Shemittah Wine Alert

Israeli wines from the 2022 vintage were produced during the shemittah year and are currently available in the local Chicago market and beyond.  Some were produced in reliance on the heter mechirah, and for those who do not subscribe to that position, the wine is forbidden (since it did not have a proper biur). These wines may be labeled as heter mechirah, but any 2022 wine from Israel should be carefully checked for this concern. Others were produced using the Otzar Beis Din setup (and are labeled accordingly); they have fulfilled the biur requirement, but it is generally accepted that they still have kedushas shevi’is.  Accordingly, if they were purchased, they may be consumed but should be treated with kedushas shevi’is.

For details on the issues involved, including how to consume wine with kedushas shevi’is, see the articles by Rav Yona Reiss, shlita, and Rabbi Dovid Cohen in Volume 9 of the cRc Shemittah Newsletter available at https://kshr.us/Kedusha .

As with all items, consumers are reminded to verify that the wine is certified by a reliable hechsher.