KOSHER WINE PRODUCERS ON THE RISE IN ITALY: EVEN FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO LAUNCHES TWO LABELS BASED ON FIANO D’AVELLINO AND AGLIANICO VARIETALS

The number of Italian wine producers who have begun dedicating a part of their production to kosher wines has increased notably recently. This year, even one of the biggest names from the Campania region, Feudi di San Gregorio, has launched two kosher labels that are in full respect of Jewish dietary laws and based on the autochthonous varietals, Fiano d’Avellino and Aglianico.

“At the moment, there are about a dozen in Italy that produce kosher wines” – explained Mosé Silvera, importer and distributor of wines from Isreal – “with the largest production by Giordano, which makes 2 million bottles per year, all destined for export to the U.S. and Canada”.
“But kosher wine” – continued Silvera – “is a product that has found a market even in Italy – “above all in Milan, which is increasingly demanding and in constant search of new flavors, as well as in Rome, which is more attentive to price”.

Alessandro Calmieri of Feudi di San Gregorio added: “To respect Jewish dictates, it is necessary that only observers of the Hebrew religion come into direct contact with the production, therefore we have two Jewish workers and all of the others can only give advice but cannot touch anything”.

Among the other rules for producing kosher wine, no yeasts derived from animals can be used and every seven years the vineyards must rest.