INAUGURAL EDITION
MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781
Joshua London
ON HOW KOSHER WINE SURVIVED 2020 Gamliel Kronemer
ON THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES Elizabeth Kratz
ON SPECIAL WINES FOR THE SEDER Kenny Friedman
ON THE PARADE OF THE ROSÉS Yossie Horwitz
ON CHAMPAGNE
FEATURING LONDON’S RANKING OF SWEET KOSHER WINES KRONEMER’S RANKING OF SPARKLING KOSHER WINES
TOP 25 LISTS OF BEST KOSHER REDS AND WHITES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INAUGURAL EDITION
HOW KOSHER WINE SURVIVED 2020....................... 6 By Joshua London COVID hit the wine industry hard, but there were some bright spots
CALIFORNIA WINES IN 2020...................................14 By Gamliel Kronemer How the fires affected the kosher wine industry in the Golden State
CO-PUBLISHERS Moshe Kinderlehrer Mark (Mendy) Schwartz EDITOR Elizabeth Kratz MANAGING EDITOR Michal Rosenberg
ISRAELI WINE IN COVID TIMES..................................... 20 By Gamliel Kronemer The effect of the pandemic on wine production in Israel
WELCOME TO THE JEWISH LINK’S INAUGURAL WINE GUIDE..................................... 22 By Elizabeth Kratz A behind the scenes look at the making of the Wine Guide GREAT BRUTS............. 34 By Gamliel Kronemer Sparkling wines for your festive times
WINERIES OF THE YEAR........................... 26 By Michal Rosenberg Standout wineries whose products we love
DESSERT WINES........ 38 By Joshua London Sweet wines to end your meal
TOP 25 WINE LISTS...................42 Top 25 wines in four categories
ADVERTISING Moshe Kinderlehrer FOUNDING TASTING PANEL JUDGES Yossie Horwitz Jeff Katz Greg Raykher Daphna Roth Yeruchum Rosenberg CONTRIBUTORS Joshua E. London Gamliel Kronemer Dr. Kenny Friedman LOGISTICS Eva Katz The Jewish Link Media Group
JEWISHLINK Linking Northern and Central NJ, Bronx, Manhattan, Westchester and CT
SPECIAL WINES FOR YOUR PESACH TABLE................................48 By Elizabeth Kratz Plan for a special Pesach with these unique wines
AN ODE TO CHAMPAGNE.... 46 By Yossie Horwitz Understanding and appreciating kosher Champagne
ROSÉ TRENDS............... 50 By Dr. Kenneth Friedman See what’s ahead for summer with these rosé trends
MEVUSHAL WINES, BOILED DOWN..............53 By Joshua London The case for good mevushal wines
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COPY EDITOR Cathy Fisher
MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781
AJPA
P.O. Box 3131 Teaneck, NJ 07666 (201) 366-9101 editor@jewishlink.news
Publisher’s Note Dear Readers,
It gives me great pride to present to you our inaugural Jewish Link Wine Guide, of which we are proudly distributing over 40,000 copies to homes across New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. We are quite excited to bring this new publication to life and truly believe that anyone—from beginners to seasoned kosher wine buyers and consumers—will find something to read and learn about in these pages. I know I did, although I admit to being a tad biased! We are also proud to release our first-ever Jewish Link Wine Guide winners of the top kosher wineries and rankings of wines in a number of key categories. Congratulations and mazal tov are in order to all of the wineries and their wines. These are special achievements, especially with the fierce competition and the many excellent wines in every category. I got my first taste of the kosher wine market 11 years ago when I was still in the fundraising world and working as the director of development for Leket Israel. In that position, I conceived of and launched the Leket Israel Wine Club together with our friend and founding Wine Guide judge and contributor Yossie Horwitz, as well as Gary Wartels of Skyview Wines.The club had a nice run for a few years but I soon moved on to work for YU and later on, to start The Jewish Link, but I learned more about kosher wine back then than I thought I would ever want to know, but it was really just the basics. It was also clear to me just how strong and dynamic the kosher wine business was, and in many ways, despite COVID-19, still is. Although I admit I am not a committed oenophile, I have definitely learned to appreciate what goes into the making and selling of quality kosher wine. After attending a few tastings for the rankings, I am now also familiar with the challenges of tasting dozens upon dozens of wines in an effort to rank and score them while dealing with pandemic-related quarantines, etc. (Don’t worry, I wasn’t a judge.) These past three months were certainly an interesting time to work at The Jewish Link offices, as we were flooded with hundreds of wine bottles that needed to be reviewed, categorized properly and then placed into brown bags so our intrepid judges would not be influenced by the brand or bottle label. This was in addition to the many tasks associated with arranging the individual tastings, navigating our way through social distancing and quarantines, and of course, the actual writing of the articles, editing them, laying out a brand new publication and so on and so forth. The result of this effort is in your hands now. We look forward to our Wine Guide rapidly growing into a leading annual publication for the kosher wine industry in the years ahead. Last but not least, I owe a special thanks to all of our advertisers, our editors Elizabeth Kratz and Michal Rosenberg, and our judges and contributors, who each helped make the inaugural Jewish Link Wine Guide a reality and who continue to support our growth and success. We couldn’t have done it without you! Yours, Moshe Kinderlehrer Co-Publisher The Jewish Link of NJ/Expanded Edition/The Jewish Link Media Group MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781 • JLINK WINE GUIDE
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How Kosher Wine Survived 2020 By Joshua E. London
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T
here is no sugarcoating it. Last year was rough—the pandemic, the lockdowns, the resulting recession, and in some places civil unrest, rising crime and violence, and even a U.S.-EU trade war with tariffs that targeted parts of the drinks trade. There were also the devastating wildfires that
David and Mordy Herzog hold a socially distanced meeting at Herzog's Estate Lake County Jacobson vineyard harvest.
hit the Pacific Northwest’s wine country especially hard. (See Gamliel Kronemer’s article on page 13 for more on this.) Fortunately for all of us, kosher wine survived. In a sense, of course, kosher wine was always going to survive. As Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the Orthodox Union kosher division, aptly put it: “The food industry, as a rule, is protected from deep recessions because people have to eat.” That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t folks adversely affected when the economy abruptly tumbles. “The food service industry, like restaurants and caterers, has been very badly hurt,” Rabbi Genack noted. “Some companies will undoubtedly not survive.” Of course, wine—like most agricultural products—is largely a multiyear, long-term endeavor, allowing for a certain resiliency to temporary shocks. As Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, senior rabbinic coordinator and wine expert for the Orthodox Union, put it: “The wine industry requires long-term planning, and projection—and some would say, given the uncertainties natural to agriculture, and the often fickle nature of consumer tastes, it’s more like guesswork or betting—but regardless it requires some longerterm thinking. So, while everything was disrupted in 2020, kosher wine production and sales did not stop.” “Overall, the kosher wine market has indeed survived 2020,” agreed Gabriel Geller of Royal Wine Corp., the Herzog family-owned and -operated company that remains the country’s leading producer, importer and distributor of kosher wines and spirits, headquartered in Bayonne. “Of course, sales through ‘on-premise’ accounts—restaurants, caterers,
“Overall, the kosher wine market has indeed survived 2020. Of course, sales through ‘on-premise’ accounts—restaurants, caterers, Pesach programs and other catered social events—completely crashed.” — GABRIEL GELLER
Pesach programs and other catered social events—completely crashed.” “On-premise” is the industry term for alcohol sales intended for consumption at or near the point of purchase, on the premises—such as bars, restaurants and catered events. This is contrasted with the off-premise trade, where alcohol is sold strictly for consumption off the premises of the establishment—such as liquor and wine stores; and drug, grocery or convenience stores where alcohol is permitted for sale in such establishments. During the various lockdowns, the on-premise sector was essentially handicapped and shut down outright in most state and local jurisdictions, either by fiat, fear or by safety guideless that made the traditional customer experience more difficult
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In France, workers pick grapes during the Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere harvest. (Credit: Royal Wines)
and costly to maintain. Meanwhile, in the off-premise sector, wine and liquor stores were classified as “essential businesses” in many— though not all—jurisdictions, and so could remain open in lockdown. Likewise, some jurisdictions seemed on the verge of swinging back and forth on just how “essential” wine and liquor stores are, as local governments and politicians tried to keep pace with perceived public sentiment. Adjusting quickly to market forces, explained Geller, much of the wine that would have gone to the onpremise sector was simply redirected to off-premise retail accounts, and, indeed, “overall, retail sales went up
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How effectively and quickly the wineries and wine stores pivoted to new customer expectations is a significant factor in how well they survived 2020. like crazy. Especially those brickand-mortar retailers who have online sales, or those doing exclusively online sales.” This basic pattern played out across the global wine landscape—not
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just in kosher wine. As analyst Rob McMillan, executive vice president of Silicon Valley Bank’s wine division, which publishes an influential annual wine-industry report, put it: “Wine is recession-proof and maybe somewhat pandemic-resistant as well. People do want their wine.” Noting that as on-premise wine consumption largely ended, McMillan added, “wine was added back to the family dinner table, and consumers adapted to online shopping and at-home delivery.” So, while wine sales indeed continued throughout the pandemic, much of it took place through these different channels. Indeed, “wine retailers across the country
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED “The best kosher wine at $15. This California Cab delivers!” Moshe Wendel, Executive Chef
“A customer favorite. This wine is a perfect complement to our menu.” Golan Chetrit, Owner, Noi Due restaurants
“I’m happy to put this wine on the regular California shelf.” Mark Thrift, Mollie Stone’s, CA
“As soon as it came to the UK, Twin Suns was an instant hit!” Arele Schapiro, London, UK
“I couldn’t believe it was kosher. This has become a main brand in our portfolio.” Mike Nicols RNDC, Michigan
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COVER STORY
have pivoted from in-store sales,” noted Washington Post wine critic Dave McIntyre, “to an improvised market plan of curbside pickup, local delivery, and online sales.” This was certainly the experience, for example, of Mendy Mark of FillerUp Wines in Teaneck: “Right after Purim everything got shut down; and really the whole world, everything, changed.” Although the Teaneck shop was permitted to remain open, the local lockdown meant that people stopped venturing into the store. Instead, the phone began ringing incessantly with folks panic-buying for Passover. As he recalled, “People were worried we might get closed before Pesach, so the orders started coming in almost immediately.” They began selling two to three cases per order, and the phones rang off the hook. Thinking quickly, Mark called the owner and advised some quick changes. Within days FillerUp Wines managed to get a workable web presence up and running to facilitate online ordering, then quickly hired additional manpower for local deliveries and instituted contactless curbside pickup. “It was tremendous,” recalled Mark, “We did great business between Purim and Pesach.” While normally “about 90% of our trade would be in-store purchases, and about 10% deliveries,” in 2020 they saw almost the exact opposite: “about 60% delivery, 30% (curbside) pickup, and 10% in-store.” Even though the business was busy, Mark noted that customers were price-conscious, and mostly favored familiarity over novelty. “Nobody was buying the brands they’d never heard of,” he explained, “or new items that just came in.” Instead, what was flying out the
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Adam Montefiori
Kosher wine survived 2020, but most of what made last year difficult remains firmly in place as of this writing. How well kosher wine will do this year remains to be seen. door were well established or big brands “like Barkan, Dalton, Yarden and Herzog—names they knew, brands that were reliable, and also under $40.” Losing out were smaller or newer brands, the sorts of wines that usually require a bit of effort, storytelling and substantive engagement with the customer, often aided by in-store tastings. Premium brands stagnated completely. Then “by mid-summer,” Mark noted, “folks finally began shifting back to something closer to what we were used to” in their consumer buying practices, including a return to sales of premium-priced wines. Over the course of 2020, FillerUp Wines experienced a relative disappearance of their traditional slow periods. Because of the shift
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in consumer behavior, “things never really slowed down too greatly; we’ve had more people buying, and more regular customers.” Since social engagements are fewer and smaller, however, “our overall volume for the year is much lower than in a typical year, even though we remain busy, and our customer base is expanded,” said Mark. These same basic global wine trends—buying wines from supermarkets, e-commerce retail, and the winery direct-to-consumer channels—also played out very clearly in Israel, the only country in which kosher wine dominates the wine market. “On the ‘good news’ front,” noted Adam S. Montefiore, an Israeli wine industry consultant and prolific wine writer, “those wineries [in Israel] that have big brands, and already had good distribution in supermarkets, managed to sell well. Likewise, the really famous smaller wineries—like Flam and Castel—have their own customer base anyway for direct-to-consumer sales, and so were able to increase sales through that channel. Online wine sales have similarly greatly increased—lots of people who never used to order wine online started doing so.” Alas, he said, “those [Israeli wineries] that did not already have supermarket distribution; did not already have a large direct-toconsumer customer base; and did not have an e-commerce platform have been more seriously challenged. Some are struggling a lot.” Montefiore was quick to point out, however, that it’s hard to get a good, solid picture of this, as folks in the Israeli wine industry mask their hardship “with a certain degree of public bravado.” He said this was an industry-wide phenomenon in Israel.
