emotional moment when he pitched his kosher wine concept revealed something deeper stirring within him. Working alongside Shomer Shabbat cellar workers exposed him to Jewish prayers and practices, sparking a curiosity that would eventually lead him to embrace his heritage in profound ways.

We explore Covenant's ambitious expansion to Israel, where Morgan spent years developing wines that honored the ancient winemaking tradition of the Holy Land. Though financial challenges ultimately forced Covenant to cease Israeli operations in 2021, Morgan's passion for returning remains palpable as he shares his dream of building his own winery there someday. His genuine commitment to both exceptional winemaking and honoring Jewish tradition comes through in his latest innovations—from the Black Label series to the new Woodacre Spirits program.

Whether you're fascinated by winemaking techniques, personal transformation stories, or the intersection of tradition and innovation, this conversation offers rich insights into how one person's creative journey can revitalize an entire category of wine while simultaneously deepening their connection to heritage and faith. Ready to pour a glass and join us on this remarkable journey through music, meaning, and mastery?

For More Information:

Covenant Winery
Jeff & Jodie Morgan and Geoff Rochwarger, Owners
Jeff Morgan, Founding Winemaker
Phone: +1 (510) 559-9045
E-Mail: wine@covenantwines.com
Address: 1102 6th Street
Berkeley, California 94710
Web Site: www.CovenantWines.com

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
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Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

In this captivating second part of our conversation with Assaf Paz at Vitkin Winery, we move from vineyard stories to the glass itself. Though you can't taste through your headphones, Assaf's vivid descriptions bring each wine to life with such clarity that your imagination fills in the sensory gaps. His approach to winemaking—"taking down my ego, understanding that what I get from the fruit is amazing"—reveals itself through every sip we share.

The journey begins with a stunning Pinot Noir that defies expectations about what can grow in Israel's climate. From cool pockets in the Ella Valley comes a wine Assaf describes as "a lady that doesn't need makeup," requiring minimal intervention to express its delicate character. We move to Grenache Noir, "the Pinot of the Mediterranean," perfectly adapted to Israel's conditions with natural balance and lower alcohol levels that showcase fruit purity over power.

Whether you're new to Israeli wines or a seasoned enthusiast, this episode offers rare insight into how a master craftsman thinks about revealing a place through its grapes. Settle in, open your senses, and discover why Vitkin's portfolio represents both the present excellence and future potential of Israeli winemaking.

For More Information

Assaf Paz Winemaker

Vitkin Winery

Address: Turtle Bridge
Alexander stream , Kfar Vitkin
waze: ״Vitkin Winery״
Tel: +972-9-8663505
Fax: +972-98664179

WhatsApp: +972-54-4866355
Email: info@vitkin-winery.co.il

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
Link to Join “The Kosher Terroir” WhatsApp Chat
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Thursdays 6:30pm Eastern Time on the NSN Network and the NSN App

Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

Nestled in the heart of Israel's Sharon coastal plain, Vitkin Winery has been quietly revolutionizing Israeli winemaking for over two decades. Founded in 2001, Vitkin has championed Mediterranean grape varieties that thrive in Israel's unique terroir.

Chief winemaker Assaf Paz welcomes us into his world with remarkable candor, sharing the extraordinary challenges of creating wine during wartime. Following October 7th, 2023, the entire Israeli wine industry faced unprecedented difficulties – from labor shortages as workers joined military reserves to the physical dangers of tending vineyards within rocket range of hostile borders. Despite these obstacles, the 2024 vintage yielded what Paz describes as some of Vitkin's most outstanding white and rosé wines ever, albeit at dramatically reduced yields.

The conversation takes us deep into Paz's winemaking philosophy, shaped by his unusual journey from pastry chef to internationally trained winemaker. He articulates a vision of wine as "the meeting point of science and art" and "a marriage between God and man," where the winemaker must honor what nature provides while applying technical expertise to reveal a vineyard's full potential. Paz's evolution toward creating more elegant, approachable wines without sacrificing intensity or aging potential offers fascinating insights for wine lovers interested in the craft behind their glass.

Perhaps most compelling is Vitkin's role as what the late wine critic Daniel Rogov called "Mediterranean prophets" – pioneers who recognized early that Israel's true wine identity lies not in imitating Bordeaux or Burgundy, but in embracing varieties perfectly adapted to its Mediterranean climate. This approach has been vindicated particularly in challenging hot vintages like 2010 and 2012, when Mediterranean varieties thrived while international grapes struggled.

Pour yourself a glass of something interesting and join this journey into Israeli winemaking that goes far beyond the bottle to explore questions of identity, resilience, and authentic expression of place.

For More Information

Assaf Paz Winemaker

Vitkin Winery

Address: Turtle Bridge
Alexander stream , Kfar Vitkin
waze: ״Vitkin Winery״
Tel: +972-9-8663505
Fax: +972-98664179

WhatsApp: +972-54-4866355
Email: info@vitkin-winery.co.il

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
Link to Join “The Kosher Terroir” WhatsApp Chat
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EHmgm2u5lQW9VMzhnoM7C9
Thursdays 6:30pm Eastern Time on the NSN Network and the NSN App