"Kosher basically means food prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. There are three categories of increasing specificity under which wines are certified as kosher:
* Basic Kosher wine requires production by rabbinical personnel under supervision of rabbinical council (Sabbath observant Jews) and all elements used in production deemed kosher or kosher-approved. The basic requirement is that the entire winery be used only to produce kosher wines. The symbol on the label to look for is the letter ""U"" in a circle (OU symbol), which stands for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations.
* Certified kosher for Passover are wines that fulfill the basic kosher wine production requirements and are guaranteed to not contain grain products. The labels on these wines will have the symbol ""P"" next to the circle ""U"" rabbinical symbol.
* Mevushal or universally kosher are wines that fulfill the basic kosher wine production requirements and kosher for Passover requirements. Wines certified under this category have been flash-pasteurized to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. By this method, the wine's kosher purity is still preserved and thus can be served by a non-observant person to an observant person.
