Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

A single mix-up call sends Michael Kay to a champagne facility as a last-minute kosher supervisor, and by the grace of Ha'Shem, that becomes the start of a new life in wine. I sit down with Michael, founder of Invei, to unpack how a former book editor builds a serious California kosher winery out of a garage, sources fruit from vineyards he doesn’t own, and still manages to make bottles that surprise even experienced drinkers.

We get specific about the craft: how Michael evaluates growers, why tasting wines made from a vineyard can be the best first filter, and what he looks for when he walks rows that aren’t “his.” Then we go hour by hour through harvest day logistics, from bins and forklifts to quality checks that can force a hard decision before the must ever hits the tank. If you’ve ever wanted a clear explanation of fermentation control, we dig into cold temps, glycol chillers, lab testing delays, yeast selection, nutrient timing, and how stability problems can show up later in the bottle.

Michael also shares how being a mashgiach shapes winemaking choices around additives, plus what he learned at massive operations like Gallo that still matters when you’re running small-batch kosher wine. We talk underrated standouts like Gewürztraminer and Petit Verdot, dream varietals he wants to make next, and the partnership dynamics with Rabbi Dovber Berkowitz that keep Invey both ambitious and grounded.

If you enjoy smart wine talk with real-world cellar details, subscribe, share this with a wine-loving friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find Kosher Terroir.

For More Information:
Invei Winery: Berkeley California
Michael Kay Winemaker Co-Founder / Rabbi Dovber Berkowitz Co-Founder
www.invei.com
Phone: +1 510-847-5268

Support the show

www.TheKosherTerroir.com
+972-58-731-1567
+1212-999-4444
TheKosherTerroir@gmail.com
Link to Join “The Kosher Terroir” WhatsApp Chat
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Thursdays 6:30pm Eastern Time on the NSN Network and the NSN App

Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

A winemaker can spend decades learning how to shape a wine, so what happens when kosher restrictions limit which wines you taste? From Jerusalem, I sit down with Ari Gotthelf, a kosher wine producer, importer, and consultant who has made it his mission to bring the worlds terroir into the kosher market without watering down the identity of the place, the grapes, or the winery behind it.

We talk about the hidden work behind every kosher bottle: reaching out to dozens of wineries, earning trust across cultures, and navigating the tension between marketing demands and cellar reality. Ari shares what wineries misunderstand about kosher wine, why choosing the right mashgiach team matters, and how new technology like live tank monitoring can reduce friction and cost of kosher production while protecting quality. If you care about kosher winemaking, wine importing, or the practical side of building a global kosher wine portfolio, you’ll hear the unfiltered logistics.

Then we go straight to the fun part: which regions and styles deserve more attention from kosher wine lovers. Ari makes a case for Portugal’s depth and native grapes, why New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect teaching wine, and what South Africa can offer when you chase the right sites. We also get honest about wine snobbery, how to read a wine label for real value, and why you should never apologize for what you enjoy.

Subscribe and share this with a wine-loving friend, and leave a review so more curious kosher drinkers can find the show.

For more Information

Ari Gotthelf

E-mail: ari@ubg.co.il

Instagram: @got_ari

Website: ubg.co.il

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

Send a Text Message to The Kosher Terroir

Israel is smaller than New Jersey and yet it may be one of the most quickly changing wine landscapes you can drive across in a single day. That’s why Israel’s first official wine region map matters, and why we wanted to go straight to someone who helped draw it.

We’re joined by Noa Maoz, an agronomist and viticulturist who served on the professional committee behind the map, alongside Ministry of Agriculture experts and specialists working with soil science, climate forecasting, and GIS mapping. We dig into the core idea that finally moved the industry forward after decades of debate: stop fighting about branding, blends, and label politics, and look only at terroir geology, climate, soil, elevation, and what the land actually does to a vine. Noa explains how eight regions and 18 subregions create clearer options for wineries, and why the differences across Israel’s coastline, central mountains, and desert zones are real, measurable, and meaningful in the glass.

We also get practical about wine labels and consumer trust: what it means when a bottle claims Golan, Galilee, Judean Hills, or Negev, how rules like an 85% threshold fit global norms, and why enforcing geographic truth helps everyone learn faster. Looking ahead, Noa shares how subregions can evolve, how sub-subregions could be proposed by growers, and why Israel’s still-young modern wine industry should stay creative rather than rushing into strict European-style appellation restrictions.

If you care about kosher wine, Israeli terroir, and tasting with more confidence, hit subscribe, share this with a wine friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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