Kosher Chianti Classico

Italo Zingarelli bought the Le Macìe estate, in Castellina in Chianti, in the mid 1970s. He handed it down to his son Sergio, who already has the next generation busy in the growing, making, and selling of wine. 

The 2022 Rocca della Macìe Famiglia Zingarelli Chianti Classico DOCG is made from 95% Sangiovese grapes and 5% Merlot. After the wine completes malolactic fermentation, it ages in Slovenian and French oak barrels for six to ten months, then another month in the bottle. It is kosher for Passover, carries alcohol at 14.5% abv and sells for around $25.

This wine is medium dark garnet in the glass. The nose has a good supply of cherry and raspberry notes, dusted up with earth, tar and anise. The palate has a bit of licorice on it, but mainly serves as a showcase for the red fruit. There are some spicy elements, too. White pepper, nutmeg, and a very light clove sense brighten up the fruit. Tannic structure is firm and acidity refreshing. I had mine with a slow cooker red wine short rib dish, and the pairing was sublime. 

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Passover Wine From Herzog

The Lineage line of wines, the latest from Herzog Wine Cellars, helps trace back the Herzog family winemaking tradition for nine generations. From Eastern Europe, to America's East Coast, to the western US, Herzog has been producing fine kosher wines all along.

The Herzog website says the company goes back to "Philip Herzog, who made wine in Slovakia for the Austro-Hungarian court more than a century ago. Philip's wines were so appreciated by Emperor Franz-Josef, that the emperor made Philip a baron."

Philip's grandson Eugene had to move his family around quite a bit during World War II to hide from the Nazis, only to be run out of Czechoslovakia by the communists. He brought his family to New York in 1948 and started working for a kosher winery that paid him in company stock. Within ten years all the other stockholders had given up on it, leaving Eugene as the last man standing. He and his sons then formed Royal Wines as a tribute to Philip. 

Expansion to Southern California happened in 1985, but it was a couple of decades before they would build their present state of the art facility in Oxnard. Head winemaker Joe Hurliman leads the kosher facility and produces wines in the tradition of the Jewish people. 

The 2022 Herzog Lineage Clarksburg Pinot Noir carries 13% alcohol abv and retails for $22. It is kosher for Passover.

This wine has a brick red color to it, medium tint. The nose shows nice notes of coffee and black tea, anise, a bit of tar, and a hint of chocolate. The palate is loaded with earthy dark fruit and savory tea. The mouthfeel is medium weight and has a decent set of tannins, along with some refreshing acidity. Despite the tannins, it's a fairly smooth sip. You can pair this with lean beef, lamb, pork, or chicken dishes. 

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Raise a Glass To Tradition: Passover Wine Like Never Before

With Passover coming in April, it's a good time to scout out some great wines for the Seder table. My friendly, neighborhood publicity person, Vicki Jakubovic, has passed along some suggestions for wines to seek out from Royal Wine Corp, the largest manufacturer and distributor of Kosher wine.

Vicki asks, "Why settle for ordinary when you can enjoy a glass of history, culture, and craftsmanship?" She reminds us that "the four cups of wine aren't just about tradition - they're about creating memories, laughter, and connection."

Eight-Day Passover Holiday Begins Apr 12 - Apr 20, Celebrating Freedom

The holiday is celebrated with festive meals. Part of the celebration includes the Seder - a dinner at which the story of Passover is told, commemorating the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt and their ultimate exodus to freedom.  During the Seder meal, adults consume four cups of wine to symbolize the Ten Plagues that befell Egypt during the time of the Exodus. In many homes today, wine is the star of the Passover show. Forty percent of kosher wines are sold for the Passover Holiday. 

The following are some of the wines under the Royal umbrella which she assures us will make Passover even more special. 

