Kosher wine and Italy's wine regions
How wine fits a kosher culinary journey in Italy, from certified wine to private estate visits.
Wine on a kosher journey
Italian wine has a serious kosher production, which is one reason Italy is so workable for kosher culinary travel. On a KCT journey, every wine served is certified kosher, and most are not mevushal. Our service staff are shomrei Shabbat. Kosher meat, wine and specialty goods are consolidated and shipped ahead, for Italy usually through Rome or Milan, so the cellar for the week is in the house before the family arrives.
What makes a wine kosher
A kosher wine is produced under rabbinic supervision, with the wine handled by Sabbath-observant Jews from the crush onwards and only kosher ingredients and equipment used. A mevushal wine has been heated so that it keeps its kosher status if it is later opened or poured by someone who is not Sabbath-observant. Because our service staff are shomrei Shabbat, most of the wines we serve do not need to be mevushal, which widens the choice considerably. Terms like these are explained in our kashrut glossary.
Italy's wine regions, briefly
Italy grows wine from the Alps to Sicily, and a journey can be shaped around the regions as much as around the bottles.
- Tuscany. Sangiovese country, home to Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, and the region our families most often choose for vineyards, olive groves and long tables under the loggia. See Tuscany.
- Piedmont. In the north west, the Langhe hills around Alba produce Barolo and Barbaresco from the Nebbiolo grape, and the region is known for its food as much as its wine.
- The Veneto. Valpolicella and Amarone near Verona, Prosecco in the hills further north, and Venice within reach.
- The south and the islands. Puglia and Sicily pair coastal estates with their own grape varieties and a strong food culture. See the regions on our Italy page.
Which of these can be visited, and which kosher wines are poured, depends on the itinerary and on what can be arranged with the producers at the time. We confirm that during production rather than promising it in advance.
Making wine part of the journey
The aim is to make the wine experience part of the overall journey rather than simply adding a tasting to the schedule. Depending on the itinerary and the arrangements available, wine tastings and vineyard experiences can be part of a private culinary journey, and olive oil and wine estate visits can be arranged privately, out of hours. Working wine and olive estates can also be taken privately for a stay, so that the vineyard is the view from breakfast.
At the table, the culinary team plans the wines with the menu: something light with the market lunch, something more serious for the Friday night dinner, and kosher wine pairings for a celebration night. Adults can enjoy wine while the children have their own activities, as our guide to building a kosher culinary itinerary in Italy describes.
Where to read next
For the country, see Italy and the Tuscany page. For the kitchen behind the table, read the culinary experience and our kosher standards. When you are ready, begin a conversation with Avicam.
Begin a conversation
Tell Avicam where you would like to go and who is traveling. We discuss honestly whether KCT is the right team, and how an engagement would be structured. We reply as soon as we can.