Don't Pass Over These Other Passover Wines, unless you're wed to Manischewitz or Mogen David...

First of all, a disclaimer: I am NOT an expert in Kosher wines, let alone Kosher-for-Passover wines.  I grew up, like many others, on Manischewitz and Mogen David; my brother and his wife, while appreciators of other wines, prefer Manischewitz for Passover, perhaps because it makes the holiday special or reminds them of past associations.  Both of these legendary wines (hailing from the 1920's, with no discernible expiration date) are made with Concord grapes (think Welch's), which were easily available to New York Jews who created these wines.

While I know rabbis and more observant Jews who are fine with non-kosher wines, there are times when I would like to bring a nice bottle of kosher wine where it might be important to the recipients.  So my friend Jonathan and I took the opportunity to sample kosher wines at a recent tasting hosted by The Wine House.  This post includes our picks, and a bit of background.  

What makes a wine Kosher?

Of course, I've asked (and been asked) this question many times.  Having been steeped in the Socratic tradition, I think of the question in reverse: What would make a wine non-kosher?  In the old days (i.e., pre-Internet), I might have consulted the elders or The World Book Encyclopedia (Britannica was too dense for me).  Today, of course, I can ask Google, or with the iPhone 4S, Siri.  For any of you who have done research on the Internet, you find a range of information, some accurate, some not so; of course, this probably would have been true when consulting the elders as well.

According to http://www.wine.com/, a kosher wine begins like every other – as grapes on a vine that may be grown and picked by any one (kosher or non-kosher). However, from crushing through bottling, the wine must be handled and processed by Sabbath-observing Jews. Barrels and tanks must be deemed kosher for use. The rabbi or Kashrut trained supervisor must observe all of the wine making process and no work can be done on the Sabbath.

The experts behind Wikipedia take a stricter approach, saying: To be considered kosher, a Sabbath-observant Jew must be involved in the entire wine making process from the harvesting of the grapes, through fermentation to bottling.  While none of the ingredients that makes up wine (alcohol, sugars, acidity and phenols) is considered non-kosher, any ingredients that are used, including finings (to refine the wine), must be kosher.^[1]  In addition, wine that is described as "kosher for Passover" must have been kept free from contact with grain, bread and dough.^[2]  None other than Martha Stewart agrees with all the above (but, then again, her researchers might have consulted Wikipedia).

As with many things in Judaism (or perhaps any religion that allows commentary), what makes something kosher has many, often conflicting opinions.  The kashrut laws involving wine also are concerned with who handles the wine; this brings us to the term mevushal, which according to Covenant Wines is perhaps the most misunderstood term in the kosher wine tradition.  In Hebrew, mevushal means literally boiled. However, mevushal wines are not quite heated to a boiling temperature. Mevushal wines are nonetheless flash-pasteurized to a temperature that meets the requirements of an overseeing rabbinical authority. The technique does not necessarily harm the wine. In fact, a few well known non-kosher wine makers, such as Château Beaucastel, utilize flash pasteurization and believe it may enhance aromatics.

Not unexpectedly, Conservative and Orthodox Jews have different views on kosher wines.  For a more in-depth discussion, see both the aforementioned Wikipedia and a very studious exploration in Kosher Wine 101 from the Wine Musings Blog, which contains some interesting nuances concerning the law of Shmita that forbids the sowing or growing in the land of Israel every 7th year.  This gets a bit dense for me, involving labels, approvals and work-arounds.

Now, on to the wine tasting

Jonathan and I tasted more than a dozen wines.  While all of the wines were palatable and a better alternative to Manischewitz, the following stood out to us, either because of their easy drinkability, low price, complexity or a combination of the above.
 
 

2009 Gilgal Chardonnay
(Golan Heights - Israel) $11.99

Easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing, fine all-purpose white wine.  While this may have seen some oak, it is well-integrated and tastes almost as if it had been steel fermented, which is the lighter style of Chardonnay that many prefer.  Lots of fruit to this as well.  Jonathan bought six bottles, and I bought one. 

2010 Domaine Bunan Moulin des Cotes Rose
(Bandol - France)  $25.99

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I am quite fond of Rose.  Bandol, in southeastern France, is one of the premier growing regions.  The grapes in this wine are Mouvedre, Cincault and Grenache in a 40/20/40 blend.  Both the Mouvedre and the Grenache can be quite strong tasting with their skins on, but are easy-drinking and quite elegant as components in Rose.  I bought a bottle of this delicious wine and think it will be a great alternative to red or white.