USA: 

·    Herzog Generation VIII Cabernet Sauvignon Double Creek Vineyard Chalk Hill 2021:  A rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from Chalk Hill's esteemed Double Creek Vineyard, showcasing the perfect balance of power and elegance (SRP: $200)

·    Herzog Special Reserve Chenin Blanc 2023: A crisp and refreshing Chenin Blanc with notes of citrus, green apple, and honey, perfect for warm weather sipping (SRP: $35)

France:

·    Great new 2022 vintage burgundy wines from Domaine du Château Philippe Le Hardi:  A range of exceptional Burgundy wines, including the rare kosher Grand Cru Clos Vougeot, highlighting the region's renowned terroir and winemaking expertise   (SRP: $65 - $500)

·    Château Le Gay Pomerol 2022:  A luxurious, full-bodied Pomerol from one of the region's most prestigious estates, boasting rich flavors of dark fruit, spice, and velvety tannins (SRP: $250)

·    J. de Villebois Pouilly-Fumé Silex Blancs 2023: A crisp and mineral-driven Pouilly-Fumé, showcasing the region's signature flinty notes and citrus flavors (SRP: $50)

·    Château Bellevue Morgon Grand Cras: A high-quality, full-bodied Beaujolais from the esteemed Morgon appellation, offering rich flavors of dark fruit, spice, and smooth tannins  (SRP:  $35)

·    Clos Triguedina Probus:  A flagship Malbec wine from the renowned Clos Triguedina estate in Cahors, boasting rich flavors of dark fruit, spice, and velvety tannins (SRP:  $110).

Italy:

·    Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico: A classic, full-bodied Chianti Classico from the esteemed Rocca delle Macie estate, highlighting the region's signature blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and other local varieties (SRPs: $25- $100).

Spain: 

·    Clos Mesorah and Elvi Wines release a very limited new wine from Garnatxa Nera (Grenache Noir): A limited-edition, full-bodied red wine from the esteemed Clos Mesorah and Elvi Wines, showcasing the rich flavors and velvety texture of Garnatxa Nera (SRP:  $80)

Israel

·    Feldstein- Dabouki Dry White Wine, Grenache Rose dry rose, Gilgamesh Dry red, & Cabernet Sauvignon dry red: A range of exceptional wines from the esteemed Feldstein winery, offering a perfect blend of quality, elegance, and value (SRPs: $50-$90)

·    Gros: A selection of high-quality wines from the renowned Gros winery, boasting rich flavors and smooth textures (SRP:  $45- $90)

·    Naveh by Chateau Golan:  A range of exceptional wines from the esteemed Naveh by Chateau Golan winery, offering a perfect blend of quality, elegance, and value (SRP:  $50 - $85)

·    Darom Cabernet Sauvignon-  Vintage: 2023 | Dry Red Wine, Yatir Winery:  A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from the esteemed Darom winery, boasting rich flavors of dark fruit, spice, and smooth tannins (SRP: $32)

 

Jay Buchsbaum, Royal Wine’s VP & Director of Wine Education notes, "The kosher wine industry has seen … incredible growth and industry accolades."

Increased variety: The range of kosher wines has expanded significantly, with more varieties, shades, and flavors to choose from. White, sparkling, and rosé wines are especially popular. 

More kosher brands: There are now many more kosher brands to choose from than in the past. 

Boutique wineries: A new trend is the emergence of kosher micro-wineries in Israel, often founded in people's garages. These small, family-owned wineries are all-kosher.

Organic and sustainable wines: Some kosher wineries are certified for organic grapes, sustainability, and carbon footprint. 

Higher quality: Kosher wines have evolved from cloyingly sweet to well-balanced and complex.  

Buchsbaum adds, "Kosher wine is made with the same fermenting process as traditional wine but only uses kosher-certified ingredients. The creation of kosher wine must be supervised and conducted by Sabbath-observant Jews."

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Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2021 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon is a varietal wine made from grapes grown in the cool, high altitude, rocky soil of the Golan Heights in Galilee. Head winemaker Victor Schoenfeld feels that this wine is a great addition to any holiday feast.

The wine was aged in French oak for 18 months. It carries alcohol at 14.5% abv and retails for $45. It reminds me of the Cabs from Paso Robles, with their rambunctious nature and chalky mouthfeel. The wine may not be as elegant as a silky Napa Valley bottling, but it more than compensates for that in character.

This wine is dark, with an aroma profile that seems to match. The nose has a tarry sense to it, with notes of cedar, cigars and clove buoyed along by the blackberry and cassis fruit smells. The palate is dark, too, with blue and black fruit, clove and pepper and oak notes providing complexity. The acidity is fresh and the tannic grip is firm enough that food is almost a necessity with it. It will pair well with any meat dishes.

