Passover Wines

Kosher Needn’t Mean Sweet and Simple

Kosher wine has played a ceremonial role in Jewish culture for centuries, whether at the Friday night Sabbath service or on holidays such as Passover. With Passover nearly upon us (April 23 to May 1), this would seem a perfect opportunity to report on the improved quality of kosher wines available in our marketplace.

Passover is an eight-day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of enslaved Hebrews (Israelites) from Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramsey II. The oldest and most important festival in Judaism, Passover has evolved into a time of family gatherings and lavish meals called Seders at which stories of Moses and the Exodus are relived through the reading of the Haggadah.

Central to the seder proceedings is the matzo, an unleavened cracker-like bread memorializing the hasty departure from Egypt that left no time to allow yeasted bread to rise. The maror, bitter herbs, represent the bitterness of slavery. The maror traditionally accompanies charoses, a mixture of grated apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in construction ordered by the Pharaoh. Give this mélange a try—it goes well with horseradish.

Five glasses of wine are poured during a typical seder. Four glasses are consumed in blessings covering the four stages of the Exodus: freedom, deliverance, redemption and release. A fifth glass, the “Cup of Elijah,” is poured with the front door open to invite the prophet, who is supposed to appear to herald the Messiah. If you are going to be late to a Seder, this would be the most opportune time at which to arrive.

Though wine plays as integral a part in the Seder as the tradition-bound foods, specifics of its prescription are less exact. Indeed, since the festivities are oriented around children, simple grape juice is often used. Those who allow the underage to imbibe the fermented version often rely on lower-alcohol, sweetened renderings like Manischewitz. While they are uniformly cloying and one dimensional, there is purity to the full frontal fruit in Manischewitz’s manifestations: Concord grape, Cherry, Blackberry, Elderberry and Loganberry.

All wines served at the seder should be kosher, and many will be mevushal as well. Kosher is an ancient Hebrew work meaning “fit” or “proper.” To be certified kosher, a wine must be produced under strict rabbinical supervision, with all work, from grape growing to bottling, done by Sabbath-observing Jews.

A mevushal wine is one that can be handled by non-Jews and still remain kosher. To become mevushal a wine is rapidly heated to 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit)

by “flash pasteurization,” then instantly cooled to avoid harming the wine.

Some detractors profess that such “boiling” can negatively impact the quality of red wines and limit their aging potential. Recent research, however, suggests that the process might actually enhance the aromatics and complexities, stabilizing the fruit, color and tannins of the composition.

Distinctions aside, today’s kosher and mevushal wines are becoming increasingly mainstream. From Israel’s Yarden Vineyards (Golan Heights Winery) to Australia’s Teal Lake (Royal Wine Corp), vintners are now making wines that are both allegiant to orthodox pedigree and competitive in the secular marketplace. Efforts to source superior fruit and employ advanced techniques and technologies have resulted in wines garnering more critical acclaim and broader consumer acceptance than in the past.

Recent Wine Works’ judgings have repeatedly pointed to two particular California vintners as producing some of the finest kosher/mevushal wines submitted for panel review. Baron Herzog Wine Cellars and Hagafen Cellars carry a full line of varietals that consistently show well and garner accolades (medals) at major competitions... An added benefit is their availability, as they are marketed widely throughout California.

Any pre-seder schmooze would be enlivened by Hagafen’s sparkling Brut Cuvee ($30). Complex, elegant and ever-engaging, this bubbly’s presence should over-shadow less cultured brut(e)s. Baron Herzog’s aromatic and off-dry Chenin Blanc ($7.99) will ingratiate any matzo ball soup and Hagafen’s crisp and focused Sauvignon Blanc ($14) has gifilte fish written all over it.

Both these vintners make full flavored, yet chameleon-like chardonnays that will stand up to and oblige every challenge throughout the feast. Go with Hagafen’s exceedingly well- balanced Napa Valley Merlot ($27) or Burgundian-style Estate Pinot Noir ($24) for tamer meat dishes. Ever profligate, Baron Herzog’s Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel (14.99) and Hagafen’s Estate Syrah ($27) should be platooned to compliment more savory dishes.

For those who require a Cabernet Sauvignon as usher or feature, BH’s ultra-premium “Herzog” brand offers both a lush and obvious Alexander Valley ($30) and a well-structured Napa Valley ($35). Both exhibit power along with finesse, like rugby players in tutus.

On a sweeter note, two established California vintners offer dignifying alternatives to Manischewitz. Gan Eden’s Black Muscat and Honeyrun’s berry and cherry Honeywines have the racy chutzpah to part the cloying sea. Nonetheless, if I were Elijah, I’d be holding out for the Herzog Late Harvest White Riesling ($17), a culminating treat. Shalom!