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02/13/2002 Archived Entry: "Wine Buy: Kosher Wines"

Why are these wines different from all others?

By tasting them, you would find no apparent differences. You would find as Arthur and I did, that these are a really delicious, well balanced Chardonnay, Shiraz, and White Riesling. The difference is all they happen to be kosher.

Teal Lake Chardonnay 2000 from Australia, is a great representation of what this grape can do. From its golden hue in the glass, through its tropical nose and palate, this is a winner. It features pineapple and coconut notes and is nicely carried by fresh, lively, and balanced acidity. Teal Lake Chardonnay is certainly not "oaked-out" as many in its price category unfortunately are. A great find at about $12.99 a bottle.

Teal Lake Shiraz 2001 is a super-juicy, red wine loaded with red berry, spice and pepper. Shiraz is the name the Aussies call the syrah grape, which is widely grown in France, especially in the Rhone Valley. Well structured, this would be a great pairing with brisket, or chicken cooked with lots of paprika and onions. At $12.99 a bottle, this is a steal.

For dessert, or perhaps as an aperitif, we found Herzog White Riesling Late Harvest perfectly delicious. It smells like fresh white peaches and pears and tastes like a million bucks! Late harvested grapes get to be raisin-like, from longer a "hang time" on the vine. Because they get longer sun time, they have a higher sugar level, thus they produce a sweeter wine. Herzog balances them with good acidity levels, preventing the wine from being "cloyingly" sweet. It finishes off-dry.

So how can these “traditional” wines be kosher?. It is only by observing and following certain religious laws, in the production of these wines, which make them kosher for Passover. The details are too long a story for this writing. I'm sure we'll speak about them again on "Food Talk" as Passover arrives.

-Carol A. Berman