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Cabernet Sauvignon, Kosher, Velvety

Carmel is celebrating the launch of a new wine in their high-end Signature line. The 2021 Carmel Black is a Cabernet Sauvignon that was grown in Galilee, Israel. The grapes came from the top vineyards of Carmel, Israel's largest winery. If it's a little late to have this kosher wine on your Passover table, the winery says it will store well for the next five to seven Passovers. The wine was aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, carries alcohol at 14% abv and retails for $30.

This wine is medium dark. Its nose is a delight, with black fruit like blackberries, cassis, black cherry and sweet plums. There is an oak profile that sits just about right, showing nice spices and savory notes of tobacco and leather. The palate is beautiful, with all that dark fruit and a nice bit of tannic grip. The winery calls it a velvety feel. The smoothness does approach that descriptor. 

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Israeli Wines For Passover

If you are planning on picking up some wines for Passover, you probably already know about Golan Heights Winery, one of Israel's premier producers. 

The 2020 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon is a varietal wine made from grapes grown in the cool, high altitude, rocky soil of the Golan Heights in Galilee. Head winemaker Victor Schoenfeld feels that this wine is a great addition to your Passover meal.

The wine was aged in French oak for 18 months. It carries alcohol at 14.5% abv and retails for $50. I was reminded of the Cabs from Paso Robles, with their rambunctious nature and chalky mouthfeel. 

This kosher wine, the 38th vintage of the label, is a dark wine, with an aroma profile that seems to match. The nose has a tarry sense to it, with notes of cedar, cigars and clove buoyed along by the blackberry and cassis fruit smells. The palate is dark, too, with blue and black fruit, clove and pepper and oak notes providing complexity. The acidity is fresh and the tannic grip is firm. It will pair well with meat dishes and provide a pleasant experience as a sipper, if you wish. 

The 2022 Yarden Chardonnay also hails from the hills of Galilee. The wine aged for seven months in oak and underwent partial malolactic fermentation to give it a complex presentation. Alcohol is a tad lofty for a white wine at 14% abv. The retail price is $28. 

This wine has a remarkable fruit profile on the nose, with lemon aromas being predominant. The is a slight herbal note along with a very reasonable amount of oak spice. The barrel aging, which was only seven months, comes on most noticeably on the palate, but the wood is used to great effect. 

The Yarden sparkler was made from 73% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Noir grapes, fermented in the bottle in the traditional method. Alcohol is a comfortable 12% abv and it retails for $52.

The 2017 vintage of the Yarden Galilee Brut Rosé has a golden, light copper hue in the glass. Bubbles are plentiful on the pour, but don't look away. They dissipate quickly. The nose brings mineral aromas along with stone fruit and just a hint of toast. The palate shows a yeasty side with lemon and apricot fruit. The acidity is refreshing. As with most sparkling wines, it will pair with everything. 

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Kosher Barbera D'Asti

People who are looking for kosher wines should look into the lines offered by the Royal Wine Corporation. They import wines to the U.S. from all over the world and produce wines at their winery in Southern California. They have been in business for 175 years, dating back eight generations to their beginning in Europe. Their wines are top quality, as I have found through tasting a number of their bottlings through the years.

Royal's Director of PR and Manager of Wine Education Gabriel Geller says that this year "brings an abundance of exciting releases to complement every course" of holiday meals.

Geller says that the newly arrived Lovatelli wines are a treat. The line from Piemonte includes a Primitivo ($16.99), a Barbera d’Asti ($24.99), and an Orbaio Rosso blend ($29.99), as well as two vermouths ($24.99). The Lovatelli Barbera D’Asti clocks in with alcohol at 14% abv. It is mevushal. 

This wine is quite dark in the glass, almost indigo with a violet hue around the rim. The nose is heavy with black fruit - plums, blackberries, black raspberries. The palate is loaded with those fruit flavors, as well as savory notes of earth, leather, cigar and allspice. The tannins are firm and ready for a steak. The acidity is mouthwatering. 

