Yossie's Corkboard

Daniel Rogov (whose real name was David Joroff), passed away this past Wednesday (September 7th) in Israel after being ill for some time. In addition to the tribute to him I published last week, I intend to post a personal eulogy in this space within the next few days. Until that time, I have collected a number of eulogies, both in English and Hebrew, which are linked to below which includes his own farewell letter posted on his wine forum (the pages of comments are well worth reading as well). Two of the ones I felt hit closest to home were the English eulogies by Gamliel Kronemer in the Jewish Week and Caroline Glick in the Jerusalem Post and the Hebrew one written by Aeyal Gross.

For those of you who never had the pleasure of meeting Rogov (as he preferred to be known), I have also included links to a number of video clips that will help you gain a sense of him as a person, in addition to the fabulous writer he was.

Eulogies

English

Rogov’s Farewell

Yossie’s Corkboard

Jerusalem Post

Adam Montefiore

Haaretz

Gamliel Kronemer (Jewish Week)

Zipi Shohat

Anshel Pfeffer

Chaim Shraga

The Jew & the Carrot

Decanter

Wines-Israel.com

Wine Enthusiast

David Raccah

JTA

Hebrew

Aeyal Gross

Globes

Haaretz

Calcalist

Galai Tzhal

Orna Chillag (wine maker)

Walla

Mako

YNet

Videos

Wine Detective TV (English)

Channel 1 Documentary 12/09 (Hebrew)

Reviewing Kosher Wines with Gary Vaynerchuk (English)

At Wineexpo 2008 (Hebrew)

Rogov’s Tribute Dinner (8/11)

Tasting Israeli Wines for Royal’s KFWE 2011 (Part I)

Tasting Other Kosher Wines for Royal’s KFWE 2011 (Part II)

#183 – August 28, 2011

After a couple weeks hiatus from the newsletter as a result of a few hectic weeks at work followed by vacation with the kids (certainly no less hectic), this week’s newsletter deals with one of the topics about which I get asked the most – which wine goes with which food and what are some of the most perfect pairings? While more wine than one might think is consumed solo without the natural accompaniment of food, as a general matter I believe food and wine are soul mates that belong together – each bringing something to the table that enhances the other. A quick Internet search will show that there are dozens of websites and apps specially geared to finding those elusive perfect pairings and hundreds of books have been written on the topic. One wine and food pairing axiom has even been enshrined in pop culture by none other than 007 himself in the movie “from Russia with Love” where Bond indicates that not following the rule that “red with meat and white with fish” clearly marks one as a bad guy. Now, while this may not be the most incorrect wine truism out there, it certainly comes from simpler times when food was substantially more homogeneous. In our progressive age of culinary exploration and crossovers, the characteristics of the wine are far more important that its color with the huge variations among wines (Pinot Noir can be more like a white wine masquerading as a red and oaky Chardonnay can be more like a red wine gussied up like a white one).

Now, there is actually quite a bit of controversy around this subject with some schools of thought almost neurotically focusing on the massive importance of making that great match and the horrendous things that could happen to your meal and wine if you make a mistake with your pairing. Given the amount of money generated by the industry it won’t come as a surprise to you that this is the prevailing mindset among the wine professionals who are happy to assist with finding that elusive books with boatloads of material on this topic, some of which can make one feel like a degree in chemistry is required to put a good match together. On the other end of the spectrum are the folks who thing the whole thing is a load of bularky or, even if there is something to it, one should simply drink the wines they like with the food they like and be done with it. Chilean Sea Bass lightly poached in white wine sauce with the 2006 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon? Go for it!

From my perspective, as with most wine-related items, I tend to believe that one should do with wine that which brings pleasure and enjoyment, regardless of common wisdom or the advice of professionals (other than drinking the blue-bottled abomination which should never be done under any circumstance). If the wines that bring you the most pleasure are the rich and full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon wines or the full-bodied, oaky and buttery Chardonnays, by all means drink them with your meals and ignore the wine snob snickering. To quote Mark Oldman, the happy fact about wine and food is that, like Pizza, even when bad it can still be pretty good. That said, there is a ton of science behind food pairings (mainly relating to how different food compounds interact with those in the wines) and, as anyone who has ever experienced a really great wine pairing will tell you, a great one can be sublime and forever change a dining experience (for me it was lightly seared Foie Gras with the 2001 Piada) and may be worth the effort. In this week’s newsletter I have provided a few general tips and suggestions that can be helpful in getting folks to think about wine and food in a different way; a manner that will make it easier to create a more harmonious combination of foods and wine that will hopefully elevate your dining experience (at least occasionally) to the truly spectacular – one in which the sum is far greater than the parts.