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“You talk to people who are obviously suffering—wineries, shops, really everyone except restaurants, and they’ll tell you, ‘Oh, we’re fine!’ Nobody will admit to any economic pain, even if they’ve been [negatively] affected. So it’s hard to find out the truth.” As with most of the rest of the world, in Israel, too, “the on-premise sector suffered an absolute crash,” said Montefiore, “and this is obviously a tragedy for everyone in the hospitality industry, not just wine.” Likewise, “the tourism industry has also crashed,” he noted, “as there has been no tourism.” He explained that “some wineries in Israel, especially some of the smaller ones, do a fair amount of their business through direct-to-consumer sales to tourists, both tourists from abroad and Israelis touring and visiting wineries—but this has completely crashed, too.” How effectively and quickly the wineries and wine stores pivoted to new customer expectations is a significant factor in how well they survived 2020. “There have also been quite a few internet startups that are selling wines by the case, and showcasing boutique wineries, to try and fill that void,” Montefiore added. Amidst all this disruption, however, there is some good news, said Montefiore: “Israelis have learned to drink at home, to have wine as part of their home routine— understanding that it’s OK to drink wine at home and share it with their family. That’s a big change. Probably the single most positive trend, and one that is likely to stay.” The most consistent trend, whether in Israel, Europe or the United States, has been the comparative advantage in 2020 of those retailers especially focused on e-commerce. As Dovid Riven, president of
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In pre-COVID times, kosherwine.com’s Dovid Riven, left, with Netofa Winery’s Pierre Miodownik.
Kosherwine.com, the largest kosher wine e-commerce retailer in the U.S., observed, “last year was a very busy year for us, but we were much better positioned than most to respond to the changes and challenges that came in 2020.” As Riven explained, traditional wine stores that rely on foot traffic, neighborhood convenience, community density, handselling, in-store tastings and the like, were forced to adapt, and to worry about maintaining safety protocols for customer engagement. As a strictly online retailer, however, “we were spared those sorts of shocks and stresses.” “We primarily sell to individual consumers,” Riven noted, “buying wine for home use—consumption, gift giving, collecting, whatever—and so were particularly well poised to adapt to increased demand for home consumption. We got really busy, and basically stayed busy throughout 2020.” “When the lockdowns started in March, things began to heat up
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quickly,” said Riven. As Passover programs were being cancelled and there remained tremendous uncertainty about venturing out to stores “a lot of folks—including those who’d never ordered from us before—found us and began ordering wine for Passover. So basically, our busiest season, the run-up to Passover, was robust both because that’s always our most robust period, but then also because of the sudden growth of new customers—and also from apparently very thirsty existing customers.” Riven’s Kosherwine.com team spent a lot of time planning and working through the logistics to ensure that their guaranteed “delivery before Passover” timeline would hold. Fortunately, he said, “we were able to make it all work and keep it all essentially on track.” The company’s reliability, with proactive customer engagement and clear communications, helped ensure smooth operations—allowing them to advance on several fronts that had been in the works. “We’ve
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experienced a lot of steady growth,” Riven said, “and, basically, things haven’t stopped; 2020 was essentially busy all year long—and now we’re looking and moving forward.” While these overall patterns held firm across the kosher wine market, the actual demand for kosher wine was not uniform. “In the New YorkNew Jersey area, and in Florida, sales for local retailers of kosher wines are basically fine,” noted Geller of Herzog’s Royal Wine Corp., “but at the national level, and especially in California, local sales of kosher wines slowed down significantly. “Take, for example, Barkan,” Geller explained, “which is, beside Baron Herzog and Bartenura, the No. 1 wine brand in our portfolio. Given Royal’s dominant market share, this also makes Barkan the No. 1 Israeli brand in the United
The most consistent trend, whether in Israel, Europe or the United States, has been the comparative advantage in 2020 of those retailers especially focused on e-commerce. States. But, Barkan sales suffered an awful lot in 2020.” Geller said that Barkan is one of the brands picked up by nearly all the big wine retail chains across the country, such as Total Wine & More (with 210 outlets). “But for stores that only carry a few kosher brands, and also for those stores outside of the areas with a higher
density of kosher consumers, sales suffered a lot,” Geller said. “The brand took a big hit.” Barkan is also a very popular brand for the on-premise sector, “so, again, a significant hit to sales.” While some sectors of kosher wine stayed busy, even very busy, some sectors fared poorly. The onpremise sector suffered dramatically, as did those part of the off-premise sector that faced problems adapting. Further, as Geller explained, there is not exactly a one-to-one correspondence between these sectors, and sales in one area do not necessarily offset losses in another area. “Unfortunately, it is what it is.” Kosher wine survived 2020, but most of what made last year difficult remains firmly in place as of this writing. How well kosher wine will do this year remains to be seen.
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THE HEAT IS ON: California Wines in 2020
A row of heat-destroyed chardonnay at the Four Gates Winery, “From a distance it looks like I have a vineyard full of grapes, except that there are no leaves and the clusters are not of grapes. They are clusters of dried up things,” said Winemaker/Proprietor Benyamin Cantz. (Credit: Joshua Rynderman)
By Gamliel Kronemer
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020 was quite a year in California: record heat and fires, COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders. For those in California’s $40-billion wine industry, it was a year like no other. The Jewish Link reached out to a number of California’s kosher winemakers and winery proprietors to learn about the challenges they faced and to find out how they fared. “It was like we all had these signs on our backs that read, ‘Kick me and kick me again’,” explained Ernie
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Weir of Hagafen Cellars, California’s oldest kosher winery. “We had a triple whammy, with low rainfall and a very strong desiccating heatwave in the beginning of August that dehydrated grapes abnormally. Then we had the first wildfire—and so much smoke that we didn’t see the sun for two or three days. Then we had the second fire, which led to more smoke and the non-harvest or provisional harvest of grapes.” And all of that is before considering the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.
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In fact, California had a recordsetting year of nearly 10,000 incidents of wildfires that burned in excess of 4 million acres of land (almost 4% of the entire state). While some vineyards burned up entirely, a significant percentage of those that didn’t burn were affected by what winemakers refer to as “smoke taint”—particles of ash coating the grapes and imparting an acrid, smoky flavor. “The problem with smoke taint is that you don’t get a nice smoky flavor like in a smoky
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scotch,” explained Benyamin Cantz, winemaker/proprietor of Four Gates Winery. “What you get is ‘ashtray.’ “Smoke taint is not like an on-off switch; it’s a complete sliding scale. Some [wines] will be completely unusable, while some are only moderately damaged. [Also] there are two different forms of smoke taint: a free-chemical version and a bound-chemical version. With the free version, if it is sufficient, you can [immediately] sense it yourself, while the bound can become unbound over time. So you can bottle a wine thinking it is perfectly good, but a year later it becomes unbound in the bottle and you have a ruined wine.” In California’s premier northern growing regions of Napa and Sonoma, smoke taint abounded. “Many wineries in Napa decided that
A cluster of heat-destroyed merlot grapes at the Four Gates Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. (Credit: Joshua Rynderman)
they are not going to make or harvest any red wines,” explained Weir. Since white wines are generally fermented without the grape skins, and smoke taint mostly resides in
Socially distant work in the cellars at the Covenant Winery, Berkeley, CA (Credit: Covenant Wines)
the skins, white wines are generally less affected. However, “smoke taint can work its way inside the skin,” said Gabe Weiss, winemaker and co-owner of Shirah winery. “They called off the pick of our riesling due to smoke.” While grapes can be chemically tested for smoke taint, “there is only one lab in California, ETS, that has equipment to test for smoke taint and they were completely overwhelmed, and they were two months behind,” recalled Cantz. Some wineries, such as Covenant, had to send samples to Australia to be tested. “I think that they test much more accurately for smoke taint in Australia than they do here,” said Jeff Morgan, Covenant Wines’ proprietor. But for many wineries the choice was: Make wine without laboratory data, or don’t make wine at all. At Shirah winery, a boutique winery that buys small allotments of grapes from all over the state, they based their winemaking decisions on how close vineyards had been to the fires. “We’ve been making some wines from Northern California, that we simply could not make this year,” said Weiss. As careful as they were in their selections, “we did have
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smoke taint in the cellar. We had a few lots from growing regions where we assumed that the smoke layer was not heavy enough to have any significant smoke taint.” As it turned out, these young wines “now taste like peated Islay whisky,” said Wiess. At Hagafen, they opted for what is known as provisional harvesting, meaning that they made the wine not knowing whether or not the grapes were affected; if they prove to be affected, the winery can potentially get a refund from the vineyard owners or report a loss. “We made cabernet sauvignon; we made cabernet franc; we made syrah; we made pinot noir,” said Weir, “but I think the jury is still out. We think cabernet sauvignon is going to be fine; we think syrah is going to be fine; and we have doubts about some of the others, but we will only bottle high quality wines. We have too much of a reputation to protect.” Fortunately, at Covenant, they had harvested their Napa-grown cabernet sauvignon before the region’s devastating Glass Fire began, but “some of our Sonoma wines have higher levels of bound glycosides,” said Morgan. “They taste great, and you can’t tell anything is wrong, but the verdict is out on whether they will come unbound in the bottle later or not.” Additionally, there was another roughly 20% of their vineyards that they didn’t even try to harvest because they were too close to the fires. At Herzog Wine Cellars, California’s largest kosher winery, “the value wines from Lodi and Clarksburg [areas] which were not affected by the fires will be unaffected” in terms of production, explained Proprietor Jonathan Herzog, but “in the reserve program, probably 90% of the wines will not be produced.”
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Fires ravage California vineyards.
