For the past 23 years, Royal Wine Corp. has hosted the Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE) bringing together an exceptional portfolio of food and wine. For KFWE 2026, there were 81 wineries from around the world including Argentina, Australia, France, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the United States who brought hundreds of wines with them for invited guests to sample, as well as products from 19 spirit vendors from France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Panama, and the United States. Held at the World of Blue Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey, there was the added attraction of having NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, owner of Champagne Cheurlin at the event speaking about his champagne line. It was another memorable night of food, wine, and Jazz at the KFWE 2026! Cheers!
KFWE 2026 Wine Highlights
Isiah Thomas – Cheurlin Champagne
One of the many highlights of the evening was meeting with NBA Hall of Famer and Champagne Cheurlin owner Isiah Thomas during KFWE to discuss his two champagnes from the 9th generation house of Cheurlin, founded in 1788. Key takeaways about his champagnes, Isiah Thomas pointed out that they are First Press champagnes and have Zero or Low Dosage (low sugar), and now they are also Kosher. Why Kosher? Because there is a need.
When Isiah first got into the champagne market ten years ago, he said there was a resistance to making zero/low dosage champagnes. Times and tastes have changed, and Isiah wanted to give consumers the opportunity to have a choice, hence his Champagne Cheurlin Brut Spéciale and Champagne Cheurlin Thomas Célébrité Blanc de Blanc, Extra Brut, are both first pressed champagnes made with hand-harvested grapes picked at their prime. The OU-P on the labels designate that the champagnes are Kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU) and are also Kosher for Passover (P).
Isiah Thomas and Edward F. Nesta
Champagne Cheurlin Brut Spéciale: 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 12% Alcohol, OU-P, $75/bottle
Champagne Cheurlin Thomas Célébrité Blanc de Blanc, Extra Brut : 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Blanc, 12% Alcohol, Zero Dosage, OU-P, $100/bottle
Other Wine Highlights
There were many wonderful wines and spirits at the event, however we concentrated on sampling wines from France, Israel, Italy, and the United States, and bring you a look at of some of the wines sampled.
France
Champagne Barons Rothschild
Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, 12% Alcohol, OU, Mevushal
Domaine Arnaud Baillot
Domaine Arnaud Baillot Bourgogne, Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune, 2023, 13% Alcohol, U, P, Not Mevushal, $57/bottle
Domaine Arnaud Baillot Beaune Premier Cru – Teurons, 2023, 13% Alcohol, U, P, Not Mevushal, $120/bottle
Drappier
Drappier Nature Brut Champagne, 12% Alcohol, OU, Mevushal, $59.99bottle
Israel
Binyamina Winery
Chardonnay, Moshava 2024, 13% Alcohol, Kosher for Passover, from Galilee
Carmel Winery
Carmel Signature, Carmel Black: Cabernet Sauvignon, 2023, 13.5% Alcohol, U, P, $30/bottle
Domaine Du Castel
Domaine Du Castel Grand Vin, 2023, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, Estate in the Judean Hills, west of Jerusalem. Kosher for Passover, Lemehadrin, Non Mevushal, $125/bottle
Kamisa Wines
Kamisa
Kamisa, Alpha 72, 2016, 72 months in barrel, 64% Cabernet Sauvignon 64%, 36% Petit Verdot, $239.99/bottle
Kamisa Omega Blend 2020, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Petit Verdot, 28% Shiraz, 18 months in barrel, U.P. Not Mevushal, $49.99/bottle
Kamisa, Gewurztraminer, 2021, Pi Blanc, Upper Galilee Winery, 11% Alcohol, U, P, Non Mevushal, $56.99/bottle
David Pinto – Pinto Winery
Pinto Winery (Established in 2020)
Pinto Chardonnay, 2023, Dry White Wine from the Negev Desert, 12.5% Alcohol, Pintowinery.com, $40/bottle
Razi’el
Razi’el Blanc, 2024, Roussanne 75%, Viognier 25%, Jerusalem, Haute Judée, Judean Hilla, Israel, Kosher for Passover, Lemehadrin, Non Mevushal, $81/bottle
Razi’el Brut Nature, Zero Dosage, 2018, their first vintage sparkling wine. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, using the “Methode Traditionnelle” and aged in the bottle for 6 years. Filling date: April 2019, Disgorged: February 2025. Kosher for Passover, Lemehadrin, Non Mevushal