2009 Capcanes Peraj Petita (Spain) $22.99

Having been to Spain last year, and having revelled in its food-friendly wines, this Grenache-focused blend caught my interest.  The aroma was quite alluring and the taste was smooth and not overly tannic or oaky.  I can see this as a very viable option for a red meat-based main course, such as brisket, but it is light enough to also work with chicken.  I was ready to buy it when I tasted the next wine a second time.  

2009 Dalton Shiraz (Galili Israel) $22.99  

Generally, I find Australian Shiraz (and most California Syrah) too big for my taste, at least for accompanying meals.  Of course, as I learned in English class, there are always exceptions to the rule.  Dalton is one of those.  On first taste, I wasn't overly impressed by this wine.  Although oak aged, it was relatively easy drinking, although not terribly complex.  On my second taste, though, I found it compelling, and a narrow winner over the similarly-priced Capcanes.  It will be at my second night of Passover.    

2009 Domaine du Castel "Petit Castel"
(Judean Hills - Israel) $45.99

Alright, now we're getting serious, both in flavor profile and price.  That is not to say that the better the wine, the higher the cost, but sometimes you get what you pay for.  Not everyone will appreciate this Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot, because some folks just don't like Bordeaux.  But this was very accessible (from a taste, if not a price standpoint), complex, earthy and lush.  My friend Jonathan bought a case (just one of the reasons he is my friend), and this wine will be a welcome guest at any Seder or other special occasion.  Wine Advocate gave it an 89, which is close enough to 90 to round up. 

2011 Golan Moscato (Israel) $12.99  

A number of years ago, my nephew-by-marriage Randy - and a wine aficionado himself - introduced me to Italian Moscato as a perfect ending to a Thanksgiving meal, when you can't eat another thing.  Passover is kind of a Thanksgiving, and this lightly sparkling palate cleanser is a fun, low alcohol way to drink your fourth cup of wine.  Its green apple and tropical notes will be part of our second night Seder.   

Conclusions 

As always, taste is very personal.  Even experts disagree, and we're by no means experts.  You don't need to spend a lot for an alternative to Mogen David or Manischewitz.  We would be interested in hearing your favorites and what you think of ours.  If you need some help in selecting wines, you can refer to Adam Dromi at The Wine House, who was good enough to sponsor the tasting (adamd@winehouse.com or by phone 310-479-3731 ext 208). 

The Wine in Spain is Mostly Very Plain

The title is a bit unfair to "My Fair Lady" and Alan Lerner, because I am relatively new to Spanish wines. Also, on my recent first visit to that fabulous country, I didn't necessarily sample its finest wines. By the same token, the rain in Spain doesn't stay mostly in the plains, but rather in the north and the mountains. We still like the song. 

Spain is one of the three largest wine producers in Europe (behind Italy and France), but much of its production isn't up to its neighbors' standards. That could explain why a young lady ordered her red wine mixed with orange soda at a tapas bar on our last night. 

Over the past few years, Spanish wine more often has been praised for its bargain prices rather than its distinctive quality. My relative ignorance was over-matched by a Los Angeles bar tender who claimed that Rioja was a grape, not a region. It's okay.

In fact, Rioja is one of Spain's famed growing regions, along with Ribera del Duero and Priorat. Located in north central Spain, the Rioja region is an hour southwest of San Sebastian, and about the size of Delaware. The Rioja region is divided into three zones, with its best wines coming from the Rioja Alta (which also is the name of one of its top estates). The principal grape of Rioja is Tempranillo, a medium-bodied, spicy red grape displaying strawberry/raspberry/cherry flavors that traditionally has paired nicely with many lighter foods. But things are changing, as you'll see below.  

Riojas come in three to four designations, based on how long the wine has been aged. The young wines (labelled Joven or Cosecha) only require six months of barrel and bottle aging, and sometime see no oak at all. Although common in Spain, and a good choice with lighter-tasting meals, I haven't seen much of this in the U.S. Much more common here is Crianza, which requires 12 months of barrel aging with another 12 months of bottle aging. Reserva wines require an additional 12 months of bottle aging, while Gran Reserva requires 24 months of barrel aging and an additional 36 months of bottle aging. Interestingly, the wood used in the barrels - adding body and spiciness to the wine - is American oak, which tends to impart a stronger flavor than French oak. Cutting through the math, the younger, less aged wines tend to be lighter in flavor and less expensive. Crianza is a fine everyday wine for most occasions.

