Content deleted Content added
→Winery: add image |
Rescuing 4 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5 |
||
| (42 intermediate revisions by 31 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{coord|38.363534|-122.291666|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Hagafen Cellars
| logo = Hagafen.jpg
| trading_name = <!-- d/b/a/, doing business as - if different from legal name above -->
| native_name = <!-- Company's name in home country language -->
| romanized =
| former type =
| type =
| traded_as =
| industry =
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = <!-- City, Country ({{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}) -->
| founder =
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city =
| location_country =
| locations =
| area_served =
| key_people = Ernie Weir;<br/> Irit Weir.
| products = wine
| production = 8000 cases
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees =
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = <!-- {{URL|examplesite.com}} -->
}}
'''Hagafen Cellars''' is a winery located in the [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa Valley]]. Founded in 1979, it was the first [[kosher wine]]ry in California, and is "the first of the upscale kosher brands."<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Berger
| first = Dan
| title = Drink; Wine; The New Kosher Wine
| newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| location = [[Los Angeles]]
| date = Mar 19, 1997
| url =
|
==Wines==
[[File:Hagafen Cellars.jpg|thumb|alt=exterior photo of Hagafen Cellars|Hagafen Cellars]]
[[File:Hagafen Cellars column in 2005.jpg|thumb|Hagafen Cellars column in 2005]]
Many wine writers praise Hagafen wines, writing for example that the winery makes "a broad selection of highly recommended kosher wines".<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Klasne
| first = Catherine
| title = Pouring for Passover
| newspaper = [[Daytona Beach News-Journal]]
| location = [[Daytona Beach]]
| date = April 5, 2001
| url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NJ&p_theme=nj&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB9EBA741AF2414&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
|
Hagafen's red wines include [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Syrah]], [[Zinfandel]], [[Cabernet Franc]], [[Merlot]], and [[Pinot
Wines are sold under three labels. Hagafen is the main label, Prix is the premium label and Don Ernesto is the label used for their more economical offerings.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Gold
| first = Amanda
| title = Fine kosher wine in heart of Napa Valley
| newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]]
| location = [[San Francisco]]
| date = October 24, 2008
| url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/24/WIGP134IEJ.DTL
|
The majority of the grapes used are grown in the [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa Valley American Viticultural Area]], although the Rousanne comes from [[Lodi AVA|Lodi]], and some of the Riesling comes from [[Lake County, California|Lake County]].
Like many Napa Valley wineries, Hagafen emphasizes Cabernet Sauvignon, and those wines have been favorably received by wine critics and writers for decades. In 1990,
| last = Fabricant
| first = Florence
| title = Food Notes: Kosher Wine Medalists
| newspaper = [[New York Times]]
| location = [[New York City|New York]]
| date = April 4, 1990
| url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30615F83C5C0C778CDDAD0894D8494D81
|
| last = Gaiter
| first = Dorothy J.
|
| title = Taste: Red, white or bubbly, it's all kosher
| newspaper = [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]
| location = [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
| date = March 31, 2006
| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06090/678462-34.stm
|
| last = Franz
| first = Michael
| title = Kosher for Passover
| newspaper = [[Washington Post]]
| location = [[Washington, DC]]
| date = March 24, 2004
| url =
|
| archive-date = June 29, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110629023717/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/587221941.html?dids=587221941:587221941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+24,+2004&author=Michael+Franz&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Kosher+for+Passover&pqatl=google
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
Smaller in production, Hagafen's Rousanne is described as "a white wine that blends the tart freshness of a sauvignon blanc with the richness of a chardonnay, made from a "less familiar variety". "<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Locke
| first = Michelle
| title = SIP: Kosher wines uncork their premium side
| newspaper = [[San Diego Union-Tribune]]
| location = [[San Diego]]
| date = November 27, 2009
| url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/nov/27/sip-kosher-wines-uncork-their-premium-side/
|
About one-sixth of Hagafen's production is Riesling, which is cold fermented in stainless steel tanks. Wine writers with
| last = Gaiter
| first = Dorohy J.