In fact, California had a record-setting year of nearly 10,000 incidents of wildfires that burned in excess of 4 million acres of land (almost 4% of the entire state). “There are technological methods to remove smoke components” from wine, said Morgan. “I’m considering using one of them. There are two technologies: One is filtration with special smoke-taint filters out of Australia, and the other is something called the spinning cone. It spins the wine in a vacuum and creates a kind of distillation without heat that allows you to remove certain components and then return the ones that you want. We’re experimenting to see if we like it.” Whereas Weiss, in addition to filtration, spoke of some more lowtech options. “Adding oak is another thing people do. Oak is toasted, and the smokiness [of the taint] can meld
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[with the toasted oak] in a way that masks it. But that’s an alternative I would prefer to avoid. Or you can simply blend [the taint] away. “Smoke isn’t a bad taste,” Weiss continued, “and if it’s a subtle part of a blend it can be wonderful. Another option, and this is more marketing, is to sell the wine as a ‘smoked wine’— instead of looking at it as a flaw, some people might think it’s cool.” The fires were just one of the major problems that confronted California wineries this season. “Everyone is focused on the smoke,” said Weiss, “but the heat potentially was just as bad, if not worse. We lost a lot to the heat. It just toasted the vineyards [and the grapes shriveled] to nothing. There was nothing to harvest.” Perhaps nobody was more affected by that heat than Four Gates Winery, a small mountainside winery in the Santa Cruz mountains whose vineyard is “dry-farmed” (unirrigated). “The weekend weather event that led to the lightning that caused the [CZU Lightning Complex] fire, was here in Santa Cruz 107 degrees on Friday, 104 on Shabbat, and 108
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on Sunday,” recalled Cantz. “What I have now is not even raisins. The grapes weren’t mature enough to even produce raisins. The pinot noir and the cabernet franc were completely toasted.” Cantz was able to salvage a little of his harvest, however. “With the chardonnay, we were able to save 10, 15, maybe 20%, and the only reason we were able to save that much is because we trimmed every cluster. There was not a single cluster we could just drop into the bucket. We were also able to save about 10% of the merlot by doing the same thing.” While Four Gates may have been the most devastated by the heat, almost every winemaker I spoke to lamented the impact of the heat on their season. “The heat affected us a lot,” said Weiss. “It changed yields. We bought a lot of things where we were expecting to get one-anda-half tons, and we ended up with minuscule amounts of wine from
Winemaker/Proprietor Ernie Weir at one of the outdoor tasting “booths” at Hagafen Cellars. “We were open for about four months starting in the middle of June for outdoor and limited tastings,” said Weir.
our block. Now we have this partial barrel of wine, which should have been four barrels.” Additionally, “the chemistry of some of our wines changed a little bit because of the extreme heat,” he said. “You have a lot of acid, a lot of malic acid, but you have a terrible pH. We had a lot of strange chemistry this year.” While wine, as a part of agriculture, is considered essential
by the state of California, and thus all of the wineries continued to operate during stay-at-home orders, COVID-19 did have an impact on all the wineries, but none more so than the Herzog Wine Cellars. “In terms of production,” said Herzog, “we’ve had breakouts; we’ve had employees [with COVID-19], and we’ve been shut down, [both] the production and the bottling line.
Outdoor dining for the Tierra Sur restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars. “The restaurant has been opened and closed, based on the guidelines,” said Proprietor Jonathan Herzog. (Credit: Herzog Wine Cellars)
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We’ve had ons and offs throughout the whole building. And now we face an early Pesach. It’s been a struggle to produce and keep on producing during these COVID times.” While no other winery mentioned having employees with COVID-19 or having to shut down—“We’ve been very lucky,” said Morgan—all have been affected by COVID-19. For Joshua Rynderman of Kos Yeshuos Winery, COVID-19 all but precluded him from even making it to the vineyards. “I produce kosher wine in both hemispheres,
What was truly impressive, after this horrific year, was the resilience of the winemakers and winery owners, all of whom were actively planning how to improve and prepare for the challenges of the 2021 season. California as well as in South Africa,” he said. “South Africa went into hard lockdown sometime in March, and that included stopping all international travel. At the end of July, I was able to get on a repatriation flight back to California.” COVID-19 also had a significant impact on wineries that distribute their wine via traditional retail channels. “We faced a pretty big challenge,” said Shimon Weiss, co-owner and business manager of Shirah Winery, “because 50% of our business is still through [wholesale] distribution, and the distribution channels dried up right
before Passover. All of the wine that we had sold to our distributors was already delivered—stores had it on shelves. Then boom, right before Passover retail shut down. That impacted our cashflow pretty significantly.” Yet for many wineries, the losses of traditional distribution were at least in part made up through direct-tocustomer sales. “We found that our wine club customers, aside from a few who were negatively impacted by the pandemic, kind of doubled down, and our online sales and direct sales to consumers actually increased,” said Weiss. At Hagafen Cellars, “we had a lot of curbside pickup,” said Weir. “We were able to call, access or email many people and had a wonderful response online. In a sense, we almost flipped our business over: What had previously been in-person is now online, and what had been online is now in-person.” At Four Gates Winery, where they sell all 3,000 bottles of wine that they produce each year in an online sale each January, they sold out in a record seven minutes. “I wasn’t sure what impact COVID would have [on the sale] until it happened,” said Cantz. What was truly impressive, after this horrific year, was the resilience of the winemakers and winery owners, all of whom were actively planning how to improve and prepare for the challenges of the 2021 season. There was also a real sense of community among the kosher-wine producers. “The only thing that makes us do what we’re doing, and continue to do what we’re doing,” says Herzog, “is knowing that we’re not the only one. It’s not that there’s a target on our back, but not on others. It’s something that all of us are going through together.”
PROUD TO BE NAMED
TOP 5 WINERIES
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ISRAELI WINE in the Time of COVID By Gamliel Kronemer
B
ack in the fall, when the editor of The Jewish Link Wine Guide and I were discussing topics for this magazine, it was the harvest season and Israel had just gone into a hard lockdown. An article on the impact of COVID-19 on the Israeli wine industry seemed to be a very timely story. I had assumed that I would interview Israeli winemakers, winery owners and consultants. I also assumed it would come out as one of those stories that would showcase Israelis’ unique sort of resilience in adversity. But that is not the story I am able to share. I reached out to about a dozen people in Israel’s wine industry, some of whom are longtime friends, many I’ve known since I started writing about kosher wine in the mid-2000s. I am used to receiving a warm response from such requests and enjoy interviews that will often run longer than the time scheduled (if I ask for 15 minutes, I usually know I’ll be on the phone for more than half an hour), but not this time—not on this subject. One person was willing to give me a brief off-the-record interview; two were actually willing to be interviewed on the record; and the rest declined to speak on this topic at all. With the ongoing pandemic and multiple lockdowns in Israel, the Israeli wine industry is hurting. And the message to me was clear: With so many unknowns, and such a rapidly evolving situation, for many in the industry, discussing the impact of COVID-19 was simply out of bounds.
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Jeff Morgan, the proprietor of Covenant Wines, which has wineries in both California and Israel, said that the Israeli winery has been far more affected by COVID than the one in California “because in Israel the buying habits are very different than in America.” He added: “I would say that 80% of our sales in Israel have been restaurant sales on-premise,” which were stopped in their tracks by the nationwide lockdown. For Covenant Israel, this loss of domestic sales has had a significant effect on the company overall. “We have a wine club in Israel, and we
Israel's Netofa vineyard
sell a little bit of wine directly, but it is nothing compared to the States. Thank God that our direct sales and our retail sales through our distributor have been down [only] a little bit” in the U.S., said Morgan. In Israel, however, they have had to reduce production. “We just don’t have the capital to operate normally. Everybody has taken pay cuts, both in America and in Israel,” he added. According to Amichai Lourie, the winemaker for Shiloh Winery, it is not just the loss of restaurant sales. “We sell wine to Pesach programs and Sukkot programs, and that completely shut down. So all the wine we usually sell to those programs went from
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driving 100 miles per hour to a halt. Weddings and Shabbat sheva brachot, aufrufs and bar mitzvahs, and all these events where people would gather together; they bought a lot of wine. And when you stay at home, and weddings are with very few people, and there are no simchas, people drink much less wine.” In Israel, as in America, wineries are considered essential businesses, and thus have remained open throughout the pandemic. However, the consequences of a positive COVID test for a winery employee in Israel can be far more stringent. “In Israel if you are exposed to somebody who is sick they close down your business,” said Lourie, “and you have to be in isolation for two weeks. Thank God nobody at the [Shiloh] winery got sick.” Such a shutdown, particularly if it should happen during the harvest season, could be a disaster for any winery. Ari Erle, the winemaker for Covenant Israel, did test positive for COVID-19, but it was after the critical harvest and winemaking season. “He spent two weeks locked in his bedroom,” said Morgan. “Thankfully, nothing much was going on at the winery.” As with many business sectors, the downturn that COVID-19 has caused for the Israeli wine industry will probably outlast the duration of the pandemic. Given the rapid pace of inoculations in Israel, the start of domestic recovery is likely only months away. However, it remains unclear when Israel’s wine-export market will be able to begin the long ride on the road to recovery.
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RANKINGS
Welcome to The Jewish Link Inaugural Wine Guide By Elizabeth Kratz
W
hen I was in my 20s, I lived in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Neighbors on Q Street happened to be two young men named Joshua London and Gamliel Kronemer. Josh had gone to grad school with my brother in Chicago, and I met Gamliel either at shul or a Shabbat meal. Josh was already writing a wine and spirits column for the weekend print section of The Washington Examiner, and Gamliel began writing about wine a few years later, adding spirits to his repertoire in special issues around Rosh Hashanah and Pesach. Both began writing regular columns for Jewish newspapers later on. I was working as a reporter, but didn’t start writing about food and wine until many years after we all met. With “Josh and G,” I first tasted good-to-great kosher wines and attended my first blind wine tasting. Gamliel, I learned only recently, was the culprit in sneaking in a bottle of Manschewitz concord grape into that tasting, siphoning the syrupy-sweet (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) liquid into a “regular” 750 ml wine bottle. It was with these two that I learned how to talk about wine and distinguish wine’s unique qualities. These were people to whom I could ask all my dumb questions, and there were many! My questions may have improved over the years, but I would not be the oenophile I am today without having access to their great caches of knowledge and willingness to chat, at virtually any time, about kosher wine. Along the way, we built many shared memories and became great
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friends. I was proud to have both Josh and Gamliel serve as witnesses at my wedding, and it’s been my pleasure over the years to count Anna and Jessica, the guys’ better halves, as close friends as well. Josh is currently living in England; Gamliel lives in Silver Spring, Maryland; and I live in New Jersey. However, when Gamliel suggested that we “get the band back together,” with me editing an inaugural edition of The Jewish Link Wine Guide and them writing many of the feature articles,
Running blind wine tastings during a pandemic, in the dead of a very cold East Coast winter, was no easy feat. I jumped at a chance to work with these old friends, both consummate professionals. In my opinion, they are among the kosher wine industry’s most enthusiastic and impartial advocates. I am very fortunate to have Moshe Kinderleher as a publisher, who literally jumped at the opportunity to launch the magazine. While the incisive features are certainly a point of pride for The Jewish Link Wine Guide, it was actually the tastings of wines for our rankings that were most complex. Running blind wine tastings during a pandemic, in the dead of a very cold East Coast winter, was no easy feat. It helped that we had five committed judges based in New Jersey: Yossie Horwitz, Jeff Katz, Greg Raykher,
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Daphna Roth and Yeruchum Rosenberg, who were willing to lend us their discerning palates whenever and however we arranged it. Yossie, who previously was a founding judge for The Jewish Week’s Wine Guide magazines, was an immeasurable resource in both designing the protocol for our blind tastings, and modeling impartial judging policies. Michal Rosenberg, our managing editor, was pivotal in organizing the tastings and tabulating the results; and we could not have done it without Eva Katz ( Jeff ’s better half ), who assisted us greatly with logistics. By the numbers, here’s how we ended up: Two extremely cold outdoor tastings, two quarantines, two socially-distanced indoor tastings, one (mild) case of COVID, one canceled wine tasting due to a blizzard, 267 wines, 63 whites, 204 reds, hundreds of WhatsApps and emails…well, you get the idea. With that in mind, we are proud to present four Top 25 lists for your Passover shopping pleasure. To befit the season’s affinity for reds during the seder, and to be cost-conscious, we divided the lists into “Under $25 Reds,” “$25-$50 Reds,” “High-End Reds” and “White Wines.” These are augmented by Josh London’s Top 10 list of sweet wines, Gamliel Kronemer’s Top 10 of sparkling wines, Michal Rosenberg’s write up of The Jewish Link Wine Guide’s top five wineries of the year, my “special wines for the seder,” article, Yossie Horwitz's ode to Champagne and Dr. Kenneth Friedman’s feature preview on 2020 rosé wines. With our very best wishes, Chag Kasher V ’Samayach!