Italy
Eli Gauthier, Owner Cantina Giuliano
Cantina Giuliano (Owner Eli Gauthier)
Cantina Giuliano A Mano 2020 Toscano Rosso IGT, 15.5% Alcohol, from Tuscany, $64.89/Bottle
Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils
Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf Du Pape, 2022, ADP, 15% Alcohol, $44.99/bottle
United States
Herzog
Generation VIII By Herzog, 2023, Cabernet Sauvignon, Padis Vineyard, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, California, 15% Alcohol, Kosher for Passover, Mevushal, $169.99/Bottle
Generation VIII By Herzog, 2023, Cabernet Sauvignon, Double Creek Vineyard, Chalk Hill, Sonoma County, California, 15% Alcohol, Kosher for Passover, Mevushal
A Sampling of the Food
Bordeaux Wine & Steak House
Sushi
Diamond Catering Carving Station
Diamond Catering by Chef Chaim Levy
Lamb Chulent, Mexican Chulent, Pastrami Chulent, Carving Station: Pastrami, Turkey Breast, Kielbasa, Jerusalem Kugel, Potato Kugel, Ptcha Shots, Meatball on Caponata
Tuscanini
Pasta Stations: Rigatoni with Slow Cooked Marinara, Penne with Olive Oil, Garlic, Truffle, Basil, and Fusilli with Red Wine Bolognese Sauce
Ha’Misada Mediterranean Kitchen
Sizzle & Slice by Chef Tzvi
Sizzle & Slice by Chef Tzvi
Gourmet Pizzas including Mushroom Truffle (our favorite), Pastrami, and more
Manischewitz Baked Goods
Manischewitz
Assorted pastries and cookies
Teas by Wissotzky family owned since 1849
KFWE 2026 was the perfect introduction to excellent food and quality wines from around the world in a variety of price ranges to appeal to different audiences. Until next time, cheers!
About KFWE and Kosher Wine Terminology
“KFWE is hosted by Royal Wine Corporation, the largest producer, importer and exporter of kosher wines and spirits, headquartered in Bayonne, New Jersey. The event is exclusively for trade and media.”
For those new to the terminology for Kosher Wines, Royal Wine Corporation notes: “A big misconception about kosher wine is that it’s made differently from non-kosher wine, or it’s been “blessed” by a Rabbi. In fact, kosher and non-kosher wines are made the same way, it’s just the handling that is a little different. In order for wine to be kosher it must adhere to the following: A Sabbath-observing Jew to handle the process. Each and every ingredient added, whether infiltration or clarification along the vinification process must be kosher. All tools and equipment must be dedicated to kosher winemaking alone. Aside from the constraints mentioned above, there needn’t be any difference between the techniques used to make a fine kosher wine or a fine non-kosher wine.”
Royal Wine Corporation defines the term “mevushal” as: “…the most misunderstood term in the kosher wine tradition. In Hebrew, mevushal means literally boiled. However, mevushal wines are not heated to a boiling temperature. Thanks to modern-day technology, mevushal wines are flash pasteurized to a temperature that meets the requirements of an overseeing rabbi. The technique does not noticeably harm the wine. In fact, flash-pasteurization is used at a number of very well-known non-kosher wineries, where it is thought to improve certain aromatics. For Jews, however, the technique simply alters the spiritual quality of a kosher wine, making it less susceptible to ritual proscription. That means anyone—whether kosher or not—can open a bottle of mevushal wine and have it retain its kosher status. Non-mevushal wines are more sensitive to religious constraints and must be opened and poured only by Sabbath-observant Jews.”
See you at KFWE 2027!!
For more information on attending or participating in the next Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE) in New York/New Jersey or Los Angeles, please visit the website: https://kfwe.com/
Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE)
Email: https://kfwe.com/contact/
Website: https://kfwe.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekfwe/?hl=en @thekfwe
For more information on Royal Wine Corporation, please visit their website: www.RoyalWine.com
Royal Wine Corporation
663 LeFante Way
Bayonne, New Jersey 07002
United States
Email: info@RoyalWine.com
Website: www.RoyalWine.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RoyalWineCorp/
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/royalwinecorp @royalwinecorp
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