When thinking about which wines and food go together, one of the most important things to consider are the characteristics of the wine and food in question. The weight of the wine is probably the most important aspect of wine pairing – lighter wines go with lighter food and heavier wines make better pairings with heavier dishes. In order for the concept of pairing to work best, the food and wine shouldn’t overwhelm one another. A delicate and aromatic Pinot Grigio could be obliterated by a heavy meal of beef bourguignon that might more appropriately be matched to a bold Shiraz. The importance of weight in food and wine pairing is the genesis of the white with fish and red with meat rule, but given the dizzying array of ‘weight’ among both fish (tuna and salmon are pretty heavy) and meats (chicken and veal can both be pretty light), one comes to realize how much more there is to wine pairings than such a simplistic cliché.

Another important concept of matching is whether the goal is to achieve a match or a contrast. As an example, a match can be achieved by pairing flavors in the dish with an dominant flavor in the wine (spicy pepper sauce on the steak with the spicy streak in a Zinfandel or the butteryness of an oaky Chardonnay with a fish poached in a sauce heavy on the butter) or by going for a contrast of textures like the crisp acid of a Sauvignon Blanc with the heavy grease of fried foods like potato latkes (or potato chips). Other examples may include a fruity wine with a dish that has a fruit component to it or a wine with some pungent earthiness to it matched to a mushroom dish.

A few components in any wine play a huge part is making good matches – acid, alcohol level, tannin and the sugar levels. Acid in a wine acts like salt on food – it highlights the flavors in the food bringing them into the forefront. As long as the wine is balanced, the more acidity in the wine, the better it will pair with food. Its crispness can also act as a counter balance to fatty foods. Typical high-acid wines include Barbera, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc (most of Four Gates’ wines are pretty acidic, one of the main contributors to their great compatibility with food). High alcohol can overwhelm delicate flavors in a dish creating an unpleasant and slightly bitter sensation but matches nicely with sweet foods (think how most sweet dessert wines are high in alcohol). Tannin, which plays such an important part in the structure, balance and aging ability of those big wines we love, is softened when matched with fatty foods, high in protein like steak or cheese but diminishes sweetness in foods, making them seem dry and bitter which is why drinking a big Cabernet with rich chocolate cake doesn’t result in such a great sensation.

When the thought of coming up with a pairing is overwhelming, there are some food friendly wines that are pretty fail-safe including my personal favorite – Champagne, which pretty much goes with everything with its acidity, refreshing bubbly and relatively low alcohol, crisp dry Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Riesling (together with top notch Burgundy, one of the biggest holes in the kosher wine world’s repertoire) and Cabernet Franc. On the flip side, when in doubt avoid trophy or big wines like Cabernet Sauvignon (tannin is probably foods biggest enemy, making it taste bland and dry) and Chardonnay (ironically, the two best selling varietals of kosher wine (other than Moscato and semi sweet)). One last tip is that the sauce in a dish can play a far bigger role than the relevant protein or other base component so when pairing wine with a sauced dish, focus on the sauce components which will play a big role in the pairing.

As I mentioned, a future newsletter will deal with specific pairings including cheese, salads, spicy foods, sushi, chocolate and desserts so stay tuned (but a tip for desserts is that the wine needs to be sweeter than the dessert in question). Despite all these tips, remember what you like is most important both in a wine and in any pairing. Sauternes with Foie Gras may be a classic combination but if you don’t like Sauternes (or Foie Gras for that matter); the magic of the pairing is irrelevant. As Red responded to James Bond’s snobbish comment regarding the killer’s choice of fish with Chianti (“the red kind”) in that classic scene in “From Russia with Love”: “you may know your wines but you’re the one on your knees…”

While the summer heat is enough to drive anyone crazy (just ask Michael Douglas), this weeks newsletter is more about the serving temperature of wine than one’s personal equilibrium. As we get deeper into summer and the mercury continues to rise (giving street creed to global warming enthusiasts world round), my thoughts have been revolving around the temperature (namely how to cool off), which led to this week’s topic – the best temperature at which to consume wine. As we all know, the serving temperature of a liquid plays a huge role in our enjoyment of the beverage (think of warm coke, unsweetened tea or cold chicken soup), all the more so for the nectar of the gods – wine.