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INAUGURAL EDITION
FOUNDING JUDGES Growing up in a teetotaling household in Jerusalem, Yossie Horwitz didn’t have much early exposure to wine. That all changed one Passover night when he tasted his first quality dry red wine. A lifelong passion was stoked and by the time he was 30 and living in NYC, he was penning a weekly email blast to family and friends sharing his varied recommendations. Today, “Yossie’s Corkboard” goes out to more than 11,000 subscribers around the world and covers the ever-expanding world of kosher wine. Tasting more than 4,000 different kosher wines each year keeps this deal-making attorney-by day quite busy. Sign up at yossiescorkboard.com and follow on instagram at yossies_corkboard.
Yeruchum Rosenberg is a wine enthusiast who spends his days in the world of technology and finance. He has been involved in the kosher wine scene for over 20 years. He loves family, friends, food and wine—preferably together. He enjoys cooking and frequenting Rosh Chodesh clubs. He lives in Teaneck with his wife, Michal, and their four kids.
Greg Raykher has been interested in tasting, collecting and learning about wine for over 20 years. He met some of his closest friends through the old Daniel Rogov chat group. Greg loves following the Israeli wine industry, and still remembers how excited he was when Castel went kosher in 2002, Bazelet Hagolan in 2004, Flam and Tulip in 2010, and Pelter opened Matar in 2012. When not learning about wine, Greg works in finance, with a focus on zero-carbon renewable energy projects. He lives in Teaneck with his children, and shares his love of wine exploration with his wife Daphna, a fellow judge on The Jewish Link panel.
Daphna Roth has been tasting and enjoying wine for over 30 years. She first introduced her husband, Greg, to wine with a gift of the Wine For Dummies book. They have been exploring exciting kosher wines together ever since. Little did she know that their wine journey would include being a judge for The Jewish Link. Daphna works as an adult neuropsychologist, specializing in evaluations, in private practice in Teaneck. Jeff Katz has been collecting, tasting and sharing alcohol with friends for 20 years. With an original interest in mixology and spirits, Jeff ’s appreciation for wine evolved 10 years ago when his wife handed him a glass of Russian River Chardonnay. Since then, Jeff has become a member of multiple kosher wine clubs and has made good friends with many oenophiles.
OUR JUDGES IN ACTION
For more photos of the Wine Guide in process, visit our Instagram @Jewishlinkwinemag
Jeff and Eva Katz
Greg Raykher and Daphna Roth
Yossie Horwitz
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CONTRIBUTORS Joshua E. London has been drinking, writing, consulting and speaking professionally about kosher wines and spirits for more than 20 years. He is originally from Northern California, and his love affair with wine began in the late-1980s with a relatively short-lived kosher wine venture in Davis. For over a dozen years London wrote a popular weekly column on kosher wines and spirits that appeared in several Jewish publications, and his writing has appeared in a wide variety of both Jewish and nonJewish print and online media.
Gamliel Kronemer has been writing for more than 15 years about kosher wine, spirits, cocktails and food in a number of Jewish newspapers and magazines, including The Jewish Link. In 2005, when Gamliel started writing regularly on the subject, he recalled that “back then, most newspapers wrote about kosher wine at most twice a year, with headlines like ‘Kosher Wine: It’s Not Your Mama’s Manischewitz Anymore.’ Watching the kosher wine world blossom has been utterly amazing, and I feel fortunate to have had a front row seat.” Gamliel lives with his wife, Jessica, in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Michal and Yeruchum Rosenberg
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Michal Rosenberg is associate editor at The Jewish Link and managing editor of The Jewish Link Wine Guide. Her husband Yeruchum first introduced her to wine 20 years ago and she’s joined him on his wine journey ever since.
Dr. Kenneth Friedman is a Baltimorebased kosher wine aficionado/ connoisseur. He produces and consults on unique food and wine tastings, utilizing his years of experience to create memorable, exciting events. He maintains a column on kosher wine, food and spirits, and leads educational wine tastings on Instagram @kosherwinetastings.
Elizabeth Kratz is associate publisher and editor of The Jewish Link, and founding editor of The Jewish Link Wine Guide. She also leads The Jewish Link’s Teaneck-based kosher winetasting group, from which most of our magazine’s judges were poached.
Greg and Daphna, finally indoors
To celebrate our 3oth anniversary, we pulled out all the stops.
BARONS EDMOND-BENJAMIN DE ROTHSCHILD 30
T H
A N N I V E R S A R Y
E D I T I O N
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Wineries of the Year By Michal Rosenberg
T
he Jewish Link Wine Guide judges had the privilege of tasting and rating many excellent wines over the last few months. When the scores were tallied, a few wineries rose to the top, continually appearing in our wine lists across multiple categories and price points. They were Dalton, Gvaot, Covenant, Shiloh and Elvi. These wineries have received the distinction of “Winery of the Year” for producing
satisfying, high-quality products the kosher-wine consumer can reliably return to again and again. I was happy to relay the news of their success and asked each winemaker to share their unique vision for their winery and tell us which part of the winemaking process they enjoy most. We also had our judges and editor, Elizabeth Kratz, share their perspectives, weighing in on what makes these wineries stand out.
DALTON WINERY Alex Haruni, winemaker
Dalton Winery (Credit: David Silverman)
Guy Eshel, winemaker, Alex Haruni and his father, Mat Haruni. (Credit: David Silverman)
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“We are a modern and forward-thinking winery, bringing the wine-drinking public a range of consistent and excellent wines to suit all pockets. We are constantly striving to move forward and better ourselves, as I believe that if we are not moving forward, we will start falling backwards.” “I love our blending sessions with the winemakers. Three to four times a year we sit for a couple of days and make the blends for the coming year. It’s a time when I can sit without interruption, put all the day-to-day issues of the winery aside, and focus on taking stock of what the harvest has brought us and how to best use it. It’s a time for artistry and creativity.” “Dalton continues to provide a wide range of good-to-great wines at extremely accessible price ranges,” said Kratz. “Dalton’s ‘entry level’ estate line is better than many wineries’ highestend flagship products. I also loved their 2019 rosé; it was wonderfully aromatic and beautiful. Truly not to be missed.”
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Shivi Drori
Gva'ot Winery
GVA'OT WINERY Shivi Drori, winemaker
“Our winery is based on growing the best grapes possible, in one of the best terroirs in Israel. This involves a unique irrigation program which I developed, aiming to minimize irrigation (to some vineyards, no irrigation) as a way to enhance complexity and concentration of the wines. “Our precise winemaking process is aimed to reveal the potential of these great grapes and build finesse and elegance on one hand, and wineaging potential on the other.”
“I really like the first stage of alcoholic fermentation, when the hidden potential of the grapes is starting to show itself, and the sugar and primary aromas gradually make way for alcohol and more complex aromas. This is also the part where the right eye and hand can make the difference, and produce a great wine.” Daphna Roth and Greg Raykher, judging duo, had this to say about Gva'ot: “[Gva'ot is] a winery that never disappoints and is always on the cutting edge. Gva'ot’s winemaker,
Dr. Shivi Drori, is a professor at Ariel University. He conducted extensive research into ancient grape varieties, resulting in the first bottlings of bituni and jandali grapes in Israel. Gva'ot Gofna Pinot Noir is a standout, as is the top of the line Masada, but really, anything from Gva'ot is worth trying.” Kratz’s verdict: “I’m a huge fan of Gva'ot wines. Pop open any bottle of Gva'ot and you will have a transcendent experience. Superior blending, fruit-forward flavor and sustained finishes.”
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Shiloh Winery
SHILOH WINERY
Amichai Lourie, winemaker
“I think my main goal is to connect people to the land of Israel through Shiloh wines. That’s why when people compliment Shiloh wines or when I’m asked how it is that our wines are receiving gold medals and high scores, I give the credit to Eretz Israel.” Most enjoyable aspect of winemaking? “This question is easy to answer: My favorite part is working in the vineyards, and to be more specific, planting a new vineyard.” Raykher summed up Shiloh as “a really solid wine at every price point,
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with a particular QPR sweet spot at the Secret Reserve line. Amichai Lourie, the winemaker, is a great guy, and seems to be one of the hardest-working wine salespeople in Israel (at least based on the number of pre-Corona steak dinners he was hosting and pouring at all over the world). We hosted Amichai at our house for a tasting, and he could not have been more gracious and generous with his wine and his time. Really, all wines in the Shiloh portfolio are highly recommended, although we have a sweet spot for their merlots, which grow really well in the Shomron.” Kratz had only good things to say about Shiloh as well. “Amichai Lourie is the most intentional kosher winemaker in the industry. Everyone knows him, and everyone respects him. His wines are a celebration of the winemaking region and of the
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land of Israel. In every bottle he releases, he communicates immense potential, hope and a celebration of Israel’s unique Mediterranean terroir. That is what you buy when you purchase a bottle of Shiloh.”
IT’S A CONSENSUS:
90 points
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Covenant Winemakers Jonathan Hajdu and Jeff Morgan
Covenant California
COVENANT Jeff Morgan, founder
“As ‘founding winemaker,’ I have developed the winemaking techniques and protocols that we follow in both California and Israel. They include native yeast fermentations and minimal—if any—filtration or fining. I also lead the blending process for all our wines. The goal is to maintain stylistic integrity and continuity for the brand based on my palate and preferences.”
Jonathan Hajdu, winemaker
“Covenant’s vision, for me, has always been quality-focused, small-
lot winemaking, creating wines that enhance people’s everyday meals and special moments. “My favorite part of the winemaking season is tasting the wines about a month after harvest. Very often this is the moment when the character of a wine is revealed; it’s a moment of discovery.” “Covenant has rightly earned its ‘cult status’ in kosher winemaking,” said Kratz. “It gives me great personal pride that Covenant’s Sonoma wines are on the menu at high-end non-kosher eateries like The French Laundry. Jeff Morgan
Covenant Israel Winemakers Jeff Morgan and Ari Erle
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Jeff and Jodie Morgan at Covenant Winery, Berkeley
is a living legend. He and Jonathan Hajdu, a true industry star, are ambassadors of kosher wine, and they are bringing the entire industry along with them. I am proud to have Covenant wines in my cellar as well, as I know they are good investments that will only improve with time.” Judge Jeff Katz shared what he loves about Covenant. “Highlights from Covenant include the bright, crisp and deep Chardonnay Lavan, the blackberry and subtly spiced Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon and the co-fermented merlot and zinfandel heavy Tribe Proprietary Red. Each varietal evokes a different and uniquely pleasurable experience, which may be due to the unique fermenting, pressing and aging processes each wine goes through. Covenant has a wine for everyone, at every price point.”
