Covenant Winery

Founded in 2003 by vintners Jeff Morgan and the late Leslie Rudd, Covenant is a 9,000 square-foot urban winery in Berkeley, California producing 8,000 cases of wine per year. While the winery owns no vineyards of its own, it sources grapes from some 20 different wineries stretching up the California coast from Santa Barbara to Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Lake County and Lodi. The winery also produces a small amount of wine in Israel, sourced from the Galilee and Golan Heights. All vineyard sources are either bio-dynamic, organic or sustainably farmed.

Vinification is with native yeast and native ML. The wines are not fined, and many are not filtered either. In this way founding winemaker Jeff Morgan strives to harness the truest nature of each wine’s provenance. Covenant produces some 20-plus wines that include Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast Syrah, Sonoma Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and Lodi Viognier and Grenache rosé.

Jeff Morgan’s wife Jodie and daughter Zoe work with him at the winery, as does winemaker Jonathan Hajdu, who has worked with Jeff for 20 years. Managing Director is Sagie Kleinlerer. Leslie Rudd passed away in 2018. Covenant brought in a new partner shortly thereafter: Geoff Rochwarger who lives in Israel.

In case you’ve been wondering: Yes, all Covenant wines happen to be kosher (and vegan) too. They can be found in wine shops and restaurants throughout America, in Japan, Taiwan, Canada, London, Israel, Mexico, and Central and South America.

The winery is open for tastings by appointment. In the spring and summer, an outdoor tasting patio hosts drop-in guests on weekend afternoons. Spring and summer Sundays also include concerts, sometimes performed by Jeff, whose previous careers included professional saxophone playing.