Review: Alavida, Kosher Malbec

L’chaim! That is a traditional Hebrew toast, which means, “to life!” It’s the inspiration for the name of this wine, Alavida. In Spanish, “a la vida” means, “to life.”

Alavida is not only a kosher wine, but it’s also certified USDA Organic — meaning it was made with organically-grown grapes, and the production process complied with USDA Organic regulations. For example, no sulfites can be added to wines that are USDA Organic. Finding a wine that is both kosher and USDA organic, is actually pretty rare.

But what does it mean for a wine to be kosher? For the most part, a kosher wine is just like other, non-kosher wines. The ingredients are the same, with the exception of a few fining agents that aren’t permitted in kosher wine, such as isinglass, gelatin and casein. But those fining agents are often not used in non-kosher wines as well.

Any ingredients used in the winemaking process must also be kosher, such as the yeast. The processes of pressing, fermenting, bottling, etc. is the same as non-kosher wines. The big difference is that for a wine to be kosher, all of that winemaking must be done by Sabbath-observant Jews under the supervision of a rabbi. If the wine is handled in any way by someone who is not a Sabbath-observant Jew, at any point in the winemaking process, the wine can no longer be considered kosher.

Alavida Winemaking

Alavida was produced in Argentina and comes from a producer I’ve reviewed often on this site, Domaine Bousquet. Yet, of all the wines I’ve reviewed from Domaine Bousquet, none of them before have been kosher. What makes this one different?

In order to produce this as a kosher wine, Domaine Bousquet brought in a Sabbath-observant Jewish team and paired them with a team from the winery. The team from the winery, including lead winemaker Rodrigo Serrano, observed and directed the Jewish team through the process, while the Jewish team were the only ones to handle the grapes and the wine.

Some kosher wines go through a process called mevushal, where the juice is briefly pasteurized and can then be handled by anyone and still be considered kosher. That did not take place with this wine. Therefore, this wine is non-mevushal. The fact that this wine is non-mevushal means that the bottle must also be opened and served by a Sabbath-observant Jew for it to remain kosher.

The end result of Alavida is a wine very similar to other wines you would expect from Domaine Bousquet, only this one is kosher… and organic.

Tasting Notes

Black cherry is the primary characteristic, or the primary tell, for which Malbec is known. That black cherry note is the first thing you’ll notice on the nose of this wine. It also showcases blackberry, green pepper, mushroom, allspice and nutmeg aromas. Black cherry, blackberry and baking spices are also prominent on the palate, which is rich and vibrant. The mouthfeel is silky, giving this wine an elegant feel. The finish is long and delicious.

Wine: Alavida, Malbec
Varieties: 100% Malbec
Vintage: 2021
Alcohol: 14.5%
Rating: 90
Average price: $19.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.

Distribution: This wine is currently distributed in DC, DE, CA, CT, FL, IL, MD, ME, NJ, VT, and WA. It will be available in NY and OR, effective April 1, 2022.