WINE

Season Wine Guide

By: Henry Pesatty

Every winter we try to dress elegantly with the proper coat, the fancy scarf and the nice pair of leather gloves, not only for the purpose of feeling warm but also fashionable. Well, let me tell you, the winter is over, and it’s time to change the outfit, as we are arriving into spring and then a bright and sticky hot summer (especially if you

live in Miami, like me).

The weather is changing and our palate as well, as we are looking for new alternatives to enjoy with our loved ones, like young and fresh wines.

Start looking for ‘your wine opener and your decanter, as this wine guide is ready to start.

DAROM RED BLEND 2020 YATIR WINERY ISRAEL

Yatir Winery, from the Yatir region in Israel, always surprises me. Every wine that they make is perfect within their category. Established in 2000, it is an example of how a winery with 20 years of experience can create wines with many recognitions around the world.

Darom is a beautiful blend of Shiraz, Zinfandel, Marselan and Grenache and has been matured for nine months in French oak barrels.

After decanting the wine for 30 minutes, you will encounter many aromas like peppercorn, blackberry, sweet tobacco and milk chocolate.

Being of the entry level of Yatir doesn’t mean you will experience less, as this wine brings to the palate a full body, and a high level of acidity with a well-balanced tannin.

This wine is perfect for the season, as it finishes fresh and delightful.

Distributed in the US by Royal Wine Corp. Average Price $24.99 IRPINIA AGLIANICO 2018 SAN PAOLO – CLAUDIO QUARTA WINERY ITALY

Continuing with my love for Italian wines, I cannot pass up the opportunity to mention the San Paolo Winery, which was established by Claudio Quarta in 2006, and is located in the province of Bresci,. This winery is so unique that you can encounter different kinds of soils with influences from the ashes of the Somma Vesuvius volcano. When a vineyard is planted at 700 meters high, it will surely guarantee higher quality wines.

If you are a fan of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese like me, you will love Aglianico. Capish!!

Irpinia Aglianico 2018 is a truly Southern Italian wine that brings to the nose a bouquet of aromas like cinnamon, lavender, sweet oak and tobacco.

After you raise your glass and say Andiamo, you will experience a full-bodied wine that has a beautiful relationship, with a higher acidity and higher tannins.

It finishes somewhat spicy but is very fragrant; it is a unique Italian experience.

Imported in the US by M&M Importers. Average Price $25.99 SHIRAN THE SOPRANO 2019 SHIRAN WINERY ISRAEL

If we have to talk about Shiran Wines, we have to talk about great wines. Shiran Winery was established in Efrat, Israel by Eli Shiran in 2012. He started in the garage in his small house in Efrat, where he created his first Gold Medal wine named Chazzan, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Time passed and after creating more successful wines and earning the recognition of wine connoisseurs, they moved in 2018 to the holy city of Kiryat Arba in Hebron, to keep growing the wine business.

One of my favorite wines is Shiran The Soprano 2019, a magnificent red blend of Grenache 92% and Petit Sirah 8%, aged for 12 months in American oak barrels. This wine is really a premium gem, instead of the classic wines aged in French oak barrels, it goes with American.

If you let it breathe for a minimum of two hours, you will encounter a bouquet of aromas like leather, clay pot, plum and bloody orange. This beautiful wine will provide the palate with a full body, medium acidity and soft tannins.

It has an elegant and fresh finish with some hints of spice.

Available at www.kosherwine.com

Average Price $47.99

CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 CASTELLARE DI CASTELLINA ITALY

Castellare di Castellina is a winery located in the Chianti Region, that was built with great care, attention to details and quality awareness by Paolo Panerai in 1970, as he was deeply in love with the Chianti area. Today, Castellare is considered one of the top wineries in Tuscany.

It is important to mention that Castellare is a nonkosher winery, but thanks to Dr. Ralph Madeb and his company M&M Importer, they found an opportunity with the vineyard to produce the Chianti Classico 2019 Kosher. And it came up Bellissimo!!

Chianti Classico 2019, for who doesn’t know, is wine created with Sangiovese grapes from the Chianti Region in Tuscany.

If you love Italy, you will love the aromas that you will encounter in the nose, like cherries, sweet balsamic and roasted tomatoes. On the palate is a medium full body with a refreshing acidity and elegant tannins.

This wine is perfect for a romantic Italian evening. Mamma Mia!!

Imported in the USA by M&M Importers. Average Price $25.99 TWIN SUNS RESERVE ZINFANDEL 2019 THE RIVER WINE & SHIRA WINERY CALIFORNIA

Every time, I get more and more impressed with the great kosher wines we can find in America, especially in the West Coast like Santa Barbara, California. This time the honor is for Twin Suns Wines, a creation of love that began in 2013 with Ami & Larissa Nahari from The River Wine and Gabriel & Shimon Weiss from Shiran Wines.

Twin Suns is a promise of high-quality California wines that can be affordable.

Most wine consumers go for the typical grapes, Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, Malbec, etc; but what about the Zinfandel lovers? Well, from now on, you will add this variety to your wine cellar.

Reserve Zinfandel 2019, grown in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County and aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, is an incredible wine that cannot be missed in this season. As my motto says - Let’s start with the nose - and here you will discover a smoky aroma with notes of raspberry, white pepper and star anise.

The variety and the time in the barrel give the palate a full body, an enjoyable acidity, and soft tannins.

It finishes delicatly with sweet and spicy notes.

Distributed by The River Wine, New York, NY.

Average Price $29.99

For more wine reviews and advice, you can always follow me on Instagram @koshertolife.

Remember always to say L’Haim!

MHenry Pesatty, originally from Caracas, Venezuela, is a contributing editor for Mochers Magazine. He is also the creator of his Instragram Account @ koshertolife, where he shares his passion for wines and spirits in his spare time.