Page 98 - issue
P. 98
Swirling the wine allows it to “open” Wines at Eight to Twelve Dollars ly produced at good value. (For a real
and give its full characteristics. It’s a ElviWines is a Spanish producer making
fun experience to match aromas to some of the best wines on the kosher treat – but pricey at about $50 – check
wine. Some common descriptors com- market, and they did not miss with these
pare the wine’s aroma to various fruits, entry-level offerings: out the higher-end Capcanes bottles,
earth, tobacco, vanilla, and cocoa for 2015 Elvi Blanco (white), Spain, such as the Peraj Ha’abib.)
red wines; and fruits, flowers, minerals, mevushal, $10: Crisp and bright with 2013 Domaine Netofa Red (red), Galil
and grass for whites. Take a shot at it! good acidity. Israel, mevushal, $21: Medium body,
2014 Elvi Tinto (red), Spain, mevushal, dark red fruits with spice, and a long,
3) Taste: Look for body and charac- $10: Light to medium body, with red
ter. Is the wine thin and light-bodied, or fruits, spice, clay and earth. pleasing finish.
“heavy” in your mouth, and thus, “full- 2015 Elvi Rosado (rosé), Spain, 2014 Herzog Late Harvest Orange
bodied?” Or somewhere in between? Is mevushal, $10: Well-balanced, acidic, Muscat (white), California, mevushal,
the wine “tannic,” i.e., does it leave a and bursting with strawberries. $20: With a shout-out to the mora d’as-
dry feeling in your mouth? Let the wine 2014 Baron Herzog Jeunesse ra of my shul, Rav Marwick of Shomrei
coat your mouth to allow the full Cabernet Sauvignon (red), California, Emunah, here’s a nod to a delicious
palate to experience the wine. Evaluate mevushal, $12: This young, fruity Cab is
the balance of the wine: Does the wine a semi-sweet alternative for those who dessert wine. Soft and rich, with delight-
have a nice fruit taste but little acidity, don’t enjoy dry wines.
leaving it feeling dead and flabby? Or is ful orange peel on the nose.
there too much acid without fruit, mak- Wines at Twelve to Eighteen
ing the wine a tart acid-bomb? Ideally, Dollars Wines at Twenty-Five Dollars and
what makes wine pleasing is a balance 2014 Koenig Riesling (white), France, Over
between the two. Does the wine and its mevushal, $15: Crisp, bracing acidity, cit-
flavors stick on your palate after you’ve rusy. It has enough sweetness to satisfy There are many recommended wines in
swallowed? That indicates the length of without being cloying.
its “finish.” 2016 O’Dwyers Creek Sauvignon this category, as excellent quality is
Blanc (white), New Zealand, mevushal,
As we approach Pesach 5777, we will $18: Notes of grapefruit and tropical much more common. Below, you will
review some kosher wines from regions fruits with bracing acidity. Delightful
throughout the world that – important- wine that is perfect for a Pesach lunch of find a few I’ve enjoyed recently:
ly for this column – are easily available salmon.
locally. These wines could and should 2009 Carmel Appellation Petite 2007 (or other vintage) Yarden Blanc
grace your Seder table in place of the Sirah (red), Rishon LeZion, Israel, non-
tired wines of yesteryear. (Reminder: mevushal, $15: One of my favorite wines. de Blanc (sparkling white), Golan
Drink your whites, rosés, and bubblies Get ‘em while they’re still available. (I saw
chilled.) them on the shelf at Kosher Bite just Heights Israel, non-mevushal, $28:
this week). Lush and mouth-filling, ripe,
Wines at Eight Dollars or Less red fruits, mouth-coating tannins, this Indulgent, crisp bubbles, and built for
Trader Joe’s has a reputation for bring- tastes like a wine that would be more
ing high-quality international foods to expensive. The ’09 Carignan the long-haul. Deep mineral flavor, toast,
the consumer at low prices. Appellation is equally excellent, if you
Unbeknownst to many, it sells a line of can find it. and citrus.
