Passover Wines

[A_d_a_m_Mintz]

Seems like everyone picked a Cab to match with the brisket. Thoughts on pairing brisket with a single vineyard Duckhorn Merlot? I’d love a good opportunity to open up my 2014 Duckhorn Stout Vineyard Merlot-- have a Three Palms from same year, but figured I’d save it for another occasion

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Had a super interesting wine tonight. A few years ago, the family and I were in Safed (Tzfat) in Israel. We found a small tasting room/winery amogst the old buildings in the old part of town. There an 12 year old hassidic boy was pouring tastes of his family’s wines. I distinctly remember asking him which his favorite was and he said “Im 12, I don’t drink wine”.

We bought a few and drank them all shortly thereafter except for 1. I have had it in my cellar with my other Israeli wines that we picked up on our annual trips we make to Israel. Tonight, for passover, we opened it. 2009 Ancient Safed Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
It tasted…quite good. On the nose it was very much alive, albeit straightforward, with leather and dark berry smells. On the palate it still had acidity, tannins, and fruit. One thing that was interesting is that the wine had a LOT of sediment (see picture of my decanter even after two filterings and double decants). Also, the cork broke on the way out and left some artifacts to filter out.

What makes a wine breakdown like that given the flavors and nose are still very much intact?

First three pictures are from Safed and the last two are from tonight in Boulder.
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And from tonight:
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I was in Tzfat years ago when in Israel, quite a mystical city with some very interesting people.

[Mont_Stern]

97 Phelps Insignia

[Jonathan_Kalman]

First two glasses were Recanati Rose Gris de Marselan 2019, Castel Grand Vin 2010 with dinner and Tzora Vineyards Or 2016 for the third and fourth glass. Chag Sameach everyone.

[Joshua_Kates]

Our official Seder will be this Sat. In line with David, we’re having '85 Mouton with brisket and potato kugel.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Doing our second night seder via Zoom. Might open an aged Edmunds St John bottling tonight to go with brisket.

[lleichtman]

I had a Somek Bik’at HaNadiv 2012. We visited there a year and a half ago when we did a culinary tour of Israel and thought this would be an appropriate wine for our virtual seder tonight. I believe that this wine is a Bordeaux blend although all the writing is in Hebrew so I am not sure. There could be some Carignan in it as we had a very nice Carignan from them that we had a couple of years back. In any case this was a rich wine with a lot of fruit. Not the most complex wine I have ever had, but it had beautiful fruit, tasted yummy (a technical tasting term only the most sophisticated tasters can use) and seemed perfect for the evening.

Had this for our virtual seder with a brisket. I do read Hebrew and it is, indeed a Bordeaux blend. Excellent, by the way.

[lleichtman]

Doing our second night seder via Zoom. Might open an aged Edmunds St John bottling tonight to go with brisket.

That’s a killer wine, enjoy.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Doing our second night seder via Zoom. Might open an aged Edmunds St John bottling tonight to go with brisket.

That’s a killer wine, enjoy.

Tried opening a 2001 Peay Zin, corked

[Howard_Cooper]

I had a Somek Bik’at HaNadiv 2012. We visited there a year and a half ago when we did a culinary tour of Israel and thought this would be an appropriate wine for our virtual seder tonight. I believe that this wine is a Bordeaux blend although all the writing is in Hebrew so I am not sure. There could be some Carignan in it as we had a very nice Carignan from them that we had a couple of years back. In any case this was a rich wine with a lot of fruit. Not the most complex wine I have ever had, but it had beautiful fruit, tasted yummy (a technical tasting term only the most sophisticated tasters can use) and seemed perfect for the evening.

Had this for our virtual seder with a brisket. I do read Hebrew and it is, indeed a Bordeaux blend. Excellent, by the way.

Agreed. Thanks. Also, when I met the owner, Barak Dahan, in Israel at his winery, I liked him a lot. Seemed to really know what he is doing and seemed passionate.

[Ofer_Refaeli]

I had a Somek Bik’at HaNadiv 2012. We visited there a year and a half ago when we did a culinary tour of Israel and thought this would be an appropriate wine for our virtual seder tonight. I believe that this wine is a Bordeaux blend although all the writing is in Hebrew so I am not sure. There could be some Carignan in it as we had a very nice Carignan from them that we had a couple of years back. In any case this was a rich wine with a lot of fruit. Not the most complex wine I have ever had, but it had beautiful fruit, tasted yummy (a technical tasting term only the most sophisticated tasters can use) and seemed perfect for the evening.