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IMPORTED BY
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Elvi Clos Mesorah grapes
Elvi Winery
ELVI WINERY Ana Aléta, winemaker
“Immersed in the Mediterranean, the expression of the terroir is our main goal, leaning on the years of experiences, that year after year we can take from the field. Without a doubt one of our main objectives is preserving the ecosystem while trying to take the best of what nature has given us to make the best wine possible, with the unique expression of the land we are in. Small productions, handmade care of the vines, separated vinification, not accelerating any process, all in its precise moment. At Elvi Wines we make wines so that anyone can enjoy and try and find the correct wine for each occasion.” Her favorite part of the winemaking process? “Definitively it would be the moment of opening a bottle to decide if it’s ready to be
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Owners Ana Aléta and Moises Cohen
released to the market. The moment when all the work from the last months or years comes down to the bottle. The memories come back; the nuances of the vintage takes you to what the wine will be like in the following months and years; new challenges. It’s a constant dialogue between the present and the past, between knowledge and intuition.” Judges Roth and Raykher's take on Elvi: “This is the first Jewish-owned winery in Spain since 1492. Amazing people, a great family. Dr. Moises Cohen is in charge of the vineyards and distribution and his wife Anna is the winemaker. Their son David works with his father and their daughter helps out and is expected to become a winemaker, too. The Herenza line covers different price points within Rioja, from an entry level to Crianza to Reserva. The Clos Mesora is a topof-the-line estate wine produced high in the mountains in Monsant (a really special place to visit, about an hour
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and a half from Barcelona). Just the nicest people, making history as well as great wine. Judge Yeruchum Rosenberg had this to say about Elvi: “The Cohen family puts such effort and care into every aspect of their winemaking— from the soil to what grows around it. Moises really understands the science behind the process. They produce a wide range of wines, and the disparity in price has no effect on the quality of the wine.” Kratz shared the tasters’ enthusiasm: “I greatly enjoyed meeting and tasting wine with David Cohen Aléta [Anna’s son] last year, shortly before the COVID lockdown,” she said. “The Herenza wines are excellent, so floral and complex, and even the entry-level wines (the Vina Encina line) are great table wines and extremely well-priced.” Judge Jeff Katz agreed with his colleagues: “Whether enjoying the Clos Mesorah, the Herenza Crianza, the Vina Encina Tempranillo or any of the 13 wines produced by Elvi Wines, I am transported to one of six provinces in which Elvi’s grapes in Spain are grown. Each varietal is both fruit forward and highlights the terroir from which its grapes were sourced. It is worth taking your senses on a trip to Spain.”
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THE GREAT BRUTS The 10 best dry kosher sparklers, plus five budget wines affordable for any occasion By Gamliel Kronemer
D
uring the past few years one of the major news stories—and one that will have long repercussions—has been Brexit, the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, which was completed at the end of last year. Brexit has brought to light a number of lingering conflicts between Britain and its neighbors, and while many of these conflicts will likely be ameliorated in the years to come, one of the oldest of conflicts is likely to linger: the disagreement between the French and British over how to best enjoy that great sparkling wine from the north of France, Champagne. The French like their Champagne young and fresh, whereas the British prefer to drink it old. The French believe that Champagne is a truly versatile wine that can be a great accompaniment to virtually any dish, whereas the Brits generally think that Champagne is best when served without any food. Finally, the French like to drink Champagne morning, noon and night, as often as they can afford it, whereas the British prefer to save Champagne for special occasions, or as English novelist Evelyn Waugh once advocated, Champagne “is a wine for (frequent) occasional use.” The one point both the British and French do agree on is that Champagne is a truly splendid wine. They are right. Champagne is made from a blend of two
black grapes, pinot noir and pinot meunier; and one white grape, chardonnay. After fermenting separately, wines from the different varietals—and often from different vintages—are blended together and bottled with additional yeast. Thereafter they are aged in their bottles for at least 15 months before the lees (sediment formed during fermentation and aging) are removed, a little additional wine and sugar (known as the dosage) are added, and a final cork is put in each bottle. This Champagne formula has been copied frequently, and as a result, good, or even great, Champagnelike wines are now available from all over the world. Fortunately, this is also true in the kosher wine world. Several good or great kosher sparkling wines are now available, including an increasing number from some of France’s world-famous Champagne houses. So when The Jewish Link asked me to come up with a type of wine to review for their inaugural Wine Guide, I asked if I could do a review of kosher bruts. Brut is the term that the French use to describe dry sparkling wine. (While sweet sparkling wines can be very enjoyable, comparing them to their dry cousins is like comparing apples to oranges.) Over a period of a few days, in a series of blind tastings, I evaluated several, all of which were quaffable. Several were good, and a few achieved true excellence.
THE TOP 10: 1. Laurent-Perrier, La Cuvée Brut, Champagne, NV [Kosher Edition]: Consistently one of the best kosher Champagnes on the market (I first reviewed it in 2005 and have tasted it several times since), this rich, straw-colored, chardonnay-driven champagne is crisp, dry and ever-so-enjoyable. Look for a nose of apples, quince, Meyer lemons and wildflowers, with a light whiff of cinnamon, all playing against a yeasty, creamy background. The flavor has elements of lemons, apples, quince, Seville oranges and cream, with wet gravel showing towards the back of the palate. Well structured with bracing acidity that cuts through the rich creaminess, this is a truly delightful wine. Score: A. $75.
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2. Drappier, Brut Nature, Champagne, NV [Kosher Edition]: Made from 100% pinot noir, this dry, dark-straw-colored, medium-to-full bodied blanc de noirs has a thick, almost beer-like mousse of large active bubbles. Bone dry, this wine was made without the typical dosage of sugar added after the disgorgement. The complex nose has a strong limestone element, with whiffs of apricots, apples, Chinese winter melon, bitter orange, honeydew, heather and yeasty bread. The rich flavor moves from Seville oranges at the front of the palate, to apples and melon mid-palate, to a mineral and creamlike finish. While a truly delightful Champagne, the lack of dosage reduces the wine’s cellaring potential. Best consumed within six to nine months of purchase. Score: A. $50.
3. Laurent-Perrier, Cuvée Rosé, Champagne, NV [Kosher Edition]: While there are now a growing number of kosher rosé Champagnes on the market, Laurent-Perrier’s was the first available in the U.S.—I remember first tasting it in, I believe, 1999—and it has consistently been the best rosé in my tastings. Made from 100% pinot noir, which is macerated with the skins for two to three days, this full-bodied, dark peach to rose-colored wine has flavors and aromas of peaches, kumquats, strawberries, raspberries, violets and honeysuckle, all played out against a rich layer of cream. This was the creamiest wine in the tastings. Score: A. $140.
4. Barons de Rothschild, Rosé, Champagne, NV [Kosher Edition]: In 2007 the two branches of the Rothschild family, famous for their Bordeauxs, launched their own Champagne house, and have been producing kosher wines almost since their initial release. Their rosé, a blend of 85% chardonnay and 15% pinot noir, has a bouquet of grapefruit, apples and yeasty beignets, with whiffs of mango and vanilla. Look for flavors of strawberries, quince and Meyer lemons at the front of the palate, moving to cantaloupe mid-palate, and that yeasty beignet flavor running throughout. If the Laurent-Perrier rosé is all about richness and cream, this Rothschild rosé in comparison is all about crispness and restraint. Score: A. $115.
5. Drappier, Rosé de Saignée, Brut, Champagne NV [Kosher Edition]: While most Champagne houses make their rosés by blending a red wine with a white (e.g., Barons de Rothschild), a handful of houses (e.g., Laurent-Perrier and Drappier) make their rosés by macerating the grape skins with the wine. This is known as the saignée (bleeding) technique. Made from 100% pinot noir, macerated with the skins for two days, this wine has a dark-peach color and an abundance of tiny, active bubbles. The nose is an intriguing combination of strawberry jam and forest floor, with notes of citrus and cream. Look for flavors of strawberries, peaches, lemons and yeast, with an earthy and minerally background, and a creamy finish. Score: A/A-. $60.
6. Hagafen Cellars, Brut Rosé, Napa Valley, 2017: This is the only nonChampagne to rank among the Champagnes in the tasting. A blend of 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay, this medium-bodied, darkpeach colored wine has floral, earthy flavors and aromas with elements of raspberries, sweet citrus, smoke and yeast. Well structured, with a light mineral undertone, this vintage should be able to be cellared for at least five years. Score: A/A-. $48.
7. Drappier, Carte d’Or, Brut, Champagne NV [Kosher Edition]: The classic expression of the house of Drappier—the 91-year-old owner of the house says that he has drunk it every day since 1952—is a blend of 80% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay and 5% pinot meunier. Dark straw in color, with a medium body, this wine has a bouquet of orange blossom, honey, tangerines and apples. Look for flavors of peaches and citrus, with notes of heather honey, Chinese winter melons, yeasty bread and wet limestone. Score A-. $50. MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781 • JLINK WINE GUIDE
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8. Barons de Rothschild, Brut, Champagne, NV [Kosher Edition]: A blend of 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir, this medium-bodied, straw-colored wine has an active mousse of tiny bubbles. The woodsy nose has elements of bramble, pears, quince and roasted nuts. Look for flavors of pears, apples and quince, with a nice level of acid, and a just-light hint of cream on the finish. More restrained in style than the other Champagnes I tasted, this wine is lacking the mineral quality that I have always considered the mark of a great Champagne. Score A-/B+. $115.
9. Hagafen Cellars, Cuvée Brut, Napa Valley, 2017: This blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay has a light peach color that most would classify as a rosé. “We did not do such a good job of controlling color this vintage,” admitted winemaker Ernie Weir, but however you want to classify it, this is a very enjoyable wine. Look for flavors and aromas of strawberries, orange blossoms, cantaloupe and citrus zest all playing together nicely on a background of yeasty bread. Drink within the next four years. Score: A-/B+. $55.
10. Covenant, Blanc de Blancs, California, 2020: Technically speaking, this bright straw-colored wine is a carbonated wine, not a sparkling wine. (The wine was born when Covenant’s former cellar master decided to see what would happen when he put some of the winery’s Tribe Chardonnay into a SodaStream.) Look for flavors and aromas of apples, lemon, mango, key limes and honey. Very enjoyable, with a bracing acidity, but completely lacking the creamy yeastiness of a Champagne-method sparkling wine. Score B+. $38.
Sometimes there are occasions that call for sparkling wine, even if the pocketbook does not. So with that thought in mind, here are five good sparkling wines for $20 or less: 1. Koenig, Crémant d’Alsace Brut, Alsace, NV: This light straw-colored sparkler has a light to medium body and a rich mousse of large bubbles. Look for flavors and aromas of apples, peaches, honeydew and citrus, with a lightly creamy background. Score: B+. $20. 2. Freixenet, Excelencia, Brut, Cava, NV [Kosher Edition]: This dark straw-colored Spanish sparkler has a rich mousse of large bubbles and a bouquet of peaches, apricots and lychees with a pleasant hint of oiled leather. Look for flavors of peaches, apricots and cantaloupe, with a yeasty overtone and notes of lemon and cream on the finish. Score: B+. $18. 3. Gilgal, Brut, Golan Heights, NV: Made from equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir, this light straw-colored, light- to medium-bodied wine has a bouquet of apples, oranges and baking bread. The flavor is dominated by apples and buttery croissants, with a hint of Seville orange zest towards the back of the palate. Score: B+. $19. 4. Contessa Annalisa, Prosecco, NV: This very easy-to-drink Italian sparkler has a light to medium body, a light straw color and an abundance of bubbles both large and small. Look for flavors and aromas of lemons, apples and honey, with just a whiff of lime zest. Score: B. $15. 5. De La Rosa 613, Yayin Regal, Dry Sparkling Muscat, Austria, NV: While I really tried to restrict my tastings to dry wines, this enjoyable Austrian wine—I’d class it as a semi-dry—snuck into my tastings. Bright straw-colored and light-bodied, this wine has flavors and aromas just redolent of juicy lychees and honeysuckle, and is endowed with enough acid to give the wine structure. Score: B. $20. Oh, and as for that age-old disagreement between the French and the British: Well, as the French would say, “Vive la différence!”
PLEASE NOTE:
Wines are scored on an ‘A’-‘F’ scale where ‘A’ is excellent, ‘B’ is good, ‘C’ is flawed, ‘D’ is very flawed, and ‘F’ is undrinkable. Prices listed reflect the prices in the New York/New Jersey region.
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Israeli Tradition.French Class.
Made of Sde Calev Vineyard's choice grapes, Ya'ar Levanon epitomises the restoration of an ancient winemaking heritage, blended with the finest French winemaking tradition. Ramat Hevron, the historic wine-growing region dotted with wine presses dating back to the Temple days, once again produces wines fit for a King. Savor them!