kosher wines that are generally excel- 2015 Notte Italiana Prosecco
lent. Unfortunately, due to Maryland’s (sparkling white), Italy, mevushal, $14: 2014 Gigondas Grande Reserve (red),
outdated liquor laws, they are unable to This classic Italian Prosecco is dry and
sell wine within state lines. If you find sharp, with great effervescence, showing France, non-mevushal, $26: Lovely sub-
yourself in Washington D.C. proper, nice fruit and acid, and is a great pairing
stock up on these: for most meals. Serve cold. tle red and blue fruit, made in an Old
2015 Terrenal Seleccianado, (red),
Spain, non-mevushal, $7: Lush with ripe Wines at Eighteen to Twenty-Five World, subtle style.
red fruit, this tastes like a wine that could Dollars
and should be priced much higher. 2014 Capcanes Peraj Petita (red), 2014 Herzog Special Reserve
N.V. Sara Bee Moscato, (sparkling Spain, produced as both mevushal and
white), Italy, mevushal, $5: Bursting with non-mevushal, $18: Notes of dark red Russian River Chardonnay (white),
tropical fruits and bubbles. If you enjoy fruits and earth, this is a wine continual-
Bartenura Moscato, this wine is a third of California, mevushal, $27: Oak-aged,
the price and just as good, if not better.
creamy with flavors of vanilla and toast.
2014 Castel Petit Castel (red),
Jerusalem Hills Israel, non-mevushal,
$42: This medium-bodied wine boasts
cherries and dark red fruits with spici-
ness and great tannins. Delicious and
ageworthy, stored on its side in cool dark
conditions.
We are truly living in a golden age of
kosher wine production. Don’t be intim-
idated by the words, names, and labels.
Taste different varieties outside your
comfort zone, ask advice from people
you know who enjoy wine (I’ve been giv-
ing it out in unsolicited fashion for
years!) and start exploring all the options
we have. I am available (between
patients) at
dr.kenneth.friedman@gmail.com.
Lechaim and a chag kasher
vesameach!◆
90 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
and give its full characteristics. It’s a ElviWines is a Spanish producer making
fun experience to match aromas to some of the best wines on the kosher treat – but pricey at about $50 – check
wine. Some common descriptors com- market, and they did not miss with these
pare the wine’s aroma to various fruits, entry-level offerings: out the higher-end Capcanes bottles,
earth, tobacco, vanilla, and cocoa for 2015 Elvi Blanco (white), Spain, such as the Peraj Ha’abib.)
red wines; and fruits, flowers, minerals, mevushal, $10: Crisp and bright with 2013 Domaine Netofa Red (red), Galil
and grass for whites. Take a shot at it! good acidity. Israel, mevushal, $21: Medium body,
2014 Elvi Tinto (red), Spain, mevushal, dark red fruits with spice, and a long,
3) Taste: Look for body and charac- $10: Light to medium body, with red
ter. Is the wine thin and light-bodied, or fruits, spice, clay and earth. pleasing finish.
“heavy” in your mouth, and thus, “full- 2015 Elvi Rosado (rosé), Spain, 2014 Herzog Late Harvest Orange
bodied?” Or somewhere in between? Is mevushal, $10: Well-balanced, acidic, Muscat (white), California, mevushal,
the wine “tannic,” i.e., does it leave a and bursting with strawberries. $20: With a shout-out to the mora d’as-
dry feeling in your mouth? Let the wine 2014 Baron Herzog Jeunesse ra of my shul, Rav Marwick of Shomrei
coat your mouth to allow the full Cabernet Sauvignon (red), California, Emunah, here’s a nod to a delicious
palate to experience the wine. Evaluate mevushal, $12: This young, fruity Cab is
the balance of the wine: Does the wine a semi-sweet alternative for those who dessert wine. Soft and rich, with delight-
have a nice fruit taste but little acidity, don’t enjoy dry wines.
leaving it feeling dead and flabby? Or is ful orange peel on the nose.
