The Wine Doctor
Dr. Ralph Madeb, MD, on a lifelong pursuit: bringing the world's great estates to the kosher table without compromise.
Kosher as a standard, not a rarity
In all his years chasing the finest wines, Dr. Ralph Madeb kept returning to the same question: why should kosher wine be treated as a rarity rather than a standard? His answer became the mission of M & M Importers.
Rather than settle for what was available, he went to the source. Walking the terraced slopes of Chianti, standing among the Roman stones of the Fumanelli estate in Valpolicella, tasting in the cellars of Bordeaux and Burgundy, he set out to partner directly with the world's most storied wineries and craft kosher cuvées inside their own cellars.
The goal was never simply to make a wine that was kosher, but to make extraordinary wines that could stand proudly alongside the finest vintages on the global stage.
Built on friendship, measured in generations
Fumanelli, Valpolicella
The only estate in Valpolicella handed down through 28 generations. Dr. Madeb chose Armando Fumanelli, and his son Federico, to craft the M & M kosher cuvée of Amarone, calling it a tribute to the enduring spirit of the family and the timeless beauty of the valley.
Alessandro Cellai, Tuscany
In Tuscany, a partnership with the legendary winemaker Alessandro Cellai became, in Dr. Madeb's words, a true brotherhood: long days in the vineyards and late nights in the cellar, and a kosher cuvée that stands as proof of what that bond can create.
Feudi di San Gregorio, Campania
With Andrea Fabiano, Global Export Manager of Feudi di San Gregorio, Dr. Madeb set one rule from the outset: the kosher and non kosher wines must be indistinguishable in the glass. Serpico, Fiano and Greco di Tufo now carry the same mineral tension and soul in both versions.
Pescaja, Terre Alfieri
Born from a decade long friendship with winemaker Beppe Pescaja, Solo Noi, Italian for "only us," is a bold Super Piedmont blend and one of the most personal wines in the portfolio.
Brunello, a first love
"Few wines have left such an indelible mark on my memory as Brunello di Montalcino," he writes. "While many enthusiasts get caught up in the power of Barolo, I found that the real elegance resides in Montalcino."
At the estates
Articles by The Wine Doctor
Every magazine feature in our library is written by Dr. Madeb after time spent at the estate.
Read the articles