Drink up!
By David Setley
In a few days, the Jewish holiday of Passover will begin. Although my culinary experience with Jewish celebrations has been limited to making challah and latkes around Hanukkah, I researched Passover and the traditional Seder dinner to better offer wine recommendations in this article.
According to Chabad.org, the Seder plate is the base of the Seder dinner on the first day of Passover. The Seder plate consists of 3 matzahs, bitter herbs, zeroa (a piece of roasted meat), beitzah (a hard-boiled egg), charoset (a fruity paste), and karpas (a vegetable, such as carrot or potato). The Seder plate may be accompanied by a traditional matzah ball soup, potato kugel, or a braised or roasted brisket. I was intrigued to learn of the tradition of serving four glasses of wine with the dinner. From the Washingtonpost.com: Each adult drinks from four cups of wine during the meal. Each cup represents stages in the Israelites’ redemption from the slavery of the Egyptians and a fifth cup is reserved for the hopeful return of the prophet Elijah.
I am often asked what makes a wine kosher. Kosherwine.com states that for a wine to be certified as kosher, the entire process of winemaking﹘including harvesting, crushing, fermentation, aging, and bottling﹘must be handled by a Sabbath-observant Jewish person. Additionally, no non-kosher additives may be involved in the process. When looking at a bottle of kosher wine, you may also see the term “Mevushal” on the label. Mevushal translates to “cooked,” which indicates the wine was flash-pasteurized immediately after crushing. Multiple sources explain that this process allows for non-Sabbath-observant Jewish persons to be engaged in the wine production process. A non-Mevushal wine may only be handled and poured by a Sabbath-observing Jewish person, whereas a Mevushal wine may be handled by anyone.
Numerous very good kosher wine brands would pair well with the Seder meal. One such brand, called Unorthodox, has wineries located in the Paarl wine region of South Africa. The Paarl region is known for excellent wines! Unorthodox produces three varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend. The Unorthodox Sauvignon Blanc would pair quite well with vegetables or potatoes (karpas); the Chenin Blanc would go very well with the beitzah (hard-boiled egg), the zeroa (roasted meat), the matzah ball soup, or the potato kugel. I would definitely recommend pairing the Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend with the brisket. All of these Unorthodox wines are also Mevushal.
I have two additional suggestions, both Kosher and Mevushal, that would also be outstanding with the brisket. First, Cantina Gabriele Sangiovese, from Circeo in the Lazio region of Italy, is a wonderful, medium-bodied, dry Italian red wine. Sangiovese is the grape most popular for the Chianti Classico wines of Tuscany. The Cantina Gabriele Sangiovese has the rich flavor and character you would expect from a great Italian wine. Second, and perhaps my top recommendation, is the Chateau de l’Anglais Cotes de Castillon, from Bordeaux, France. This is an outstanding Kosher wine that is a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. It aged for 12 months in French Oak barrels and is everything you would want in a classic Bordeaux red blend.
Lastly (or perhaps firstly!) for something a little bubbly, the Moscato d’Asti by Bartenura never fails. This is a wonderful welcome wine at the start of the meal or a perfect dessert wine at the end. It is lightly sweet, mildly effervescent, and is kosher and Mevushal.
I hope this article enhanced your understanding of kosher wines and that my recommendations complement your Passover holiday well. Contact me with any questions or comments at dsetley@passionvines.com or stop into the Somers Point store. Until next time, Chag Pesach sameach! Happy Passover, and Happy Wining!
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
