Kosher Today, Episode 16: The State of Kosher Wine with Jay Buchsbaum
Host: Menachem Lubinsky Guest: Jay Buchsbaum, Executive Vice President, Royal Wine Corp. (Kedem, Herzog) and widely regarded as the foremost expert on kosher wine
Episode Description
Alcohol consumption in America just hit a historic low — yet kosher wine sales are climbing. On this episode of Kosher Today, host Menachem Lubinsky sits down with Jay Buchsbaum to unpack why the kosher wine industry is bucking the national trend, even amid rising antisemitism, war in the Middle East, and a shrinking secular Jewish population. From the mashgichim who shadow European harvests grape by grape, to the surprising number of non-Jewish shoppers buying Bartenura Moscato and Kedem grape juice by the case, Jay offers a rare inside look at how kosher wine became a genuine culinary category rather than just a Kiddush staple.
What They Discuss
- A shrinking market, a growing niche — U.S. per-capita wine consumption fell for the first time on record, driven by a 2023 WHO-backed study labeling alcohol a carcinogen, the legalization of marijuana, and the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Kosher wine sales, however, are still ticking up.
- Why observant Jewish life protects the category — Kiddush, Shabbos, weddings, and brissim keep kosher wine embedded in weekly ritual, and Jay points to a growing Orthodox share of the Jewish community and "cross-fertilization" with secular relatives as tailwinds.
- The J-curve — a statistical case that moderate wine drinking may still carry heart benefits, even as public health guidance has shifted.
- Sourcing from 17+ countries — including Argentina, Hungary, Italy, France, Australia, and New Zealand. Notably absent: Germany, out of sensitivity from the Herzog family's history.
- Why top European chateaux are finally saying yes — as their traditional markets soften, prestige wineries in Bordeaux and beyond are now producing kosher runs they once refused to make.
- What it actually takes to make wine kosher — unlike food certification, kosher wine requires observant supervision at every step from harvest to sealed bottle. Royal Wine fields more than 30 mashgichim across Europe, led by Menachem Izrailevich, their Paris-based "galloping kosher winemaker."
- Flash pasteurization vs. flash détente — the modern processes that replaced old-style boiling, and why Jay says they don't compromise quality.
- The Israeli wine boom — from the first standout Carmel Cabernet in the mid-1970s to today's 350+ wineries (39 represented by the Israel Wine Producers Association), and how Barkan, Carmel, and Teperberg lead the market.
- Buying Israeli wine as an act of solidarity — and Jay's caution that support alone won't sustain the category if quality and pricing don't keep pace, especially with a weakening shekel.
- The crossover phenomenon — Jay estimates roughly 70–90% of Bartenura Moscato drinkers aren't Jewish, and a significant share of Kedem grape juice at Costco goes home with non-Jewish shoppers.
- What's next — Jay's vision for kosher wine and food (think Sabra hummus, Toscanini) to break out the way the bagel did, becoming mainstream favorites rather than a niche category.
Notable Moment
Jay closes with a story about handing skeptics a bottle of Herzog Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet: proof, he says, that great kosher wine can change minds about what keeping Shabbos and kashrus actually looks like.
About the Guest
Jay Buchsbaum has spent his career building the kosher wine and food industry, working closely with wineries across the globe to grow Kedem, Herzog, and the broader Royal Wine portfolio. Outside of wine, he works as a strategic marketer advising businesses on growth, expansion, and M&A.
About the Host
For Menachem Lubinsky and Lubicom Marketing and Business Consulting
Call 718.854.4450 or e-mail mlubinsky@lubicom.com
This show was Produced and edited by thepodwaves.com
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