|
| title = A Consistent Kosher Joy: Riesling - The fruity, flowery -- but not too sweet -- varietal is just right for any white-wine lover
| newspaper = [[Wall Street Journal]]
| location = [[New York City|New York]]
| date = March 28, 2009
| url =
|
==White House dinners==
On September 9, 1981, Hagafen Riesling was served at a White House [[State dinner#United States|state dinner]], held by President [[Ronald Reagan]] to honor Israeli Prime Minister [[Menachem Begin]].<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Kosher for Begin
| newspaper = [[Baltimore Sun]]
| location = [[Baltimore]]
| date = September 10, 1981
| url =
| access-date = February 20, 2011
| archive-date = June 29, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110629015354/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1854147582.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE%3AAI&type=historic&date=Sep%2010%2C%201981&author=&pub=The%20Sun%20%281837-1985%29&desc=Kosher%20for%20Begin&pqatl=google
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Hagafen wines have been served at the White House many times over the years,<ref name=Hill>{{Cite book
| last = Hill
| first = Kathleen Thompson
|
| title = Napa Valley: Land of Golden Vines
| publisher = Globe Pequot
|
| location = [[Guilford, Connecticut]]
| pages = 255
| url =
|
}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> "usually at meals that honored Israeli prime ministers and presidents."<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Gray
| first = W. Blake
| title = Kosher keepers / Many of the wines enjoyed by Passover observers are splendid enough for everyone, year-round
| newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]]
| location =[[San Francisco]]
| date = April 14, 2005
| url = http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-04-14/wine/17369085_1_kosher-wine-jewish-wine-wine-drinking
|
More recently, Hagafen sparking wine was the only alcoholic beverage served at President [[Barack Obama|Barack Obama's]] annual White House [[Hanukkah]] dinner<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Berns
| first = Susan
| title = Teaching, tenacity and talents, Chanukah bubbly
| newspaper = [[
| location = [[San Francisco]]
| date = December 23, 2010
| url = http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/60314/teaching-tenacity-and-talents-chanukah-bubbly/
|
| last = Tapper
| first = Jake
| title = On Second Night of Hanukkah, Obama Sends Condolences to Israel for Deadly Forest Fires
| work = Political Punch: Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper
| publisher = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]
| date = December
| url = http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/12/on-second-night-of-hanukkah-obama-sends-condolences-to-israel-for-deadly-forest-fires.html
| access-date = February 20, 2011}}</ref>
The official menus of many of these White House dinners "now adorn the walls of the winery's intimate tasting room."<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Presidential Wines in the "Old Napa" Fashion: One of the top fifteen Cabernets produced in this country
| newspaper = [[Entrepreneur (magazine)|Entrepreneur]]
| date = October 5, 2009
| url = http://www.entrepreneur.com/worklife/wineguide/article203602.html
|
==Winery==
Line 200 ⟶ 189:
[[File:Hagafen interior.jpg|thumb|alt=photo of Hagafen Celklars production facilities|Production facilities for Hagafen Cellars]]
Hagafen Cellars was founded in 1979 by Ernie Weir and partners Zach Berkowitz, Norm Miller and Rene di Rosa.
<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Berger
| first = Dan
| title = Passover Kosher Wine for Wine Lovers
| newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| location = [[Los Angeles]]
| date = March 24, 1994
| url =
| access-date = February 19, 2011
| archive-date = June 29, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110629014308/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59338423.html?dids=59338423:59338423&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+24,+1994&author=DAN+BERGER&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Passover+Kosher+Wine+for+Wine+Lovers&pqatl=google
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Initially, the company used the production facilities of the Louis Bartolucci winery,<ref name=Courtney>{{Cite news
| last = Courtney
| first = Kevin
| title = Napa winemakers produce Valley's first kosher wine
| newspaper = [[Lodi News-Sentinel]]
| location = [[Lodi, California]]
| date = November 21, 1980