By now, most readers of this newsletter know that many commonly known wine truisms aren’t actually true, and there are exceptions to every rule (such as Sean Connery’s affirmation in “From Russia with Love” with respect to the character of deviators from the axiom “red wine with meat and white wine with fish”). That said, one truism that makes sense and is grounded in science is that [most] red wines should be served at room temperature and [most] white (rosé and sparkling) wines should be served chilled (as with most “rules”, there are plenty of exceptions some of which are covered in this edition).

The majority of people know that red wines are supposed to be served at room temperature. However, most folks are unsure what exactly that means? Given that the temperature of any given room deviates tremendously from country to country and from season to season, there is no clear answer to this question. These days, classic room temperature for Americans is about 72F (22C) and for the French about 65F (18C). Back in the days of drafty old English Castles and dank French Château, “room temperature” meant 62-65F (16-18C) and even that was at high noon on a summer day. A result, red wines are often served too warm. To quote Hugh Johnson, “people should forget they ever heard of the concept of room temperature in connection with drinking wine”.

In this newsletter I provide some temperature ranges for different types of wines (including a handy chart at the bottom) but, as with most things in life and certainly where wine appreciation is concerned, your own palate is the one that matters most. Use the suggestions as guidelines but find the right temperature that provides maximum enjoyment for your palate, regardless of what others may tell you (I have gotten pushback in restaurants when requesting that a red wine be slightly chilled after it arrived at the table as if from a warm bubble bath).

With respect to red wine – the general rule of room temperature is a decent place to start. As a general rule, tannins (predominately present in red wines) don’t like the cold as it can harshen their bitterness and make a rich tannic red wine taste even more astringent. Thus, high tannin red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon should avoid any chill and are best appreciated around 65F. However, slight chill on many red wines can focus the flavors in a red wine and reduce the perception of its alcohol level (a handy side effect in this day and age of overly alcoholic wines). The fruitier, lighter and less tannic wines like Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Chianti and Rioja are good candidates for being served chilled (think of them as white wines dressed in red clothing – light, fresh, low tannins, high fruit and low alcohol). With respect to red wines, it’s best to err on the side of caution and serve the wines a little overly chilled than too warm. A wine served over 65F will show mostly alcohol and present as too “hot”. Additionally, it’s a lot quicker to chill a bottle down than to [safely] warm it up. If the wine is too warm, either put the wine in a fridge for 10 minutes or if no refrigerator is available (i.e. you are in a restaurant), ask for an ice bucket filled with ice and water and chill the wine for a few minutes to bring the temperature down a notch or two. Just be prepared for horrified looks and a lecture or too about how wines need to be served at “room temperature”. At the same time, avoid over-chilling your red wine as it can cause the fruit to disappear, resulting in a wine showing as one-dimensional (one of the reasons that cheaper wines show better well chilled which tends to hide their flaws). If your wine is served too cold never heat it up by placing it near a heat source like the sun, oven or (gasp) microwave – these will harm the wine and cause it to become stewed and overly-soupy. Just warm it gently cupped in your hand with some gentle swirling and you will be good to go in no time.

For white wines, the basic concept of serving them chilled holds true as well – to a point. The cold allows the crucial acidity in the wine to be most effective and the relatively low level of tannins avoids the bitterness issue we see with red wines. However, most white wines are served overly chilled which tends to subdue aromas and nuances of flavor and create a flabby sensation in your mouth (think of eating a frozen banana – no nuance of flavor or aroma). Now, the concept of something being too cold is a tough argument to make in the US where we are obsessed with the cold, dumping ice cubes galore into anything and everything. To quote Eric Asimov “we fetishize cold beer to the extent of marketing a brand by promising it will provide an icier experience” (he is a bit crazed over overly chilled white wines). If you get a white wine that is too cold, warm the wine in your glass, a process that will provide a delightful aromatic experience as the wine comes to its perfect drinking temperature. Just avoid allowing the wine to become too warm as many white wines become almost bitter when they are served at too warm temperatures.

As chilling wine emphasizes its sweetness, dessert wines should always be served chilled – the sweeter the wine, the colder it should be. However, if the wine has a light sparkle (as opposed to sparkling wine) when poured, it has been over-chilled. Sparkling wine also benefits from serious chilling which serves to accentuate its crisp and refreshing character by improving the texture of the wine.

