Grapes of Galilee, Using Jesus To Sell Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Oct 2nd 2007 at 11:03AM

Using a cute rabbit or a kangaroo to sell wine is old news. Last week I mentioned wines with Hitler on the label; this week comes news of a wine importer going in a completely opposite direction -- it has Jesus on the label. The Grapes of Galilee is a new Israeli wine label aimed at American Christians. The grapes are grown in the region where Jesus Christ is said to have lived, and they are irrigated with water from the Jordan River, where he was baptized. Wine from Israel is nothing new, but most of the Israeli wine sold in the U.S. has previously been to Jewish consumers. In fact, the Grapes of Galilee wine comes from an existing Israeli winery, only the Jesus-themed label is new. As Ad Age reports, the importer, Pini Haroz, sees the chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon wines as being perfect for holidays and he is marketing it in areas with high concentrations of Catholics. The wine sells for $13.99 a bottle online.

Tags: catholic, christian, grapes of gailee, GrapesOfGailee, israeli wine, IsraeliWine, wine

Filed under: Wine

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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 11)

Tim Orris Oct 9th 2007 9:23AM

Caefull about putting him on lable, critics have been known to crusify him

JWarren Oct 9th 2007 9:35AM

This is disgusting. Who would want to patronize a company by buying its wine when the representatives are that company are not sensitive the the beliefs of others? It will remain on the shelf as far as I am concerned. They lost my dollars.

ian Oct 9th 2007 9:25AM

Why do you assume that Israeli means Hebrew. The wine could be a product of Christians in Israel.

David Oct 9th 2007 9:24AM

JUST WRONG!

Tasha Oct 9th 2007 9:25AM

It is evident to see that the majority of all reading these things have alot to talk about the current state of affairs of the U.S.Wine is wine.If Jesus is on a label,maybe people won't get drunk and only have a glass with dinner.We need to see Jesus more than ever,even if it is on a bottle of wine.Maybe we will be able to bring prayer back to schools and even the 10 commandments!

folayan Oct 9th 2007 9:47AM

First, off, that is not Jesus. Secondly, who cares, it is just an attempt of the enemy to deceive Christians into drinking. But, we are not ignorant of his devices.

DUANE STANFORD Oct 27th 2007 4:06PM

I agree w/h #10 This is typical of this world today,we can acknowledge Jesus on a bottle of cheap wine, BUT not on the new american doller?????? In GOD some of us still trust, as are founding fore fathers that built this country. That has become a worshipper of many gods!

Carol Levy Oct 9th 2007 9:36AM

How sad that some here are using it as a pretext to spout their anti-semitism.
I don't know, as a person of the Christian faith, how I feel about it.
I do know that Jesus was a Jew. And if you hate Jews then you hate Jesus.
Can't be any simpler than that.

MFD Jun 9th 2008 7:46AM

This marketing scheme label, with or without the intention to mock, one thing for sure, it will provide Jesus of Nazareth, more press. Not that he needs it. It will offend as much as give validity to this figure of history that changed the course of world events until the end of time as we know it.

jim g Oct 9th 2007 9:50AM

I am very offended by this ad. It is an affront to Christians.

Ray Oct 9th 2007 9:33AM

Oh, get over yourselves!
Using a live or dead persons image to sell is so common place...Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, Elvis, Einstein, Budda, Sinatra, Jesus...
Be the realist your inner human spirit urges you to be, and realize that who you are and what you become, comes from within and from our everyday adventures in humanity.

Betty Oct 9th 2007 9:34AM

I agree with Brad. #16 This has occurred for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. If you are a believer and read the scriptures you probably would get some insight about this and the time of the season.

Lionruby Oct 17th 2007 10:39AM

Puh-lease.

People have been using Jesus to sell things for years and years. Jesus has shilled for Christmas, the catholic church's religious memorabilia (those rosaries with the pics of jesus on the box are not employing advertizing?), political parties, easter chocolate (remember those chocolate crosses the boy scouts used to sell?)

Come on. What's the biggie? The catholics will LOVE this stuff (but only if it's as good as or better than the stuff they make and bottle in their own basements. (Every good NYC catholic, italian or irish, has his own vintage, remember.)
Get over it, you lot. Everything is for sale. Jesus sold the western world on Christianity, didn't he?

ian garison Oct 9th 2007 9:36AM

It never ceases to amaze me that people are so quick to pass judgement and point fingers. The Jewish comments in these comments are very hateful, and certainly not Christian. The comments are applying the event to all Jews, and Israelis? If one company decides to market a product and the idea is distasteful to you, why condemn and entire race for this. The roots of prejudice are very deep in these comments.

Bonbon Oct 9th 2007 9:44AM

This is why I feel that any type of religious antics should be kept out of anything except a place of worship.....just read #12's comment. It's this type of ignorance that makes me wish there was no type of any religion or just 1! Religion is just another form of politics....or sports team...or anything else that devides us...........Who is better than who!?! We are intitled to believe in what ever we want, but at what cost?? Have faith....have beliefs...but stop hurting someone else who does not believe in what YOU believe in! We should NOT have to use religious icons to sell ANYTHING!!

Mizbiz Oct 9th 2007 9:45AM

christians have been USING jesus for YEARS to sell CHRISTIANITY!

wonder if i can blame my hangover on THE LORD??

H. Buckley Oct 9th 2007 10:00AM

Seems sacreligous. Jesus on a wine bottle?? Surely they can come up with something other than that. As a christian family, we're opposed to it.

jim g Oct 9th 2007 9:52AM

Yes, I sent this comment

Kay Oct 10th 2007 8:43AM

In the Bible, Jesus got really mad in the temple and overturned tables and generally made a huge mess of things when they were using it as a marketplace. I kind of think He might do the same thing with this wine company today if He were here.

Bonbon Oct 9th 2007 9:53AM

Right on #24!!!! :)

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