It's a Miracle: A Good Kosher for Passover Wine

In years past, Gothamist reduced ourselves to the lowest possible denominator to avoiding drinking Kosher for Passover wine. Parents if you are reading, look away. We are not proud to admit this, but we drew the Kosher symbol on those bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah we brought to the Seder. We were young and foolish, but wow, what a difference good wine makes. Well, last night, a miracle of sorts happened at our Seder. We opened the bottle of Kosher for Passover wine - expecting it to be lacking in acidity, tasting of cooked fruit and forget about complexity - only to find a great bottle of wine, kosher or not.

The wine was the 2002 Yarden Chardonnay Odem Organic, from Galilee, Israel, $18. This wine was fermented in french oak barrels and aged sur lies for seven months. These winemaking techniques resulted in a wine that showed great depth and complexity. The aromas of this wine were pronounced notes of vanilla, ripe apple and pear. This wine was full bodied and luscious - the perfect accompaniment to the apricot chicken.

While it may be too late to enjoy this bottle of wine at your Passover Seder this year (sorry, we didn't discover it in time), this wine is a great one to add to your collection for future holidays or just to enjoy anytime. When it comes to wine, Israel may only get its 15 minutes of fame around the Jewish holidays, but with wines like this, they have got our attention. Now if they can only do something about that matzoh...

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Tamara Lover in Food on April 15, 2006 1:10 PM

Comments [rss]

Andrew J. Lederer

I like the Manischewitz Heavy Malaga. (Good for snow cones too.)

Mark Cohen

Tamara - your response was tame and polite.

do you realise that many of the New Zealand Sav blancs go through pasteurisation for Non Kosher production.These wines are chocked full of primary fruit falvours, with zero evidence of cooked characters.

I think the mevushal argument is way past its use by date and technology can and does overcome this today.

Not every wine is mevushal - either, so there are plenty of options to chose from.

What I would love to read, is a more in depth look at the Kosher market you are blessed to have in NY, with a review of a greater selection. I amsure your readers would enjoy that.,

Here in Australia we are lean in our pickings

PS

Look out for Yatir wines, Israeli. - if you can.

enjoy the rest of Pesach - it starts here soon.

Tamara Lover

Mark - I appreciate your suggestions, however as someone who has been drinking Kosher wines for years now, it's clear that you sacrifice some complexity, fruit, and even acidity when the wine undergoes the process of Mevushal, or "baking" the wine through flash-pasteurization. As for your suggestions, I have not tried them all, but we did have Teal Lake, and in my opinion, there is NO comparison with Yarden. It was drinkable but, not enjoyable.

Thanks for the Matzoh tip.

Mark Cohen

Its really sad when the wine writer has no idea about the Subject she is writing about viz the quality of Kosher wines out there on the world Market.

I have no problem with Yarden being suggested, however there are enough High Quality Kosher table wines on the world markets, to enjoy all year round.

Becketts Flat - Margaret River,Cab and Shiraz, and Chardonnay, Goose bay Malborough Sav Blanc, are up to the highest standards in winemaking.

Barkan Cabernet, Teal Lake Chardonnay,are great easy drinking quality wines for every day use.

Its no miracle,its just good Religious guys out there making some great Value wines.

No about the Matzoh, I suggest using a high quality Olive Oli dip, some Rock salt and its heaven.

Chag Sameach - and contact me before Rosh Hasshannnah for some great Kosher wine advice.

mickster

Um Yarden, Golan & Gamla (sister brands) have been around since the mid-80's. The vinters are classically trained in France and California.

There has been good Kosher wine for almost 20 years, and available for Passover.

Yay wine

Yarden is SO GOOD.

My sister brought some back from Israel when she went a year ago, and my parents went crazy trying to find it here in the states. Just got some more today. :)