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RANKINGS
‘STICKY’ SWEETS FOR THE SWEET A top 10 list of kosher dessert wines
O
By Joshua E. London
ne of life’s indispensable staples—along with a wide variety of red and white table wines and, of course, sparkling wines—are quality sweet wines. While typically referred to as “dessert” wines (or as “stickies” by wine aficionados, and often served with, or even as, the dessert course), sweet wines need not be the final wine of a meal or social engagement. Indeed, pairing such wines with sweet foods, or reserving them for the end of the meal, is more of a fashionable guideline than a firm rule. Also note that while kiddush or sacramental wines are still a popular, if highly particularistic, type of sweet wine, it is a rather simple, limited style. In fact, the quality sweet wine category in the kosher market is vibrant, offering consumers many fabulous choices. A quality-focused sweet wine is, simply put, a table wine that has been purposefully produced with noticeable amounts of unfermented (or residual, in wine-speak) sugar so that some level of sweetness can be tasted on the palate. The term “sweet” is inexact, but generally a wine tastes sweet due to the levels of residual sugar it contains. The actual impact or perception of this residual sugar on one’s palate is largely understood to be significantly influenced by such factors as serving temperature
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and the relative levels of acidity, tannins and carbon dioxide in the wine. Alcohol, glycerol and high levels of pectins can also present as a noticeably sweet taste. There are all sorts of methods for producing sweet wine. At the simplest, and typically inexpensive end of the quality scale, wine producers can simply add sugar or concentrated grape juice to wine that has been stripped of any ability to evolve or re-ferment. Another approach, common with port-style wines, is to add distilled alcohol to sweet fermenting grape juice to halt fermentation in its tracks; the added alcohol effectively fortifies the wine against further fermentation. Yet another method is to stop fermentation by stunning the yeast
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with sulfur dioxide or by chilling before all the natural, or added, sugar has been consumed. Even before focusing on the juice or wine, there are also methods that can be directed upon the grapes themselves, either while still on the vine or before the juice has been pressed from the berries. Grapes can, for example, simply be harvested later; that is, left longer on the vine than would be necessary to produce dry wine. This additional growing period allows the grape’s berries to ripen further and grow naturally richer, promoting higher levels of sugar, allowing for higher natural residual sugar post-fermentation. Grapes can also be deliberately left well past normal ripening on the vine to desiccate and shrivel into super-sweet raisins, which can then be vinified into sweet wine. An alternative version of this dried-grape approach entails purposefully drying the grapes after they’ve been harvested but before they’ve been vinified. Alternatively, in suitably cold climates the grapes can be left so long on the vine that they naturally freeze, thereby concentrating the juice without the raisining (drying grapes naturally in the air) experience—as in ice wine, or Eiswein. Such freezing can also be done artificially, if desired. Far riskier, however, is the practice—a very traditional approach in some wine regions—of waiting
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in hopes of the development and proliferation of Botrytis cinerea. This is a common necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen that, under the right conditions, can lead to a beneficial type of rot. It is known widely as “noble rot,” as opposed to the far more commonly induced gray rot. This noble rot breaks the skin of the grapes, shrivels the berries, concentrates the sugars, and enhances and partially transforms the flavors of the affected grapes. An inherently risky, laborintensive—and thus expensive— approach, this harnessing of the capricious Botrytis is central to the production of such premium sweet wines as the best Sauternes from France, the top beerenauslesen and trockenbeerenauslesen of Germany and Austria, and the best Tokaji of Hungary. Though uncommon, under laboratory-like control conditions, the proliferation of Botrytis can also be artificially induced for this effect; Israel’s Golan Heights Winery has very successfully used this method in the past. Whatever methods are employed in their production, the overall success of a sweet wine hinges on the crucial dynamic of achieving a level of balance between the perceived sweetness and the natural acidity. The higher the level of unfermented
or residual sugar, the greater the need for counterbalancing acidity to prevent the wine from tasting cloyingly sweet, like syrup. Acidity is, thus, one of the key factors in making a sweet wine enjoyable to consume. Happily, there are many wonderful kosher quality sweet wines readily available, ranging from very sweet indeed to just sweet enough to be deemed more sweet than dry. I’ve chosen not to consider kiddush-style wines. As muchloved as these are for many folks, they are not meant as table wines per se. While I would be remiss not to mention the various moscato wines on the market, I’ve consciously chosen not to include them in this lineup. While the many moscatos out there are not exactly interchangeable, these all tend to be of a piece. Suffice it to note that Bartenura Moscato, aka the “blue bottle,” remains the market leader and is always reliably
good fun (mevushal: $12); and is even now available in a can. (A 4-pack is $15.) For a change of pace, consider the entertaining and tasty Contessa Annalisa, Moscato Gold (mevushal: $12). This Italian Moscato is sweet, effervescent and refreshing, with clean floral, citrus and ripe-fruit notes. I greatly enjoy Moscato, but think of them more as the wineequivalent of soda, and often quaff them in a tumbler over ice. To come up with a serviceable top 10 list, I’ve opted to aim for a balance of variety, value and ease of availability without sacrificing quality. Suffice it to say, there are many more top-quality kosher sweet wines than just the following 10, and I could easily fill the list with just the Sauternes and late-harvest wines available in the kosher market, or with the ever growing variety of Port-style wines, but that would be a disservice. Think of the following list, instead, as my personal top 10 list—aimed at easing exploration into the world of quality kosher sweet wine. (The wines are listed in order of price, from low to high, and all prices quoted are suggested retail pricing; actual prices at time of purchase may differ; all wines are widely available, unless noted otherwise.)
Without further ado, here are my top 10 kosher sweet wines for Passover 2021: 1. Binah, Celeste, Aromatic White Wine, Pennsylvania, 2019 ($18-20; available directly from the winery at binahwinery.com, or from kosherwine.com): A wonderfully pleasing, distinctly perfumed, beautifully balanced, semisweet blend of the French-American hybrid grape varieties Cayuga White (46%), Vidal Blanc (47%), and the distinctly aromatic Traminette (7%), all grown in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Vaguely Germanic in style, with fresh citrus and stone fruit notes, peach, pear, lime, with floral and spice accents. Distinctive and delicious.
2. Herzog, Late Harvest, Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg, California, 2018 (mevushal: $20): A vibrant, luscious, aromatic, fruity yet serious sweet wine; offers delicious notes of pear, honey, peach, apricot, mandarin oranges, mango, custard and a smidgen of candied ginger.
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3. Covenant Wines, Late Harvest Botrytis Chardonnay, Sonoma Mountain, 2016 ($30 for 375ml; the 2018 has been released, but the 2016 is more widely available in wine stores): This delicious, elegant, balanced nectar offers simply beautiful botrytized notes of stone fruits, citrus, green apple, dried apricots, salted caramel, honey and honeysuckle. Stunning.
4. Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Heights Wine, 2017 ($34 for 375ml): Made from gewürztraminer grapes that have been artificially frozen in the winery after harvest, rather than naturally frozen on the vine; this is nonetheless delicious, rich and aromatic with notes of lychee, apricot, peach, citrus and spice, with great balancing acidity and a rewarding, complex finish. Very yummy.
5. Hagafen, Late Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, 2009 (mevushal: $36 for 375ml): Still vivacious and utterly delightful with notes of honey, orange marmalade, caramelized almonds, mango, dried apricots, candied ginger and citrus, with a long and rich finish. Beautiful, balanced, and delicious!
6. Tzafona Cellars, Cold Climate, Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine, Niagara Peninsula VQA (Canada), 2016 ($40 for 375ml): Pleasingly luscious, with aromas of ripe berries and cherries, and flavors of mildly stewed sweet strawberries, jammy cherries, and blackcurrant. Rich, sweet and yummy.
7. Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, T2, 2016 ($40): This Eastern Mediterranean take on the more traditional Portuguese Port-style wine is still my favorite of the various Israeli attempts at Port-like wine. A sweet fortified blend of Tinta Cão (54%) and Touriga Nacional (46%), offering notes of cherry, cranberry, black cherry, blueberry, caramel, subtle chocolate and a little spice; shows a little heat on the finish, but still delicious and very satisfying.
9. Yaacov Oryah, The Old Musketeer, Muscat of Alexandria and Chardonnay, 2008, 8 Years ($119.99 for 500ml; available exclusively from liquidkosher. com): Delicious as ever! A lively and aromatic nose and a full, rich, sweet and thick palate. Showcasing floral, honeysuckle, crème brûlée and toasted hazelnut aromas, with additional complex flavors of tropical fruits, warm spices and candied citrus. Lush and intensely sweet, but not cloying. Very, very yummy.
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8. Dalton Winery, Anna, Dessert Wine, Traditional Solera Method (non-vintage, mevushal: $45): A gradual or fractional blend of multiple vintages of barrel-aged fortified, late-harvested Muscat of Alexandria wines, this is delicious, floral, and immensely appealing with delicate, sweet notes of honeycomb, stone fruits, dried apricots, slightly sour cherries, honeysuckle and citrus zest, all with a long, rich, and full finish. Absorbing.
10. Château de Rayne-Vigneau, 1st Grand Cru Classé, Sauternes, 2014 (kosher edition; $150; there are several other kosher Sauternes on the market, all of them utterly delicious and deserving of “top” status—especially the Château Guiraud; I opted for one that is reasonably widely available and also especially delicious right now): This is outstanding. A most harmonious blend of Sémillon (80%) and Sauvignon Blanc (20%); creamy, yet relatively light on the palate, and beautifully fresh, with pure notes of honeysuckle, lemon, pineapple, pear, roasted almonds, and an array of spices, candied fruits, and with plenty of Botrytis character. Dangerously delicious now, but will dramatically reward further cellaring, under suitable conditions, over the next 15 years or so.