there too much acid without fruit, mak- Wines at Twelve to Eighteen
ing the wine a tart acid-bomb? Ideally, Dollars Wines at Twenty-Five Dollars and
what makes wine pleasing is a balance 2014 Koenig Riesling (white), France, Over
between the two. Does the wine and its mevushal, $15: Crisp, bracing acidity, cit-
flavors stick on your palate after you’ve rusy. It has enough sweetness to satisfy There are many recommended wines in
swallowed? That indicates the length of without being cloying.
its “finish.” 2016 O’Dwyers Creek Sauvignon this category, as excellent quality is
Blanc (white), New Zealand, mevushal,
As we approach Pesach 5777, we will $18: Notes of grapefruit and tropical much more common. Below, you will
review some kosher wines from regions fruits with bracing acidity. Delightful
throughout the world that – important- wine that is perfect for a Pesach lunch of find a few I’ve enjoyed recently:
ly for this column – are easily available salmon.
locally. These wines could and should 2009 Carmel Appellation Petite 2007 (or other vintage) Yarden Blanc
grace your Seder table in place of the Sirah (red), Rishon LeZion, Israel, non-
tired wines of yesteryear. (Reminder: mevushal, $15: One of my favorite wines. de Blanc (sparkling white), Golan
Drink your whites, rosés, and bubblies Get ‘em while they’re still available. (I saw
chilled.) them on the shelf at Kosher Bite just Heights Israel, non-mevushal, $28:
this week). Lush and mouth-filling, ripe,
Wines at Eight Dollars or Less red fruits, mouth-coating tannins, this Indulgent, crisp bubbles, and built for
Trader Joe’s has a reputation for bring- tastes like a wine that would be more
ing high-quality international foods to expensive. The ’09 Carignan the long-haul. Deep mineral flavor, toast,
the consumer at low prices. Appellation is equally excellent, if you
Unbeknownst to many, it sells a line of can find it. and citrus.
kosher wines that are generally excel- 2015 Notte Italiana Prosecco
lent. Unfortunately, due to Maryland’s (sparkling white), Italy, mevushal, $14: 2014 Gigondas Grande Reserve (red),
outdated liquor laws, they are unable to This classic Italian Prosecco is dry and
sell wine within state lines. If you find sharp, with great effervescence, showing France, non-mevushal, $26: Lovely sub-
yourself in Washington D.C. proper, nice fruit and acid, and is a great pairing
stock up on these: for most meals. Serve cold. tle red and blue fruit, made in an Old
2015 Terrenal Seleccianado, (red),
Spain, non-mevushal, $7: Lush with ripe Wines at Eighteen to Twenty-Five World, subtle style.
red fruit, this tastes like a wine that could Dollars
and should be priced much higher. 2014 Capcanes Peraj Petita (red), 2014 Herzog Special Reserve
N.V. Sara Bee Moscato, (sparkling Spain, produced as both mevushal and
white), Italy, mevushal, $5: Bursting with non-mevushal, $18: Notes of dark red Russian River Chardonnay (white),
tropical fruits and bubbles. If you enjoy fruits and earth, this is a wine continual-
Bartenura Moscato, this wine is a third of California, mevushal, $27: Oak-aged,
the price and just as good, if not better.
creamy with flavors of vanilla and toast.
2014 Castel Petit Castel (red),
Jerusalem Hills Israel, non-mevushal,
$42: This medium-bodied wine boasts
cherries and dark red fruits with spici-
ness and great tannins. Delicious and
ageworthy, stored on its side in cool dark
conditions.
We are truly living in a golden age of
kosher wine production. Don’t be intim-
idated by the words, names, and labels.
Taste different varieties outside your
comfort zone, ask advice from people
you know who enjoy wine (I’ve been giv-
ing it out in unsolicited fashion for
years!) and start exploring all the options
we have. I am available (between
patients) at
dr.kenneth.friedman@gmail.com.
Lechaim and a chag kasher
vesameach!◆
90 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