As a quick aside, not only do different temperatures seriously affect the taste and pleasure derived from wine, different barometric pressures at varying altitudes can change the chemical balance of a wine. A number of years ago I conducted an experiment and tried the same wine (a Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001) at the lowest place on earth (the Dead Sea) where it tasted somewhat flat and then a few days later in Katzrin on the Golan Heights (and the wines actual birthplace) where it was truly magnificent! Go figure…

I have included some wines and mentioned the relevant temperatures at which they should be enjoyed.

Carmel, Single Vineyard – Kayoumi, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007: Carmel’s chief winemaker Lior Lacser must spend his nights sprinkling the Kayoumi vineyard with angel dust, as there is something truly magical about this vineyard which produces an incredible Shiraz in addition to this magnificent and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Both powerful and elegant, this wine is full-bodied with great structure and harmony among the wood, fruit, tannin and acid. Give this wine a little time in the glass to open up and you will be rewarded with aromas of red cherries and currants, gooseberries, tart plums and cigar box followed by a fruit and earthy palate with slightly darker fruits, tobacco leaf, bittersweet chocolate, mildly spicy oak and muscular yet well integrated mouth coating tannins. A long lingering finish reminds you that it’s time for the next glass. Avoid chilling this wine as its rich tannins will rapidly become bitter if served too cold.

Dalton, Zinfandel, 2006: The lowest tiered wine from this winery manages to produce a robust, intriguing and full-bodied well integrated wine, truly the mark of a top notch winery. Loads of fruit, including cherries, plums, currants and raspberries on a slightly sweet background but nicely balanced with some spices. The wine serves up plenty of the more traditional Zinfandel notes including pepper, spice, rich black forest fruit and freshly paved road. Blended with a smidgen of Merlot, this wine is drinking beautifully now and will continue to cellar for another couple of years. Well worth seeking out and a YH Best Buy. As with the Kayoumi above, this rich wine will become bitter if too chilled.

Borgo Reale, Pinot Noir, Puglia, 2009: One of the few Italian wines I tasted that wasn’t made from an “Italian Grape”. While well made and eminently drinkable at 12.5% alcohol, I’m not sure what the point was in making an Italian Pinot. In any event, a well balanced wine with good structure, soft tannins, and near sweet fruit including red cherries, dried cranberries, cassis, overlaid with toasty oak and a hint of black pepper. A light and fun wine that might benefit from a bit of the chill (or even an ice cube).

Covenant, Lavan, Russian River, 2009: After the success of the 2008 vintage I was super-excited to try the 2009, and it did not disappoint. Sourced from a single vineyard in the Carneros section of Napa Valley, the wine was blended from two Chardonnay clones (Robert Young and Wente) and the difference in vineyards is easily distinguished even though the style remains the same – that of a powerful and sophisticated California Chardonnay that avoids being overly oaky and buttery, with hints of Burgundy. Tons of pear, apricots, peaches and figs on the nose and palate, accompanied by vanilla, oak and hints of spiciness. Slightly more mineral notes and less caramel than the 2008. A delicious and refreshing wine with plenty of acidity to keep everything honest. A long and slightly finish rounds out this very refreshing wine that will continue to cellar nicely for another 5 years. 350 cases were produced. Chill this wine too far down and you will miss out on the aromatic bounty this wine has to offer.

Teperberg, Terra, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010: After spending a week down-under where it is summer and all anyone drinks is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I have a hankering for some crisp and cutting wine, notwithstanding the 50-degree differential from yesterday to today for me. Nice body and structure are complemented by crisp acidity and plenty of citrus fruits on both the nose and the palate. Guava, melon and some passion fruit are accompanied by a tinge of muskiness I found pleasurable. A crisp wine that is perfect for the summer, drink this one a bit colder than usual and enjoy the aromatic release as it warms in your hands.

#127 – May 14, 2010

While this newsletter usually talks about kosher wine and the amazing wineries that produce top-notch wine, from time to time I also try to provide some basic advice or guidance on how to generally enhance your enjoyment of wine. Some of these annual or bi-annual topics I have covered in the past include how to order wine in restaurants, the correct serving temperature for different wines, comparative tasting and how to choose a wine glass (and the effect such a choice has on your enjoyment of your wine).