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TOP 25 REDS $50 and Over
INAUGURAL EDITION
1 2 3
Château Cantenac Brown
Château Cantenac Brown
2018
Psagot
Peak
2017
Château Fontenil
4
Covenant Israel
5
Château Fayat
6 7 8 9 10
Château Clark Château Hauteville
Château Fayat
2015
Château Hauteville
2016
Château Clark
Bro Deux
2017
Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard
2014
Yarden Merlot Odem
2014
13
Shiloh
Golan Heights Winery Tabor Winery
16
Flam
17
Delta
18
Covenant Israel
20
Tabernacle
Jezreel Valley
21
Barkan
22
Tabernacle
23
Razi'el
24
Mony
Gush Etzion
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Malkiya (single vineyard)
2016
Gofna Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2017
Mosaic
2017
Limited Edition 1/11,000
2016
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2018
Syrah
2016
Omega Fusion
2018
Argaman
2016
Betzalel Cabernet Sauvignon
3
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5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2017
Superieur Cabernet Sauvignon
2017
Razi’el Syrah-Carignan
2018
Blessed Valley
2017
Ketoret Blend
2017
Via
2017
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2
2018
Shirah
Tabor Winery
Psagot
25
2018
2016
12
19
Cabernet Sauvignon
Yarden Syrah Bar’On Vineyard
Gva'ot
15
2018
Golan Heights Winery
11
14
Château Fontenil
1
TOP 25 REDS $25-$50
INAUGURAL EDITION
1
Gush Etzion
2 3
Galil Mountain Winery Dalton
4 5 6 7
Gva'ot Engel Château Bruni La Forêt Blanche
8
Tura
9
Twin Suns
10
Shiloh
11
Château Royaumont Shiloh
12 13 14 15
Drimia Adir Kerem Ben Zimra Elvi
16
Gush Etzion
17 18
Or Haganuz Herzog Wine Cellars
19 20 21 22 23
Tabernacle Dalton Covenant Israel Château Lamothe-Cissac Tabernacle
24
Shiloh
25
Covenant Landsman
Lone Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Château Bruni D’vir Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Heights Cabernet Sauvignon Twin Suns Special Edition Napa Cab Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Les Roches de Yon-Figeac Secret Reserve Petit Verdot Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon
2017
Herenza Rioja Crianza Lone Oak Cabernet Franc Marom Blend Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County Reserve Levite Blend Reserve Shiraz Blue C Adom Haut-Médoc
2017
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Shor Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah
2017
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2017 2017 2017 2017 2016 2017 2017 2018 2017 2016 2017 2017 2017
2017 2018 2017 2017 2017 2017 2016
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TOP 25 REDS Under $25
INAUGURAL EDITION
1
Dalton
2 3
La Forêt Blanche Vignobles David Le Mourre de Isle Dalton Carmel
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Alma Crimson BDX Blend Talpiot Côtes du Rhône
Afsufa Levantina Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon Barkan Gold Edition Cabernet Sauvignon Carmel Appellation Merlot Carmel Selected Mediteranean Style Blend Hayotzer Genesis Shiraz Tishbi Vineyards Petit Verdot Abarbanel Special Reserve Rouge Tabor Winery Adama Cabernet Sauvignon Château Bellerives Château Bellerives Dubois Dubois Ephod Regesh Cabernet Sauvignon Delta Eta Blend Ella Valley Ella Borgo Reale Chianti Riserva Segal Whole Cluster Syrah Barkan Classic Petite Syrah Ella Valley EverRed Carmel Private Collection Winemakers Blend Cabernet/Merlot Dalton Alma Scarlet GSM Blend Château Le Petit Château Le Petit Chaban Chaban Or Haganuz Amuka Cabernet Sauvignon Château Josephine Cabernet Sauvignon
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2017
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2017 2016 2018 2017 2017 2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2016 2018 2017 2019 2018 2016 2018 2018 2017 2019 2017 2018 2019 2018
TOP 25 WHITES
INAUGURAL EDITION
1
Covenant
2 3 4
Engel Domaine Jean-Pierre Bailly Carmel
5
Shiloh
6 7 8 9 10
Covenant Israel Binah Avi Feldstein Pacifica Teperberg
11
Abarbanel
12
Matar
13
17
Tishbi Estate Koenig Tzafona Cantina Giuliano Dalton Reserve
18
Or Haganuz
19
Ramon Cardova Yarden Gush Etzion Lueria Herzog Wine Cellars
14 15 16
20 21 22 23 24
Segal
25
Bat Shlomo
Chardonnay Lavan Chardonnay Pouilly Fumé
2018
Kayoumi Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Blue C Viognier
2017
Stella White Blend Riesling Vision Dry White Unoaked Chardonnay Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay
2019 2017 2018 2019
Pinot Blanc Riesling Vermentino
2018 2017 2019
Sauvignon Blanc Amuka Blanc Albariño
2018
Chardonnay Gewurztraminer Roussanne Special Reserve Chardonnay Russian River Wild Fermentation Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc
2018 2019 2019 2018
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2018 2018
2019 2019
2019 2019 2019
2019 2018
2019 2019 MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781 • JLINK WINE GUIDE
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FEATURE
LET’S POP OPEN SOME BUBBLY
Understanding and appreciating kosher Champagne and sparkling wines By Yossie Horwitz
I
write this in the throes of winter, and I find nothing cheers me up more than a crisp glass of bubbly. With all that is going on in the world around us, I doubt anyone is going to find good cheer and celebratory vibes unwelcome, so the topic of sparkling wine (with Champagne at its core) seems particularly appropriate. Crisply refreshing and owning a near-perfect pairing ability with a vast quantity of foods, this genre of wine has been pigeonholed as a celebratory beverage and continues to fall short of gaining any real traction among the mainstream kosher-drinking crowd. Centuries of celebrity quotes trumpeti Champagne as a wine to be consumed early and often including from Winston Churchill (“Champagne is the wine
A Brut Rosé is served at the February 2020 Herzog-Rothschild 30th Anniversary dinner. (Tzvi Cohen/Royal Wines)
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of civilization and the oil of government”), F. Scott Fitzgerald (“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right”) and Napoleon Bonaparte (“I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself ”; a quote plagiarized and bastardized by Churchill himself into “In victory we deserve it, in defeat we need it”). How could these passionate advocates not have not succeeded in convincing the wine-guzzling masses to incorporate it into their regular repertoire? If they don’t, I hope my own view convinces at least some of you to reach for sparkling wine the next time you are looking for a refreshing and versatile wine. While the British actually “invented” sparkling wine in the 17th century, they failed to make it their own, partly as a result of their inability to grow quality grapes during their inferior dark and dreary English summers. It wasn’t until 30 odd-years later that Champagne was born, after a French monk named Dom Pérignon fiddled with the process and helped create the luxurious wine by refining a number of the processes. (While an avid winemaker and oenophile, he wasn’t actually the “inventor” of Champagne, per se.) Despite prevalent usage around the globe as a descriptor for any wine with bubbles, legally Champagne may only refer to sparkling wine grown in the chalky soil of France’s cool-climate Champagne Appellation D’origine Contrôlée (AOC), which yields grapes with considerable acidity contributing to Champagne’s food compatibility. In order to be labeled as Champagne, the wine must also be produced in accordance with a stringent set of rules comprising the traditional méthode
champenoise (the traditional method of making Champagne described below). Located approximately 90 miles east of Paris, the region covers approximately 84,000 acres of prime wine-growing soil spread among 319 villages (referred to as Crus). Approximately 90% of this land is owned and farmed by nearly 15,000 independent growers with the remainder owned by the approximately 110 Champagne “Houses” and collectively yielding over 300 million bottles of Champagne a year. While the tradition of independent growers selling their crop to the houses continues for the most part, recent years have seen a proliferation of growers producing and retaining all or part of their crop to produce, bottle and market Champagne under their own names with nearly 5,000 growers trying their hands these days at this process. These wines are commonly referred to as grower Champagne and are prized for their quality and uniqueness among oenophiles around the world. Unfortunately there are no kosher grower Champagne wines available today (and given the methodology of producing kosher French wine, I doubt there is any such grower Champagne in our near future either). While there are a number of methodologies for creating sparkling wines, méthode champenoise is generally deemed the best, with many famed winegrowing regions around the world producing wines in this method including Spain (Cava), Italy (spumante or prosecco (depending on the region it is from), and South Africa (Cap Classique). That said, there are numerous excellent options for the discerning customer, spread across the entire range of geography, price and methodologies. The kosher wine market is still playing catch up with the general marketplace, although California is making some nice versions. Hagafen is a long(er)-time player in the market and Covenant recently released a sparkling wine of their own. That said, some of the best kosher sparkling wine available comes from Israel. The Golan Heights Winery has been the market leader in this regard for over a decade, with their Blanc de Blancs under the Yarden leader often ranking as one of my top five kosher sparklers every year, accompanied by the none-too-shabby Brut Rosé and the insanely well-priced Gamla (Gilgal in the U.S.) Brut comprising the best slate of kosher sparkling wines around. Other high-end players are entering the market, with Matar releasing a new sparkling wine (which I haven’t tasted yet) and Castel having three different versions in the works (all tasted last year, but it will be a while before they are ready for market).
weeklyonnewsletter on kosher wine, A weeklyA newsletter kosher wine, wineries and other wine tidbits wineries and other wine tidbits
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MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781 • JLINK WINE GUIDE
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FEATURE
SPECIAL WINES for Your Pesach Table By Elizabeth Kratz
K
osher wine’s biggest nights of the year are fast approaching. Yes, Pesach seders are the nights to open really good, really big, really easy-drinking, or really special kosher wines. While many might choose simpler wines that go down easy; for me, selecting a different wine for each kos is always a joy. Plus, I always
Sentieri Ebraici Greco di Tufo DOCG by Claudio Quarta 2018
This is the only kosher Greco di Tufo currently on the market, and at $29, it’s a good price for a unique and extremely pleasing wine. One caveat: This wine should not be served right out of the fridge. It must be brought closer to room temperature, to at least 50 degrees, for the flavors to fully shine. The wine is full-bodied, complex and rich, with strong notes of nectarine and lemon, with a distinctive mineral character at the finish. This straw-colored white wine is so lovely, fresh and vital. Enjoy this wine for the Pesach meal first course of salads or fish.
Tabor Tannat Single Vineyard 2016 (vegan)
I am a fan of Tabor wines, generally. They don’t compromise quality or flavor with their vision for creating ecologically sustainable and vegan wines. The Malkiya Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my favorites. The Tabor Single Vineyard Tannat ($36), however, is a horse of a different color. Their tannat vineyard site, planted in 2009, is the first tannat ever planted in Israel. The vineyard has a rich basalt soil, and the vines are planted on a southern slope where they receive sunlight most of the day. These conditions are particularly well-suited for a bold, rich and fruity wine. The 2016 Tabor is full-bodied, with a beautiful balance of red fruits like strawberries, and oak, plus extremely pleasing notes of thyme and mint throughout. Serve this wine with a rich Pesach meal.
Shiloh Mosaic 2017
Shioh’s flagship wine is a magnificent Israeli blend that is truly worth the higher-end price of $150. Buy it as a gift or just open it on seder night. This blend of 45% merlot, 21% cabernet franc, 20% petit verdot and 14% cabernet sauvignon, was aged for 18 months in French oak. It is a tour de force that celebrates all that is great about Israeli wine. The rich notes of black fruit are immediate, with deep dark chocolate or coffee on the nose. It is a multilayered wine that provides a full experience from nose to its rich, sustained finish. Dig into this complex, chewy wine with the Pesach meal.
Ramon Cardova Garnacha 2015
In the space of a year, I went from being “not that excited” about Ramon Cardova’s Spanish wines, to panicbuying the Old Vines Reserva 2016, with everyone else I know, at Rosh Hashanah. Not only do I love the newly released 2015 Garnacha, but I also raved about their 2018 Albarino, a wonderful, snappy and fun white wine. The 2015 Garnacha is a vibrant, rich, fruit-forward, berried wine that has an astonishing brightness and easy drinkability. At $20, the price simply can’t be beat for the quality. Enjoy as a first or second kos.
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buy my Pesach wines with my summer selections in mind: Don’t forget that prices are always best in April and many limited editions or new releases are mostly gone by Shavuot. Here, I share some of the nicest bottles at every price point I’ve tried during our tasting process, that I personally will be sourcing for my Pesach table and beyond.
Dalton Galilo 2017
This is the second time I’ve tried the 2017 Dalton Galilo, and I generally think this is a wine that will impress others. At $65, it can be a special Pesach gift for someone who loves wine. Galilo is Dalton’s flagship wine, and this year it is a blend of 50% cabernet sauvignon from the Elkosh vineyard, 40% shiraz also from Elkosh, and 10% grenache noir from the Even Menachem vineyard. These varieties were fermented separately in individual barrels, and then blended together before resting for 20 months in oak barrels. On the nose, it veritably bursts with black fruit, cherry jam and cocoa. At the midpalate, one feels the warming effects of the oak on the grapes, with an essence of vanilla, followed by a sustained, silky finish. Open this wine a few hours ahead of time, and enjoy it with the Pesach meal.