Another interesting - if unwelcome - development in Spanish wine is the departure from the traditional, lighter, lower alcohol wines in favor of new-world style, higher alcohol wines. It's not clear whether this is a temporary aberration or a real trend; stay tuned. Generally, the newer wineries seem to be producing a bigger bodied, more robust Tempranillo, which can almost be poor man's Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Most of the wines I sampled in Spain are not readily available here, so I substituted those that you can find here.

At a local wine-tasting hosted by Vibrant Rioja, my friends Shana and Jeff, along with my wife and I enjoyed the 2006 Bodegas Lan Crianza, with its bright berry flavor and  velvety, mouth-filling texture. From one of Rioja's biggest producer's, it is one of the Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines, and only costs $10. You can find it at K&L Wines in Hollywood.

At the same tasting, we also enjoyed the unoaked Senorio de Pedro Pecina Joven Rioja, which will set you back $14. This wine was spicy and very easy drinking. You can find it at K&L Wines in Hollywood.

Our tour guide in the town of Ronda claimed he had worked for the government promoting the wine industry. His advice: Don't spend too much money. He recommended the 2007 Marques de Caceres Crianza, and I gave it as a gift to my new friend Darryl and his wife Cristina, who had been our very gracious, unofficial Madrid guides. Upon returning home, I found the wine at none other than Trader Joe's, and brought it for dinner with Darryl's LA-based sister Teri and her husband Bruce. To my palate, it was easy drinking, smooth and relatively light. About $15. Now they know what I spent, although I brought mine back from the duty free shop, so I get credit for schlepping.

The 2007 Bodegas Puelles Crianza Rioja ($16) is a more voluptuous, layered offering that offers a lot for the money. It's a direct import by K&L Wines, which means that they've cut out the middle man and should be able to deliver the wine for a better price. This elegant wine tastes of mixed berries and a hint of earth, aged in used (which diminishes the impact) French and American oak barrels. We consumed it with ahi baked in lemon the first night, and then chicken baked with pesto and goat mozzarella cheese the second night. Everyone was happy, except for our dog, who didn't get any leftovers.  

At a recent Saturday tasting of Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines at K&L Wines, I sampled some more expensive wines (from $30 up to $60), but some of my favorites were less. The 2005 Vina Santurnia Reserva Rioja, at about $16, was very smooth, fairly simple, but a great food wine. Available at K&L Wines and at The Winehouse in West LA.

Changing gears - or colors - to a white Rioja, all of the tasters were wowed by the 2010 Bodegas Muga Blanco Rioja. This highly rated wine (both Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar gave it 90 points) is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia fermented in new French oak for 4 months. Per Parker, it tastes of white flowers, mineral, melon, and is impeccably balanced. Tanzer notes the melon and nectarine aromas plus mineral and lemon zest on the long, smoky finish. We just thought it would be great on a warm afternoon, with appetizers or a light fish or chicken disk. For about $14, you can check it out yourself at K&L Wines or for $15 you can try the 2009 bottling at Woodland Hills Wine Company. Viura is said to be akin to Italy's everyday wine, Trebbiano; in a clever turn of phrase, one creative wine writer, Chris Kern, dubbed Malvasia the Joey Tribbiani of grapes, easy-going and fun to be around.

And now moving a bit southwest of Rioja to Ribera del Duero - named for the region along the Duero River - I really enjoyed the 2006 Alonso del Yerro Ribera del Duero. Generally speaking, I find that wines from this region are a bit earthier and fuller-bodied than those from Rioja, even though the grape is still predominantly Tempranillo. This wine is rated 90+ by the major four rating gurus, but, because palates vary, the reviews capture different flavor profiles. Parker describes it as layered and elegant with "an alluring nose of smoke, scorched earth, Asian spices, incense, and blackberry." Tanzer tastes "fresh red berries and cherry on the nose, with sexy Asian spices and minerals adding energy. Seamless raspberry and candied cherry flavors stain the palate but are almost weightless." Wine Spectator notes "plum, licorice, meat and smoke" while  Wine Enthusiast says "bouquet of intense berry and black fruit" with "tobacco, chocolate and blackberry." You can see for yourself for about $20 at K&L Wines or at The Winehouse in West LA. Tastes much more costly. 

To be sure, you can find much more expressive and expensive Spanish wines, and I hope someday that somebody treats me to them. In the meantime, I'm going to check out more Riojas and Ribera del Duero, which can be both food- and wallet-friendly. Please let me know what you discover. If you are looking for a lighter Rioja, ask for the traditional style; if you want bolder, or earthier, seek out the Ribera del Duero or the newer-style Rioja.