Who we are
A Naval Officer, a Marine, and a Chabad Rabbi walk into a winery. It sounds like a standard joke, but in reality it’s the unlikely origin story of R. Degen Wines.
Although disparate in their backgrounds and upbringing, these three men share a vision bound by discipline, purpose, and a belief that faith and craftsmanship should elevate, not limit, what’s possible. What began as spirited debates over the nuances of terroir and tradition evolved into a mission: to make seriously great Kosher wine for people serious about wine.
Together, they set out to craft wines that honor both the land and the law. They decided that R. Degen wines should be expressive of place, guided by reverence, and executed with the rigor of fine winemaking. From the cool-climate vineyards of the Russian River Valley to the meticulous standards of Kosher production, R. Degen stands as a testament to what happens when tradition meets conviction and faith meets finesse.
This isn’t wine made to check a box. It’s wine made to raise the bar.
Who is R. Degen?
R. Degen carries the name and spirit of a man who refused to let others define him. Richard Degen, my grandfather, is a Polish Jew who escaped the terrors of persecution during the Holocaust and found refuge in the United Kingdom. In leaving everything behind, he carried with him not just the weight of survival but the quiet determination to rebuild and transform loss into life.
In a new land, he took a new name, one that would allow him to begin again. From those uncertain beginnings, he built a family that would span continents and generations, with each branch acting as a living symbol of resilience, faith, and renewal. His courage was not necessarily loud, but it was enduring. It lived in the values he passed down: strength in adversity, gratitude in abundance, and the belief that even from the deepest hardship, beauty can grow.
This wine bears his name to honor that legacy. Every bottle is a continuation of his story, one of perseverance and of light born from darkness. R. Degen Wines exists so that his name, his spirit, and the lessons he embodied will endure, shared in the warmth of family and the joy of every glass raised in his memory.
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