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A Dry, Kosher White Wine From The Greek Isles

People who are looking for kosher wines should look into the lines offered by the Royal Wine Corporation. They import wines to the U.S. from all over the world and produce wines at their winery in Southern California. They have been in business for 175 years, dating back eight generations to their beginning in Europe. Their wines are top quality, as I have found through tasting a number of their bottlings through the years.

Royal's Director of PR and Manager of Wine Education Gabriel Geller says that this year "brings an abundance of exciting releases to complement every course" of holiday meals.

Royal Wine has added kosher Greek wines to its portfolio, following the recent release of a white wine called Yamas Xynisteri ($18.99) from Cyprus. Todros offers three expressions made from Muscat grapes grown on the island of Samos: a dry Samena ($24.99), the off-dry High Peaks ($24.99), and Vin Doux ($34.99), a sweet dessert wine.

The name Todros is derived from the Greek word for "gift of God." The dry Samena is made from grapes grown on the island of Samos, actually much closer to Turkey than to Greece. The fruit came from the Samian vineyard. The $25 bottle carries alcohol at a restrained 13% abv. It is mevushal and kosher for Passover.

This wine shows a faint golden tint in the glass. The nose is floral and fruity, with perfumed scents of white flowers, pears, peaches and tropical fruit bursting upward. Those smells made me expect a boatload of fruit on the palate, but there is a surprise. This wine is very dry, and very savory. There is a strong salinity running through it and an earthy minerality which is joined by a racy acidity. I’d pair this with salads for sure, but chicken works, too.

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Tracing The Herzog Lineage Back Nine Generations

The Lineage line of wines, the latest from Herzog Wine Cellars, helps trace back the Herzog family winemaking tradition over nine generations. From Eastern Europe, to America's East Coast, to the western US, Herzog has been producing fine kosher wines all along.

The  2020 Clarksburg Malbec - one of six new wines in the Lineage line - is a full varietal wine which hits 14% alcohol by volume and retails for $20.

This kosher wine is quite dark in the glass, showing a ruby red coloring with rose notes while pouring. On the nose, a blast of black raspberry and blackberry is laced with pepper, clove, anise and tobacco. The palate is just as dark and carries a savory streak along with the black fruit. It is the fruit that steals the show. Acidity is racy and fresh while the tannins have a good bit of grip. Have it with game or lamb for a real pairing treat. 

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Israeli Wine With A Touch Of Volcano

Israel's Carmel Winery launched their fine wine line two years ago. They have now expanded Carmel Signature Single Vineyards to include wine made from volcanic soil. The new Volcano series introduces a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot to the winery's luxury line. The wines were both grown in an Upper Galilee vineyard that is rich in volcanic earth. Both are kosher for Passover.

The 2020 Evyatar Creek Merlot was aged for a year and a half in French oak barrels, with another year of maturation in the bottle afterward. Head winemaker Yiftah Perets says the wine was produced in a unique growing area, on the slopes of the Dalton Volcano, 2700 feet in elevation.

The nose features bright red cherry aromas along with some campfire smoke, black pepper and a minty herbal note. The medium dark wine offers a palate that is rich and dark, graced with good tannic structure, refreshing acidity and a long finish that begs for a pairing with beef, game or even a smoked cheese.

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A Mixtape For Your Palate

If you have a history with mixtapes, you might really love the label art on this white sangria from Spain. It features representations of those blank cassettes we filled with the best songs available, only for those who really deserved them. Don't get me wrong - the picture is nice, but I think you'll like what's mixed on the inside of the bottle, too.

Spanish producer Elvi makes a red and a white sangria, both from Tempranillo grapes with other juice flavors added. Sangria, be it red or white, is a great quaff for a hot summer day. This bottle will save you the trouble of mixing it up yourself. Of course, some of us don't mind making our own special mixes.

The label proclaims that this white sangria is 100% natural grape wine with natural flavors. The alcohol is predictably light at just 7% abv and it sells for $11. The label also has markings indicating that it is kosher, and it is imported by the Royal Wine Company, kosher wine specialists. However, I discovered elsewhere that this white sangria is not kosher for Passover.

