Kosher wine – Ask the Rabbi
Q. What makes a wine kosher?
A. Kosher wines need rabbinic supervision. Originally there was a problem of yayin nesech, wine consecrated for heathen worship. Not only was a Jew not permitted to use such wine, but could not even derive any benefit from it. At a later stage there came the further prohibition of s’tam yeynam, wine made or handled by gentiles. Wine drinking was part of social gatherings and there was a fear of mixed marriage. Hence wine had to be manufactured by Jews, or at least the crucial stages had to be performed by Jews and kosher wine had to be served by Jews. However kosher wine used at Jewish functions is often yayin m’vushal, “boiled (pasteurised) wine” and does not need to be served by Jewish staff. The basis of this rule is that boiled wine was apparently not used by heathens in idolatrous worship.