MARCH 2021 / NISAN 5781
C O N S I S T E N T L Y AW E S O M E
IMPORTED BY
FEATURE
The Parade of the Rosés By Dr. Kenneth Friedman
I
t seems everywhere you look these days, the presence of pink wine is continually growing. Even during a global pandemic that has continued into 2021, sales of rosé have risen and the kosher market will see a greater quantity of rosé in Spring 2021. And for good reason: Rosé is generally affordable, easy to drink, and universally considered fruity and fun. Virtually every winemaker who makes kosher wine now produces a rosé, hailing from all parts of the world. How do you like your rosé? Pale, restrained and Provençal? Fruitforward and with more heft? Sweet? Bursting with bubbles? Rest assured, there’s a rosé being produced with you in mind. Even with the 25% U.S. tariff on French wines taking effect in 2019, French wine imports continue to rise to the United States. Its driver? Rosé. While millennials have not bought wine apace with older generations, they most certainly are responsible for the great boom in kosher rosé sales. Just a decade ago, many consumers—non-kosher and kosher alike—were unfamiliar with rosé, but with booming growth in all areas of kosher food and wine, it is only natural to expect a parallel phenomenon to occur with the rise of rosé. “The most noticeable trend of the past five years has been the ascent of rosé wines,” said Gabriel Geller,
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director of public relations and wide education for Royal Wine Corp. “The constant growth, both in sales and offerings, has shown that it is not a passing trend but a category that is here to stay.” Geller explained that this trend is good for the market, considering that “the context in which rosé wines are often consumed, typically on a weeknight, [as part of ] a simple dinner or as a refreshing and relaxing drink on Shabbat makes it the type of wine that helps to promote wine as a culture in our community, away from the sole obligations of kiddush and other religious ceremonies.” The kosher wine world will see well over 100 rosé offerings in 2021. “I don’t think we have reached a
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ceiling yet,” said Geller. The rosé category will not just be composed of entry-level easy-drinkers, but will include several higher-priced French offerings from Château Roubine, which produced three Cotes du Provence rosés last year, but will offer three or four more rosés this year. A particularly well-received rosé last year was that of Cantina Giuliano, one of only three allkosher wineries in Europe, located in the heart of Tuscany and imported to the United States by Allied Importers, Inc. Produced from 100% Sangiovese, the rosé was a huge hit, selling out quickly. “The right people, thank God, found my rosé good very early in the season,” owner and winemaker Eli Gauthier told me, “and everybody just kind of followed up on those opinions.” Gauthier produced 4,000 bottles of rosé last year, and plans to increase to 5,000 bottles this year. “Being a small winery, there’s a bit of mazal to things,” said Gauthier. “I don’t control everything perfectly every day, and wines have a way to just take a direction of their own sometimes.” As the growing rosé trend intersects with the equally prevalent trend towards all things kosher, wineries everywhere seek a toehold into this world. Importer and distributor The River Wine, managed by Ami and Larissa Nahari, produces the Contessa Annalisa Collection, which sources wines from Italian winemakers.
FEATURE
I asked winemaker Cristian Tombacco, producer of the 2020 Contessa Annalisa rosé, what he aims for when producing rosé for the American kosher market. “We understand the American palate is a bit different than the Italian,” said Tombacco. “The fruit needs to be more defined, with not as much acidity or tannin, with a smooth and enjoyable flavor. Specifically to this 2020 rosé, I think most people would enjoy it, and not just kosher drinkers.” What Tombacco said next shouldn’t
surprise wine aficionados: “I can tell you a secret. We used the leftover rosé to sell in the non-kosher market, and we received rave reviews. I am even a big consumer of the kosher rosé,” he said with a smile. The warming season will not only bring us a pink tidal wave, but will carry with it new and exciting features such as J. Folk’s rosé in a can (previewed below!) and all manners of pink bubbles including (yes!) rosé Prosécco. Considering my deadline on this piece fell just just prior to
2020 Contessa Annalisa Veneto IGT Rosé
2020 Flam Rosé
When I spoke to the winemaker, Cristian Tombacco, I was intrigued to learn this rosé was made from pinot grigio. In the glass, melon to coral pink color and clear. On the nose, fresh red fruits, strawberry and raspberry, lemon, grapefruit. On the palate, bright red ripe strawberry, stone fruits, with plenty of acid to keep it interesting. Long finish. Quite refreshing and enjoyable.
Well, this is a very enjoyable early entry into the 2020 “War of the Rosés.” The 2020 Flam is 71% syrah; 20% cab franc; 9% cab; and is a huge step back to excellent rosé for Flam. In the glass, pale pink and clear. On the nose, gobs of minerality, bright red fruit and wafts of salinity and ocean breeze. The palate shows pink grapefruit, tart red fruit, loads of salinity and minerality. There is a long, tart acidic finish. A winner for me.
the majority of the rosé releases for 2021, it should be noted that winners for me last year included the aforementioned Cantina Guiliano from Italy; Israeli offerings Carmel Appellation and Netofa LaTour; France’s Château Greysac and Château Roubine La Vie en Rose; and California’s Shirah, Twin Suns and Herzog Lineage. However, we were able to taste a few of the early entries to the market. So let’s preview one each from Italy, Israel and South Africa.
2020 J. Folk Rosé (in a can!) Certainly a cool and welcome addition to the kosher wine world is this portable, adorable can of rosé, hailing from South Africa. Bright pink and clear in the glass, with ripe raspberries and citrus notes on the nose. The palate shows ripe red fruits with enough acid to make it enjoyable.
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FEATURE
THE INNOVATOR:
Delta Winery’s Yehuda Kamisa By Shimon Oppenheim
F
or a relatively young boutique winery, Delta seems to be making all the right moves. One of the keys to its quick success is its veteran winemaker, Yehuda Kamisa. Breaking onto Israel’s wine scene in 2019 with two 2017-vintage red wines, three 2018-vintage whites, a rosé and a dessert wine, Delta Winery has expanded its latest offerings to six reds and five whites in addition to two rosés and a dessert wine. Named for the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet and hinting at the winery’s vision, Delta signifies change in scientific notation. Each of the winery’s products takes its name from another Greek letter. Boldly packaged in distinctive bottles with standout labels and unique boxes, these wines truly leave their biggest impression once tasted. The aromatic and crisp whites and fruit-forward and wellbalanced reds show the hand of a mature, well-practiced winemaker. Kamisa, resident of the religious communal village Or Haganuz, near Meron, is just 20 minutes south of Dalton, whose eponymous winery Kamisa helped found and continued to manage for over 10 years. At Delta, Kamisa is applying lessons learned from his experience on Mount Meron: insistence on high quality, bold packaging and unique offerings. Some examples are Free, a no-added sulfite wine, and a dessert wine with the tongue-incheek name, Pi. He even managed to produce Kal, a dry cabernet sauvignon with only 10% alcohol, a difficult task in Israel’s hot climate.
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Winemaker Yehuda Kamisa in the Delta vineyards.
His restless genius continues to innovate, introducing first-class white and rosé wines, including a blushed sauvignon blanc and a rosé fume, produced by aging the rosé for six months in French barrels. Situated in the Upper Galilee’s Dalton Industrial Park, most of Delta’s white and red grapes grow in the winery’s vineyard in Moshav Dalton. But Kamisa is also a big believer in integrating grapes from the Golan Heights and elsewhere in the Upper Galilee, which he sees as one viticultural region. “Golan Heights grapes give my wines their body, whereas the
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Galilee grapes give my wines their unique flavors,” Kamisa said. Producing 60,000 bottles in its first vintage and well on the way to its 120,000 bottle goal, the boutique winery has been interested in the export market, especially the United States, from day one. In order to provide for the top quality needed to launch in the high-end craft winery market, a large financial commitment was made toward implementing the most advanced vineyard management techniques, acquiring the latest winemaking equipment and utilizing the finest French wine barrels. “Our goal is to make super premium wines, wines with great aging potential,” Kamisa shared. “I am not interested in producing inferior wines for the mass market. We are keeping the winery’s production relatively small so that we can ensure our quality.” Sponsored Content Shimon Oppenheim represents Red Garden Imports. Delta is part of his portfolio.
The Herzog Winery’s bottling process
MEVUSHAL WINES, Boiled Down By Joshua E. London
T
he Hebrew term yayin mevushal, literally cooked wine, is the Jewish legal term for kosher wine and grape juice—and these are essentially interchangeable products in this context—that undergo a special thermal processing to a required temperature, specified by kosher food supervision agencies guided by halacha, or Jewish law. In the past, however, the word “mevushal” has had an association with substandard quality wine. “Mevushal wine has gotten a bad rap,” said Dovid Riven, president of Kosherwine.com, the largest kosher wine e-commerce retailer in the United States, “but there are some truly outstanding mevushal wines today.”
“When correctly done,” said Ernie Weir, owner and winemaker of the kosher Hagafen Cellars in Napa, California, “when done at the right stage of the wine’s development, using the right techniques, the mevushal process does not alter the wine at all.” Weir produced his first mevushal wine in 1985, and all Hagafen’s wines have been made mevushal since 1993. “When you know what you’re doing, and you’re doing it right,” added Weir, “the process doesn’t have any negative effect on the wine.” This “heating of wine,” explained Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, senior rabbinic coordinator and wine expert for the Orthodox Union, “is done to relax the handling restrictions
associated with kosher wine.” It basically helps protect and maintain the status of wine that is already kosher, or fit for Jewish religious life. For unlike most other areas of the kosher dietary code, the primary issue with wine is not the ingredients, but the labor involved in its production, and the handling of the wine once the bottle is opened. Kosher wine is essentially just wine made by Sabbath-observant Jews, but keeping it kosher requires strict controls—if the wine is also mevushal, however, many of these handling restrictions can be greatly relaxed. “In Jewish tradition wine is considered a holy beverage,” said Jeff Morgan, the vintner and co-owner of the kosher Covenant Winery, in
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FEATURE
Herzog winemaker Joe Hurliman inspecting grapes at harvest.
California and Israel, “but making it mevushal alters the wine’s spiritual essence” and “makes the wine less susceptible to ritual proscription” so “anyone—whether kosher or not— can open a bottle of mevushal wine without affecting its kosher status.” Further, as Morgan noted, “while mevushal does literally mean cooked or boiled, in reality, mevushal wines are not quite heated to a boiling temperature.” Indeed, contemporary kosher winemakers—being serious and technically proficient—have developed and adapted processes to render wines mevushal that greatly minimize, if not eliminate, potential adverse effects. One of the most widely used processes for thermally processing wines is known as flash pasteurization, in which the wine is passed through a heat exchanger that allows for rapid heating and cooling, so that the liquid is both brought to the required temp and then cooled “in a flash.” This speed
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minimizes any potential negative impact on the wine. “Good wine comes from good grapes,” said Amichai Lourie of the Israeli Shiloh Winery, pointedly refraining from emphasizing any negative phrasing, “a winemaker can mess it up, certainly, but starting with high quality grapes gets you more than halfway there—you can make good wines, you can make bad wines; similarly you can make good mevushal wines, or bad mevushal wines.” Some of Shiloh’s most critically and commercially successful wines are also made mevushal. “The process,” said Lourie, “is less significant than the ingredients.” Noting that his mevushal wines often show better in tastings and often get better ratings from critics than his non-mevushal wines, Lourie feels it “it is important to provide those who need mevushal wines with quality options—rather than garbage or uninspired plonk.”
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As a winemaker who caters to Jews around the globe, said Lourie, “it is important to keep in mind that outside of Israel, many people have a real need for mevushal wine. They should know that Shiloh Winery aims to provide the best mevushal wines we can.” “Mevushal winemaking is ultimately no more than an economic consideration,” added Morgan. Covenant has been producing four mevushal wines under their Mensch and Tribe labels since 2014. “Because of halachic requirements, proscriptions and interpretations,” said Morgan, “we kosher winemakers—particularly in America—are obliged to consider making mevushal wine in order to have our wines served in public settings, like at kosher restaurants and kosher catered events.” “In my experience,” added Lourie, “mevushal is like almost any other challenge that one chooses to undertake—if you are willing to commit to doing it well, to learn how to do it the best way you can, the results can be amazing!” “There were, and still are, a lot of naysayers to the mevushal process,” noted Weir, whose Hagafen wines have been routinely praised for their quality and sell well outside of the kosher market, “but I think pretty much that our track record and longevity has proven to people that this is a process that, when done correctly, does not harm the wine.” “Folks should stop beating up on mevushal wine,” said Riven, “for mediocre wine is mediocre, good wine is good, and great wine is great—the technical processes of how quality and standards are maintained is just not so compelling a conversation these days. The fact is, there are consistently great mevushal wines being made every year.”
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