ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 27, 1996 TAG: 9603270012
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: The Wine List
SOURCE: BETH CRITTENDEN
THE WINE LIST runs once a month in the Extra section. Beth Crittenden is a local wine wholesaler as well as wine educator, writer and founder of the Roanoke Valley Wine Society, which meets for wine-tasting programs on the fourth Thursday of each month. Call 992-3285.
Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, notes that the first thing Noah planted once the ark hit shore was a grapevine. Noah knew in the ancient Hebrew world, as many of us know today, that it is almost impossible to have a celebration of thanksgiving without wine.
As Easter and Passover approach, many of us begin to think of wine to serve with a traditional dinner or seder. Wine compliments the Easter meal and enhances the feeling of a special gathering and the significance of the holiday. Kosher wine is a significant part of the age-old ceremony commemorating Passover and the meal that accompanies it.
Kosher wines are admittedly hard to find in Southwest Virginia, although there are a few on the market. But the wine choices for an Easter celebration are almost unlimited.
Passover wines are set apart as "certified kosher" and are made under strict guidelines and supervision of a rabbi.
Educator Marcia Brumberg, from Beth Israel Synagogue in Roanoke, explained that the kosher guidelines followed were given by God, expressed through the Torah, and still practiced today. Practicing Jews find the most important factor in purchasing wines for religious holidays is that the wines be certified kosher. I'm told taste is not necessarily a determining factor.
Two big Northeastern wineries, Mogen David and Manischewitz, produce most of the domestic kosher wines available in the United States. The wines are most commonly made from Concord grapes or blackberries. A handful of wineries in California and one in Oregon are making kosher wines for the evolving tastes of American wine lovers. A few kosher wines are produced in and exported from Israel. Israel's Carmel Winery produces the only Israeli kosher wine available in Southwest Virginia
Kosher wines are customarily red and sweet, but are broadening their scope as wineries respond to consumers' changing preferences. The traditional wine of Passover continues to be Concord; however, some producers are making Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnay and others as the market demands - all maintaining the same strict production guidelines required.
The three Carmel wines I sampled were the 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon, Semi-Dry French Colombard and the traditional Concord-King David. All under $10, these wines introduced me to the customary wines of Passover.
Most often used during Passover meals, Carmel's Concord-King David smelled and tasted like grape jelly, which I assume is what it is supposed to taste like. My children, being fans of PB&J sandwiches, thought it smelled pretty neat.
The Cabernet was the driest of the three, made in a light style with a little Cabernet characteristic. The white French Colombard was my favorite of the three, from a taste perspective. It showed a lot of fruit without being overly sweet.
In choosing a wine for your Easter dinner, consider the foods you plan to prepare. If in doubt, remember the basic rule for pairing foods and wines: Drink what you like to drink with what you like to eat.
Ham and lamb are perennial favorites, and the recipe for Skewered Salmon with Honey and Horseradish in the accompanying article on Passover foods could be adopted for an Easter celebration, as well.
I like to pair lamb dishes with a rich, almost peppery red wine. Good bets are Australian Shiraz or French Syrah blends such as a Cotes du Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage or Chateau-neuf-du-Pape. The bold fruitiness of some of these wines can bring out the best in lamb, especially when accompanied by a rich fruit preparation, such as a raspberry glaze. The recipe for Honey-Glazed Lamb and Zucchini Gratin in the Passover foods article includes mint, which is a favorite partner of lamb and a great bridge to these wines.
The skewered salmon would match nicely to a fresh Sauvignon Blanc or lighter-styled Chardonnay. Red-wine lovers could serve it with a light-styled, fruity Pinot Noir.
An Easter ham is typically baked and often blended with spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cloves plus some sweet ingredients, including orange juice or raisins. It can hold its own with a spice-loving wine like Gewurztraminer or one of the French Alsatian varietals. Rieslings, fruity Chenin Blancs and Virginia wines featuring Vidal and Seyval grapes also can match well with a spiced Easter ham.
Whether the days ahead find you commemorating the Jewish Passover or celebrating the risen Christ and the birth of spring, enjoy the history, tradition and tangible symbol of joy splashing into your glass.
Cheers!
CELEBRATION SELECTIONS:
Chateau St. Michelle Johannisberg Riesling, 1994 - ($7)
Hogue Cellars Fume Blanc, 1994 - ($10)
Andre Brunel Cotes du Rhone, 1994 - ($11)
Rosemount Shiraz, 1994 - ($11)
Albert Belle Crozes-Hermitage "Les Pierrelles," 1993 - ($18)
LENGTH: Medium: 97 linesby CNB