| url =
|
Early in the company's history, Weir decided to "go for the top end of the market."<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Kosher vintners fill Passover wine glasses with a dry varietal
| newspaper = [[Daily News of Los Angeles]]
| location = [[Los Angeles]]
| date = April 23, 1986
| url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF50DE0C76EE917&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
|
In 1999, Hagafen announced plans for a new winery.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Nigro
| first = Dana
| title = Kosher Producer in Napa Plans New Winery
| newspaper = [[Wine Spectator]]
| date = January 30, 1999
| url = http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Kosher-Producer-in-Napa-Plans-New-Winery_20165
|
| last = Kushman
| first = Rick
|author2=Beal, Hank
| title = A Moveable Thirst: Tales and Tastes from a Season in Napa Wine Country
| publisher = [[John Wiley and Sons]]
|
| pages = [https://archive.org/details/moveablethirstta0000kush/page/207 207]
| url = https://archive.org/details/moveablethirstta0000kush
| url-access = registration
|
| isbn = 978-0-471-79386-1}}</ref> The winery complex has been described as: "Set far enough back from the Silverado Trail to make it feel like a heartland farm, Hagafen Cellars marries a homey, no-nonsense sensibility with an artistic spirit. The winery's corrugated-steel structure sits side by side with an unusual mix of materials, textures and plantings. The overall effect is one of warmth and originality".<ref name=Narlock>{{Cite book
| last = Narlock
| first = Lori Lynn
|author2=Garfinkel, Nancy
| title = The Wine Lover's Guide to the Wine Country: The Best of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino
| publisher = Chronicle Books
|
| pages = 105
| url =
| isbn = 978-0-8118-4242-6}}</ref>
In 2004, vandals hit the winery, opening valves and dumping out $200,000 worth of wine.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Alley
| first = Lynn
| title = Vandals Dump More Than $200,000 of Napa Valley Wine: Kosher winery Hagafen Cellars loses its entire production of 2002 Syrah and 2003 Pinot noir
| newspaper = [[Wine Spectator]]
| date = June 8, 2004
| url = http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Vandals-Dump-More-Than-200000-of-Napa-Valley-Wine_22033
The winery's annual production is approximately 8000 cases, or 100,000 bottles.
Line 298 ⟶ 261:
==Vineyards==
Originally, Hagafen purchased all its grapes from other wine grape growers. In 1984, it was reported that "Hagafen Cellars produces kosher wine from some of the best vineyards, such as riesling and chardonnay from Winery Lake Vineyard in the Carneros region of Napa Valley."
| last = Ensrud
| first = Barbara
| title = Wine with food: a guide to entertaining through the seasons
| publisher = Congdon & Weed
|
| pages = 95
| isbn = 9780312929497
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6-3h_J61DRQC&q=%22Hagafen+Cellars%22
}}</ref>
In 1986, they purchased their own vineyard, where the winery was later built. Called Weir Family Vineyard II, it consists of 12 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. Later, they added nine acre Weir Family Vineyard III, with three acres each of Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Their own vineyards now yield roughly half of the grapes they use for their annual production.
Line 318 ⟶ 277:
[[File:Ernie Weir.jpg|thumb|alt=photo of winemaker Ernie Weir in 2011|Ernie Weir in 2011]]
A native of [[Los Angeles]], Ernie Weir was a sociology major at [[UCLA]], and then enrolled in the viticulture program at [[UC Davis]].<ref name=Hill/> His first exposure to agriculture came while working on a [[kibbutz]] in Israel.<ref name=Medavoy>{{Cite news
| last = Medavoy
| first = George
| title = Blessed Is The Fruit Of Hagafen Cellars: A full-service kosher winery tucked along the Silverado Trail
| newspaper = [[The Jewish Week]]
| location = [[New York City|New York]]
| date = August 10, 2010
| url = http://www.thejewishweek.com/travel/vacations/blessed_fruit_hagafen_cellars
| access-date = February 18, 2011
| archive-date = July 17, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717011356/http://www.thejewishweek.com/travel/vacations/blessed_fruit_hagafen_cellars
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> From 1973 to 1997, he was employed as a [[Viticulture|viticulturalist]] by sparkling wine maker [[Domaine Chandon]] in [[Yountville, California|Yountville]] in the Napa Valley, running Hagafen as a side business for nearly 18 years.
