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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

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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

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+972-58-731-1567
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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
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Journey to the edge of the Judean Desert, where breathtaking vistas meet ancient biblical lands at Gilad Winery. Perched dramatically above steep drops into the Jordan Valley, this boutique gem has become a beacon for kosher Mediterranean-style wines under the passionate stewardship of Chaim Sackton.

As we sit surrounded by barrels in his intimate winery, Chaim shares the story of Gilad's inception—how a morning coffee overlooking the distant Gilad Mountains inspired not just the winery's name, but his entire approach to winemaking. Each wine series carries biblical names from this historic region, creating a direct connection between ancient tradition and modern craftsmanship.

What sets Gilad apart is Chaim's unwavering commitment to lighter, more approachable wines. While many Israeli wineries chase bold, high-alcohol profiles, he deliberately crafts wines with restrained extraction and elegant fruit expression. His GSM blend exemplifies this philosophy—a wine so versatile it pairs beautifully with everything from steak to chocolate chip cookies. As Chaim explains, "I prefer drinking light wines with food than full-bodied wines" because they allow both the wine and the food to express themselves fully.

Perhaps most fascinating is the story behind Heritage, Gilad's flagship wine. After aging in new oak for 24 months, Chaim felt the wine hadn't reached its potential—the wood overpowered the fruit. Rather than compromise, he aged it an additional 24 months in the bottle until it transformed into something truly special. This patience and commitment to quality over expediency defines everything about Gilad Winery.

From his current production of 20,000 bottles to plans for expanding to 50,000 and adding a visitor center, Chaim's vision continues to evolve. If you're seeking authentic kosher wines that celebrate Israel's unique terroir while remaining remarkably drinkable, seek out these limited-production treasures from Gilad Winery. Your palate will thank you.

For more information:

Chaim Sackton: Winemaker, Owner

Address: סנה, Geva Binyamin

Email: giladwinery17@gmail.com

Phone: +972 52-555-6833

WhatsApp Business: +972525556833

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+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
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The world of kosher wine has embraced transformative approaches to viticulture that honor both ancient traditions and forward-thinking environmentalism. Sustainability isn't just a marketing term—it's a comprehensive philosophy that encompasses water conservation, solar energy, and holistic management, returning waste to the soil as nourishment. These practices create closed-loop systems where nothing is wasted and everything contributes to vineyard health.

Even more fascinating is biodynamics, which incorporates cosmic rhythms into agricultural science. Biodynamic winemakers plant and harvest according to lunar cycles, bury cow horns filled with manure underground through winter, and use specialized herb preparations to stimulate vineyard vitality. While these practices might sound magical, prestigious estates like Château Pontet-Canet in Bordeaux (which produces remarkable kosher wines) have abandoned tractors for horses and embraced these methods with stunning results—wines of greater vibrancy, complexity, and sense of place.

The next time you raise a glass of sustainable or biodynamic wine, pause to consider what you're truly experiencing. Beyond flavors and aromas lies an intricate story of stewardship, intention, and care—a wine that connects you to something larger than yourself. Subscribe to the Kosher Terroir podcast to continue discovering the hidden stories behind the wines you love.

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In a groundbreaking conversation that challenges conventional thinking about kosher certification, Rabbi Yehoshua Grunstein reveals how Tzohar is transforming Israel's wine industry through a revolutionary yet deeply halachic approach to kashrut.

After years serving Jewish communities around the world, Rabbi Grunstein discusses how Tzohar recognized a critical problem: many Israeli wineries simply couldn't access kosher certification due to impractical requirements that weren't actually mandated by Jewish law. The result? Fewer kosher wines and more Shabbat violations across Israel.

Tzohar's solution maintains all essential halachic requirements—closing on Shabbat, following tithing laws, using only kosher ingredients—while permitting non-religious Jews to handle wine during production, a position with solid grounding in traditional sources. This thoughtful approach hasn't lowered standards; it's raised them by making kosher certification accessible to hundreds of establishments that previously operated outside any kosher framework.

The conversation delves into profound questions about Jewish identity, inclusion, and the purpose of religious authority. As Rabbi Grunstein eloquently argues, "Sometimes a chumrah (stringency) leads to a kula (leniency)" when excessive requirements push people away from observance entirely. By treating winemakers with respect and focusing on partnership rather than policing, Tzohar has created a model of certification based on transparency, professionalism, and genuine care for both halacha and the Jewish people.