Somek is indeed a good small winery. Somek’s is located in the Carmel mountain, area of many vineyards, which go back all the way to the biblical era. Barak Dahan is fifth generation winegrower. Somek make very good wines, I like the wines. I am curious which one you had

[Howard_Cooper]

The thread from my visit to Somek. Somek Winery - Israel - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

[Ofer_Refaeli]

Re Kosher good wines-
I have read the Somek thread.
In general the Israeli wineries, Kosher and non-Kosher are mostly young wineries, comparing to the long-tradition Italy or France. The logic behind the producing of Kosher/non-Kosher wines has different, sometimes complicated reasons, and I prefer to talk about that in another thread.
Anyway, among non-Kosher wines you can find very good wines, as mentioned above in the thread. But also among Kosher wines you can find many good and very good wines. Some are “hot” and some are not.
(BTW: my favorite wine areas are: Piedmont, Burgundy, Rhone, Toscana, Germany(riesling), Spain and Israel; Barolo ON TOP.)
Few examples:

1. Castel Grand Vin 2013, 2014 and more (RP94,RP93 -just for indication)
2. Recanati special reserve 2016 (RP93)
3. Carmel limited 2014 (RP92)
   and many more. All the above are very good Kosher wines.

[jnbrown]

Are you guys kidding me?
Manischewitz!
Pairs great with matzah and bitter herbs.
That is what my father served every year.

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

Are you guys kidding me?
If you are not drinking Manischewitz then you are not Jewish.
Pairs great with matzah and bitter herbs.
That is what my father served every year.

Is Manischewitz even wine any more? The Concord isn’t labeled as such, just 51% Concord. Juice and GNS?

[Matt_L]

2007 Covenant was rocking with Brisket!!!

[Howard_Cooper]

Are you guys kidding me?
Manischewitz!
Pairs great with matzah and bitter herbs.
That is what my father served every year.

I usually go to the store to buy Manischewitz Concord for Passover Seder and I did not go to the store so did not get any this year. No, not to drink. Do I look that stupid. I have a few bottles of real Israeli wines for that (and Manischewitz is from NY anyway). But, I have to admit my Charoses was not as good without it. I guess the Charoses needs a bit of something sickingly and artificially sweet to give it that something extra. Who knew?

Given that Manischewitz is from NY and not from Israel, Spain or the shtetls of Poland and Russia, I would have to say that many millions of Jews for thousands of years were able to go through Passover without Manischewitz or the Concord Grape (native to NY state) and so can I (except for that Charoses thing).

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

If you want to elevate your sacramental wine game, https://www.kosherwine.com/carmel-king-david-sacramental-15523.html

[Howard_Cooper]

Are you guys kidding me?
If you are not drinking Manischewitz then you are not Jewish.
Pairs great with matzah and bitter herbs.
That is what my father served every year.

Is Manischewitz even wine any more? The Concord isn’t labeled as such, just 51% Concord. Juice and GNS?

I go to a Talmud study class at my Conservative Synagogue (or at least did until the Plague hit). One week, there was a passage on how merchants weren’t supposed to sell any adulterated wine. I asked why then was it ok to sell Manischewitz since they add sugar to it. I think I horrified everyone in the room who then pulled out their iphones in shock that somehow the gobs and gobs of sugar in Manischewitz were added. I actually found out that they only add sugar their wines that are Kosher for Passover. Being a good American company, for their wine that is not Kosher for Passover they use high fructose corn syrup. So, the answer to your question is that they also use high fructose corn syrup (or sugar). Probably the most controversial thing I have ever said in class or at least the thing that got the biggest horrified reaction.

[It turned out later in what we were reading that the adulteration was mostly a disclosure issue. In ancient times, lots of things were added to wine to make it more “palatable”, although I have trouble with the notion that whatever they put into say Retsina makes it more palatable.]

[Howard_Cooper]

If you want to elevate your sacramental wine game, https://www.kosherwine.com/carmel-king-david-sacramental-15523.html

My parents used to have Carmel rather than Manischewitz because it was more “upscale” or because it was from Israel or some such thing. [Do note that my father owned a wine store and knew much better (he introduced me to 1st Growth Bordeauxs and Grand Cru Burgundies, among other things) but he did this for other family.]

The Carmel wasn’t any better.