As with anything in life, having the appropriate tools is of the utmost importance and the enjoyment of good vino is no exception. While the unfortunate fact that the vast majority of wine purchased is consumed the same day it is acquired (or within a very short time) makes good storage capabilities less important; if you never store wine for an extended period of time, you will never get to experience one of the greatest pleasure of enjoying wine – experiencing a wine as it develops, ages and matures over time, sometimes evolving into a completely different being. This is one of the main reasons I suggest purchasing a number of bottles of certain wines and enjoying a bottle every six months to a year in order to experience, enjoy and wonder at its exciting development.

In order to participate in this magnificent journey you need to store (or cellar) your precious bottles under appropriate conditions. While the term “cellaring” your wine conjures images of glorious, below ground, wine-cellars covered with wall-to-wall redwood racks stacked with bottles of Yatir Forest, Capcanes Peraj Ha’abib, Yarden Single Vineyard Ortal Cabernet and other assorted goodies; it really just means a “safe” place to keep your bottles of wine while they are undergoing to evolutionary process.

By “safe” place I mean a dark, cool place in which your wine will not be exposed to direct sunlight, excessive heat or vibrations (which wreak havoc on a wine’s development), strong odors (given the porous nature of the cork, these will seep into and destroy your wine) that will also provide you with the ability for the bottle to lay on its side. This is necessary in order to keep the cork moist which prevents it from drying out, shrinking and exposing your wine to excessive amount of oxygen which, in the wrong quantities, is a wine killer.

Now, if you live in a geographical area that isn’t exposed to extended periods of extremely dry and hot weather (i.e. the Hermon, Alaska, Siberia and the like), the bottom of a closet not near and outside wall is probably sufficient for shorter periods and a cheap wine rack will solve the horizontal issue as well). To the extent you like in a place with hot summers like Tel-Aviv, Ra’anana, New York, Los Angeles, Miami Beach and others, you are going to need a better option. While you can spend insane amounts of money on various options ranging from installing a climate-controlled “cellar” in your basement (or apartment for that matter) to a 2000 bottle Euro Cave wine fridge (the Euro Cave fridge’s are almost triple the price but are truly excellent and worth the price). Thankfully, you can get a decent wine fridge for $100-200 that will hold up to 50 bottles of wine which should be a good start for anyone wanting to start building a cellar (see here for some specific recommendations for wines that are good candidates for long-term cellaring).

Another very important tool is a cork-screw. While almost every home I have ever been in has one, they are usually that embarrassing piece of engineering called the “double lever” corkscrew in which the two side levers rise as you screw into the wine. This is probably the worst cork screw on the planet and a border line health hazard (for you and your wines). It is dangerous, inevitably breaks and will destroy a cork at any occasion it gets. The absolute best corkscrew to have is the simple “waiter’s corkscrew’ that will open any bottle, any time. The better ones have a double edged lever for different height bottles and a cool knife tool to slice off the foil top of the wine – it’s pretty cheap to boot. While those massive “rabbit” devices do get the job done, they are extremely expensive, heavy and cumbersome and should not be trotted out just because you got them as a gift. If there was ever a perfect excuse for a re-gift – the rabbit is it! For very old/crumbly corks.

Some other ancillary tools include a foil-cutter which is a handy gadget for cutting off the foil top of a bottle of wine without risking slicing off a finger, various items to wrap around the bottle’s neck to prevent dripping, vacuum stoppers for both wine and Champagne (which enable you to remove some of the oxygen from the bottle before stopping it up in the unfortunate incident that you opened but didn’t finish a bottle of wine).

#174 – May 19, 2011

One of the recent trends of the kosher wine world has been the massive increases in quality across the board. From the table-wines produced by the major Israeli wineries to the boutique offerings made by various garagistes, more and more quality kosher wine is being produced these days from around the world (discussed in some detail in my “Trending Upwards” newsletter). In addition to fine offerings from Israel, France and California which have been around for a while, this increased quality has allowed the kosher wine lover to avail himself of good kosher wines from around the world including French Sauternes, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentinean Malbec, Old Vine Grenache from Spain and many others. At the same time, there is plenty of room for growth in this area as we are not yet blessed with quality offerings from Alsace (although some recent offerings from Willm show promise), Austria or Burgundy to name just a few.