Whether you're passionate about wine, interested in contemporary Jewish issues, or simply curious about how religious traditions adapt to modern challenges, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on building bridges rather than walls. Subscribe to hear more thought-provoking conversations that explore the intersection of tradition and innovation in Jewish life.

For Additional Information:

Tzohar Rabbinical Organization: A Religious-Zionist organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity among the Israeli public through an inclusive and open approach. The organization promotes accessible and equitable religious services and operates in areas such as marriage, kashrut, conversion, and halachic counseling, with the aim of bridging the gap between religious and secular communities in Israeli society.

Rabbi Yehoshua Grunstein: Director of Development for North America

Website: https://tzohar-eng.org/
Main Office: Israel: +972-77-775-6565
Tel for donations: 1-800-071-414
Fax: +972-8-915-2280

Address: 9 HaMelacha Street Lod 7152015 Israel

Email: office@tzohar.org.il

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
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The vineyard of tomorrow is materializing before our eyes, and kosher wine isn't just keeping pace—it's positioned to lead this technological revolution.

Imagine walking through a Galilee vineyard where robots delicately prune vines while AI algorithms track each grape variety's development. Picture winemakers wearing augmented reality glasses that display real-time data on sugar levels and hydration metrics. At the fermentation station, sensors fine-tune temperatures as machine learning predicts the perfect fermentation development curve—all while maintaining impeccable kosher supervision.

This isn't science fiction—it's the emerging reality of kosher winemaking. As we explore ten groundbreaking innovations transforming the industry, from smart irrigation systems that conserve precious water in desert vineyards to blockchain technology creating unbreakable chains of kosher certification, we discover how technology is enhancing rather than replacing the sacred traditions of kosher wine production.

We focus on how global challenges have accelerated transformation. October 7th disrupted Israeli agriculture and skilled workers were called to military service, technology became not just an innovation but a necessity. Drones now monitor vineyards too dangerous to access, while remote supervision technology helps rabbinical authorities maintain oversight when physical presence is impossible.

For the kosher wine consumer of tomorrow, this technological revolution promises unprecedented transparency and connection. They'll scan a bottle to see a digital timeline of production, verify rabbinical supervision through blockchain, and experience kosher wines that compete on quality and values, not just certification.

What emerges isn't just better wine—it's a more resilient tradition. By embracing these technologies thoughtfully, kosher winemaking isn't abandoning its sacred roots but ensuring they continue to thrive through challenging times. After all, what could be more kosher than using every tool at our disposal to create wine with greater intention, transparency, and reverence?

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+972-58-731-1567
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Prepare for an extraordinary Passover experience as we journey through the perfect wine pairings for your Seder table. Broadcasting from Rav Shlomo Katz's beautiful synagogue in Efrat, this special collaboration between The Kosher Terroir and JM in the AM delivers both practical wisdom and spiritual depth for the holiday.

Simon Jacob guides us through his meticulously curated wines for the four cups – beginning with La Forêt Blanche rosé from the historic Yatir region (where King David planted vineyards for Temple's sacrifices), progressing to the robust Flam White Label, continuing with a light Tepperberg Grenache, and culminating with the sweet Ya'acov Oryah "G" Gwurtztraminer that perfectly complements the Afikomen. Along the way, Simon solves the perennial Passover dilemma of what to serve at Kiddush Club when whiskey is forbidden, recommending premium kosher brandies like Julius from the Golan.

The conversation transcends mere wine tasting as Rav Shlomo Katz shares profound insights about the sacred balance between Torah study and spiritual connection during the Seder. He describes how his father would "daven the Haggadah" rather than simply read it, creating an experience that passes authentic tradition to the next generation. "It's the night that you could give over Yiddishkeit to your children more than any other night of the year," Nachum Segal explains, calling Seder night "a fulcrum of the entire year."

Perhaps most moving is the discussion of the symbolic "fifth cup" representing V'heveti – God's promise to bring the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. As Nachum Siegel powerfully states, "The story that begins with the exodus from Egypt has only one ending... the Jews who spent hundreds of years in Egypt, eventually getting to Eretz Yisrael."

Whether you're seeking practical wine guidance or deeper connection to Passover's enduring traditions, this episode offers wisdom to enhance your celebration. Chug Pesach Kasher V'Samayach

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