The nose of this wine shows huge pears, peaches, melon and apricot. They are all on the palate as well, and the fruit is kept in the semi-sweet range. Acidity is not the strong suit here, but the sip is plenty fun on its own.

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Have You Tried A Marawi Wine?

I love to get the opportunity to try grapes that are new to me. The Marawi grape is one that I had not even heard of before my introduction to it. The ancient white grape variety is indigenous to the area of the Middle East which roughly covers Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Marawi is also known by another name, Hamdani. It was likely a wine much like this which was used in sacred services in the Jewish Temple of Jerusalem a couple of millennia ago.

The Segal Winery has been around since the 1950s, when the Segal family gave up their distillery and moved into wine. Today it focuses on its Israeli heritage and produces a range of wines that are well respected in the region.

The 2019 Segal Native Marawi was made by winemaker Ido Lewinsohn, a Master of Wine. Alcohol is low, at only 11% abv, and the retail price is $25. The wine is labeled as kosher for Passover and non mevushal. 

I'm guessing that this wine was given some sort of oak treatment, as the color is quite golden and the nose shows some oaky notes. There is also a strong sense of mango and other tropical fruits on the nose, along with an almond nuttiness. The smell puts me in mind of a cross between an old-style California Chardonnay and a Roussanne. The palate shows a lot of savory salinity, a somewhat subdued acidity and a rather full, oily mouthfeel. It's a fairly complex wine, and a delicious one, too. 

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Kosher Cab From Oxnard, Via Paso

If you are looking for a good kosher wine, a reliable place to start the search is always Herzog Wine Cellars of Oxnard. Oxnard may not spring to mind immediately when you start riffing through your mental Rolodex of California wine regions. The Ventura County town is home to Herzog Wine Cellars, under the umbrella of the Royal Wine Corporation. The winery's story is one of immigrant grit and determination. 

The Herzog website says the company goes back to "Philip Herzog, who made wine in Slovakia for the Austro-Hungarian court more than a century ago. Philip's wines were so appreciated by Emperor Franz-Josef, that the emperor made Philip a baron."

Philip's grandson Eugene had to move his family around quite a bit during World War II to hide from the Nazis, only to be run out of Czechoslovakia by the communists. He brought his family to New York in 1948 and started working for a kosher winery that paid him in company stock. Within ten years all the other stockholders had given up on it, leaving Eugene as the last man standing. He and his sons then formed Royal Wines as a tribute to Philip. 

Expansion to Southern California happened in 1985, but it was a couple of decades before they would build their present state of the art facility. Head winemaker Joe Hurliman leads the kosher facility and produces wines in the tradition of the Jewish people. 

The Herzog Variations Be-leaf Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 was made from Paso Robles organically grown grapes. It's a kosher wine, as are all the Herzog selections, and it has no added sulfites. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and the retail sticker reads $25.

The wine is a deep, dark red color with an herbal note on the nose to go along with the cheerful red fruit. I always like the chalkiness of Paso Cabs, but in this selection that effect is somewhat muted, shoved aside by that herbal note, which takes center stage on the palate. The effect of oak aging is plain, but not overdone. The freshness of the wine speaks to its youthful character and the tannins are firm. The chalky note makes itself more noticeable on the finish. 

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Kosher Wine With A Fruity Twist

The Buzz line is produced by the Israeli winery Carmel, which was founded in 1882 by none other than Château Lafite's Baron Edmond de Rothschild. Buzz wines are flavored Moscatos, easy-to-drink sweeties which are targeted to GenZ drinkers. They come in peach, mango and pineapple and have a nice fizz to them. 

The Carmel Buzz Mango Moscato Sweet Bubbly Wine 2021 has low alcohol - just 5.5% abv - and a retail sticker of $11. The grapes were grown in the Judean Hills region of Israel and the wine is kosher for Passover.

The wine pours up with a golden tint, a nice bit of foamy bubbles and a nose that practically rides a rocket out of the glass. Despite the advertised mango, it's peach I smell most. Hints of nectarine and pear are also on hand. On the palate, again, it's peach that comes through strongest, but there is some mango in there. It's sweet, whatever it is. The mouthfeel has some viscosity to it and the finish is medium long. Aside from not being too terribly complex, this wine offers nothing to complain about. 

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