Until recently, Italian wines would have topped this list of regions for the kosher wine world to conquer. Despite Italy’s long & rich Jewish past and the fact that Italy is among the world leaders in wine consumption and production; historically very little notable kosher Italian wines were available. Thankfully recent years have shown an improvement in the quality, variety and sophistication of Italian kosher wines. While most available kosher Italian wines are still quaffers (albeit pleasant ones), they are much better than they used to be and continue to show marked improvement year after year which bodes well for the future. Over the last few weeks I tasted a number of the kosher Italian wines available from various producers with two notable exceptions. Two Italian producers – Falesco and Feudi di san Gregorio – produce kosher wines that I did not have an opportunity to taste but I have heard are quite good and among the best (and most expensive) kosher Italy has to offer.

Before we get into the specifics of the wines I tasted, a few words on Italy and wine in general. Wine is an extremely integral part of Italian life, even more so than with the French, a concept evidenced by the proliferation of grapevines throughout the country which grow literally everywhere. To quote Karen MacNeil “they are Italy’s version of the American lawn”. This love of wine goes back centuries with the ancient Greeks naming Italy Oenotria, meaning the “land of wine”. The varietal output from the almost 1,000,000 registered vineyards in Italy is mind-numbing and insanely humbling to any oenophile, professional or otherwise; as mastering Italy’s wine is a given impossibility. Adding to the confusion is, while New World countries like the US and Australia tend to label their wines by varietal (i.e. Shiraz, Merlot, etc.) and Old World countries like France tend to label their wines by region (i.e. Sauternes, Burgundy, etc.), Italian wines area an incomprehensible mix of both (i.e. Barolo is a place while Barbera is a varietal).

While the majority of Italian wines are simple quaffers, made for easy drinking with Italian cuisine, Italy also produces a number of complex and rich world famous wines including Barolo, Barbaresco, Super Tuscans (see below) and Brunello di Montalcino, in addition to top-notch versions of Chianti and Moscato d’Asti. Some of the most exciting wines come from one of three major wine growing regions (out of Italy’s total 20 regions) – Piedmont, Tuscany and Tre Venezie (three northeastern regions – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and the Veneto).

As with France, Italy has a complex appellation system for categorizing wines that includes two tiers – an upper tier for region specific wines and a lower tier for table wines. The upper tier regions are split into two categories – the DOC (covering ~300 areas) and DOCG (covering ~20). To receive the DOC or DOCG appellation, the wines must conform to certain requirements including with respect to alcohol levels, percentage of varietals used, vineyard yield and others. The even stricter DOCG (enacted in the late 80s) included taste and other tasting of the wines to ensure conformity with the rules. Many aspiring winemakers felt these regulations stifled creativity and limited experimentation as they were based on traditional Italian methods of wine making that were slow to evolve. During the 1970s, many Italian wine makers revolted against these regulations and created new brands of wine that didn’t conform to the DCO regulations and were forced to carry the label of lowly table wines. However, as a result of including non-Italian grapes (such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) in their blends and French oak barrels, the resulting wines were spectacularly rich and complex resulting in increasing popularity and them taking on the nom de guerre Super Tuscans, a name they carry to this day.

Given the uncommonly vast number of microclimates spread throughout Italy, it’s tough to label Italian wines with any specific flavor or textural profile – wines grown two rows apart from each other in the same vineyard may end up tasting vastly different despite a similar winemaking process and techniques. These microclimates are a result of Italy’s zany topography of mountains, hills and valleys, all juxtaposed without any seeming rhyme or rhythm. This rapid change from hill to mountain to valley, combined with its proximity to four major bodies of water (the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas) has produced a crazy jumble of environments – all of which produce wine! That said, most of the wines I tasted were medium bodied and crying out for food with soft tannins, hints of earth and high acid. These wines were very different from the internationalized version of wines we have become accustomed to in the kosher wine world. When drinking these wines one must not make mental comparisons in depth, complexity and richness to those tannic Cabernet Sauvignons we are used to drinking that are loaded with fruit and wood (even if well balanced), but rather enjoy them in their own category and see if they bring you pleasure – I think they will. I note that almost all the wines I tried needed some substantial air to be appropriately appreciated which, while surprising for a lower priced and quaffer wine, isn’t the end of the world and most reviewed below were worth the effort.

From a food pairing perspective, a good rule of thumb is wines from a certain country go well with the native cuisine. For Italian wines this is especially true as many of Italy’s native grapes like Nebbiolo and Sangiovese produce tart and acidic wines that, while they can be unpleasant on their own, become softer and more interesting when matched with oil-based Italian cuisine such as marinated peppers, pasta, pizza, Insalata Caprese and other tomato-based foods, veal and cheese based dishes and the like. Heck, wine is a food staple in Italy, typically being one of the cheaper staples on any Italians shopping list (again, referring to the rustic quaffers as few Italian housewives are bringing home a $100 Brunello for their pasta dinners).