<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Hagafen Cellars turns out clear, sophisticated wines
| newspaper = [[Sacramento Bee]]
| location =[[Sacramento]]
| url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F5DB8F66F755E34&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
|
According to [[Joan Nathan]], Weir makes wine "out of cultural conviction". He said that "As a Jew I though it was important to produce a first-rate kosher wine."<ref name=Nathan>{{Cite book
| last = Nathan
| first = Joan
|
| title = Jewish cooking in America
| publisher = [[Alfred A. Knopf]]
|
| pages = 376
| url =
| isbn = 0-375-40276-4}}</ref> "As a small producer," Weir said, "I looked for a niche that would make me unique, that would separate me from the 300 other wineries [in the area]."<ref name=Medavoy/>
Weir has done consulting work for Israeli wineries, such as [[Carmel Winery]]
| last = Fishkoff
| first = Sue
| title = Kosher nation
| publisher = [[Random House]]
|
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=a0rXQt9s9YsC&q=%22Hagafen+Cellars%22&pg=PA121
| isbn = 978-0-8052-4265-2}}</ref> Author [[Jamie Geller]] wrote that Weir's "knowledge and candor are remarkable"<ref>{{Cite book
| last = Geller
| first = Jamie
| title = Quick & Kosher: Recipes from The Bride Who Knew Nothing
| publisher = [[Feldheim Publishers]]
|
| location = [[New York City|New York]]
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9HWGrT0dJHIC&q=%22Hagafen+Cellars%22&pg=PT276
| isbn = 978-1-58330-960-5}}</ref>
In 2008, Weir was the winner of the Al Brounstein Meritorious Service Award, given by nonprofit group L’Chaim Napa Valley in memory of the notable Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon leader who founded Diamond Creek Vineyards.
Line 392 ⟶ 329:
| last = Paulsen
| first = Sasha
| title = Jewish Vintner's celebration honors Ernie Weir
| newspaper = [[Napa Valley Register]]
| location = [[Napa, California]]
| date = June 27, 2008
| url = http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/article_22f626e8-c6c0-5c7b-9b41-4c60d63aab21.html
|
| last = Boone
| first = Virginie
| title = Documentary filmmakers take entertaining look at the wine industry and the people and stories behind it
| newspaper = [[Santa Rosa Press-Democrat]]
| location = [[Santa Rosa, California]]
| date = August 5, 2007
| url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SA&p_theme=sa&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=11AE63B139686D28&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
|
| title = Worship notes: Beth Sholom open house
| newspaper = [[Napa Valley Register]]
| location = [[Napa, California]]
| date = August 17, 2007
| url = http://napavalleyregister.com/news/article_b20c7fcf-0f52-544c-be84-54a88f85f0bb.html
|
==Kosher standards==
Line 431 ⟶ 354:
Hagafen has overcome several significant challenges in making fine wines that comply fully with the Jewish laws of [[kashrut]].
First of all, "the High Holy Days often fall in the middle of peak harvesting and crush periods",<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Yaffa
| first = Joshua
| title = Spiritual Vintners
| newspaper = [[The Jewish Daily Forward]]
| location = [[New York City|New York]]
|
| url = http://www.forward.com/articles/10869/
|
Although he is Jewish, Weir's level of religious observance does not comply with Orthodox Jewish standards, and only such Jews are allowed to do the physical work of producing kosher wines. Accordingly, Weir has to direct and monitor temporary Orthodox Jewish employees on the exact steps to take during production, but he can't do any of the hands-on work himself.<ref name=Courtney/>
Jewish law also requires that kosher wines that are to be served to observant Jews by non-Jewish waiters must be [[Kosher wine#Mevushal wines|mevushal]], which means "boiled" in Hebrew. Israeli wine critic [[Daniel Rogov]] described the common wisdom about the shortcomings of mevushal kosher wines: "nearly everyone knows that that after a few months in bottle, most mevushal (flash pasteurized) wines tend to offer cooked aromas and flavors, and too often remind one more of oxidized fruit compote than of fine wine." Rogov praises Weir's success at the process: "No one is quite sure how Hagafen winemaker Ernie Weir does it, but his are among the very few flash pasteurized wines to have escaped this fate, and his wines, frequently earning scores of 90 or above, tend to be rather long lived. Some may think that shipping kosher wines to Israel is somewhat akin to selling ice to Eskimos, but in this case the Hagafen wines are a most welcome addition to local shelves."<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Rogov
| first = Daniel
| title = A California Cult Winery (And Kosher, Too)
| newspaper = [[Haaretz]]
| location = [[Tel Aviv]]
| date = August 23, 2008
| url = http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/wine-and-spirits-a-california-cult-winery-and-kosher-too-1.250242
|
==References==
Line 465 ⟶ 380:
==External links==
*[http://www.hagafen.com/
[[Category:Wineries in Napa Valley
[[Category:Companies based in Napa County, California]]
[[Category:
[[Category:1979 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Kosher wine]]
| |||