This holiday season, Loew Vineyards is making history—and making it easier than ever to shop local with purpose. Nestled in the heart of Maryland wine country, Loew Vineyards has released its 2025 Barbera Nouveau, the first Kosher-certified wine produced in the state, meaning they must be produced following Jewish dietary laws. This milestone not only honors the vineyard’s deep-rooted Jewish heritage but also brings a new layer of inclusivity to holiday celebrations across the region.
Led by fifth-generation winemaker Rachel Loew Lipman, the family-owned winery has long been known for its award-winning meads and wines. However, the choice to go Kosher was years in the making as they sought to connect with consumers while linking their current business to their family’s history of making mead in Europe. “Each time an article comes out about our family’s winery, we receive emails and calls asking if our wines and meads are Kosher, so it was always in the back of our minds,” Rachel shared.
The 2025 Barbera Nouveau was released early November, just in time for the holiday season. Produced under a conservative hechsher supervised by Rabbi Jordan Hersh of Beth Sholom in Frederick, is the first of many Kosher offerings to come. Beginning in early December, Loew will begin producing their meads under the Star-K certification, an internationally recognized certification. “Becoming a Kosher wine and mead producer, will provide new opportunities for us to share our high quality, award-winning wines and meads with all demographics of wine and mead consumers,” said Rachel.
For now, the Barbera Nouveau is available in the Loew tasting room and online, with limited distribution in the DMV area. With vibrant notes of black raspberry and plum, it’s a perfect pairing for holiday meals and meaningful gatherings.
As we celebrate the season of light, warmth, and togetherness, Loew Vineyards reminds us that shopping local can also mean embracing diversity. Raise a glass to Maryland’s first Kosher wine—and to a more inclusive holiday table.