Listed below are notes from a number of the wines that I tasted. Disclaimer: For the first time in the six years I have been writing this newsletter, a number of the wines I tasted for this newsletter were provided to me as samples by the relevant importer/distributor.

Borgo Reale, Chianti Classico, Vespertino, 2007: Initially there didn’t seem to be anything to this wine with a very closed nose and tight palate. However, after 30 minutes in the glass it opened somewhat with tart cherries, plums, cranberries and a hint of chocolate on the nose which, for the most part, followed through onto the palate along with chunky and well integrated tannins (on first sip this wine is acidic and bitter – it needs that time in your glass so give it a chance to settle down). Tasted the next day, the wine was even softer and better balanced but the fruits had faded somewhat. For the happy medium, I suggest opening this wine a few hours before you plan to serve it and pouring it 30 minutes prior (better yet, decant it and taste as it develops). Open and taste right away and you probably won’t like this wine, give it the care it needs and you will be rewarded with a well-priced and enjoyable Chianti Classico (meaning it’s from the higher-quality hilly part of Tuscany’s Chianti district).

Bartenura, Ovadia Estates, Chianti, 2009: Given my history with Bartenura’s prior mediocre offerings I was prepared to dislike this wine and was pleasantly surprised. Somewhat high alcohol (14.5%) for a medium bodied and easy going wine, but the alcohol wasn’t offensive for me. Slightly richer out of the bottle than many of the other Chianti wines I tried, with soft and well-integrated tannins (perhaps due to the 20% blend of grapes added to the typical Sangiovese). A slightly candy nose with some fruit, though not much. Will go nicely with pizza or spaghetti in addition to many other foods. In short – a nice quaffer.

Terra di Seta, Pellegrini della Seta, Chianti Classico, 2008: Terra di Seta is the only kosher winery in Italy, using organic grapes and currently producing this Chianti and a Toscana wine. Made from 95% Sangiovese with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in and aged in French oak for six months, this was a delightful wine that also benefited from some airing out. Plenty of red fruit including cherries, cassis and raspberries on both the nose and palate with hints of lavender, earth, slightly spicy oak and mouth coating tannins. A decently long finish rounded up this Chianti with some fruit and espresso coffee coming together nicely.

Borgo Reale, Pinot Noir, Puglia, 2009: One of the few Italian wines I tasted that wasn’t made from an “Italian Grape”. While well made and eminently drinkable at 12.5% alcohol, I’m not sure what the point was in making an Italian Pinot. In any event, a well balanced wine with good structure, soft tannins, and near sweet fruit including red cherries, dried cranberries, cassis, overlaid with toasty oak and a hint of black pepper.

Borgo Reale, Signi, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, 2005: We have had kosher Barolo, Chianti and Moscato galore but to my knowledge, this wine the only kosher Brunello available. While lacking the searing tannins of the typical Brunello (that usually require at least 10 years of cellar aging to settle down) which are one of the most distinguishing characteristics of this noble Italian wine, the wine is a pleasure to drink (if not necessarily worth the $50 price tag). As with most Italian wines I have tried, the various components needed some air to open up and play nice together, but once they did, the wine presented as a nice medium bodied wine that is much better with food than on its own. Hints of violets on the nose with nice red fruit, acid, soft tannins and oak on both the nose and palate, those well balanced after 15-20 minutes in the glass. Following the fruit were hints of graphite, cigar box and a touch of espresso leading into a medium finish. A few sommeliers with whom I tasted this wine, told me that it was nothing like a true Brunello (mostly due its approachability at youth and relative lack of complexity).

Cantina Gabirele Montepulciano d Abruzzo, Tuscany, 2008: I am not a big fan of most Cantina Gabriele wines as I usually find them to be slightly off balance with one of the fruit, acid or wood usually being somewhat overbearing (typically acid in the whites & wood in the woods) but not this one. A simple and easy drinking light to medium bodied wine; but one with nice red fruit including raspberries, cherries and cassis and soft caressing tannins that are near invisible with some pleasing bitterness rising up on the finish. A nice match with pasta dishes and I could even envision dropping an ice cube in this one on a hot summer day (gasp).