Our Passover Wines

[Yossie Horwitz]

While it is a little early, I figured I'd get the party started so let's hear what you are planning to drink over Passover.

In preparation for the holiday, I shipped the special wines (a/k/a Moshiach Wines) this morning to Miami where I will be for Passover. As I have mentioned before (http://goo.gl/z1LQ8), I don't utilize the best stuff for the four cup gulping part of the Seder, but rather save the best/aged stuff for the meals and leisurely/enjoyable drinking. I will be raiding the local liquor store for plenty of other wines for the "four cup" requirements, including Ella Valley which goes for a song down there (under $20).

My pre-selected Passover Wines
Psagot, Single Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
Brobdignagian, Syrah, 2007
Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, 2006
Carmel, Limited Edition, 2003
Shirah, Single Vineyard, Thompson, 2009
Capcanes, Peraj HaAbib, 2003
Castel, Grand Vin, 2004
Hagafen, Prix, Cabernet Sauvignon (MJT Block), 2002
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard, Ortal, Merlot, 2001

[YoelA]

For the seders, as I have said, many of our guests prefer to drink grape juice for the 4 cups; for the rest we will serve Kesser Concord. Most of our guests have to drive home, by the way. For the first night for the meal, it will be 2005 Hagafen pinot noir and 2009 Assif Viognier. After that. we'll see.

[Pinchas L]

For the seders, as I have said, many of our guests prefer to drink grape juice for the 4 cups; for the rest we will serve Kesser Concord. Most of our guests have to drive home, by the way. For the first night for the meal, it will be 2005 Hagafen pinot noir and 2009 Assif Viognier. After that. we'll see.

Hi Yoel,

I'm eagerly waiting for your impressions of the Asif Viognier.

-> Pinchas

[Gabriel Geller]

Still need to figure this out but my temporary list for now:

- Binyamina Reserve Zinfandel '09
- Domaine Netofa Tinto '10
- GHW Yarden Chardonnay Odem '08
- Carmel Appellation Petite Sirah '05
- Adir A '09
- Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon '08
- Domaine Artsi Raphael (CS) '11
- Bravdo Shiraz '09
- GHW Yarden Merlot Ortal '04
- Herzog Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon-Zinfandel-Syrah '06
- Lueria Gewurtzraminer '11

Best,

GG

[ChaimShraga]

I don't bother to bring decent wines to the main event, but for the second Seder, I'm invited to one of my wife's aunts, where the setting is much more fitting for wine. So I think I'll bring the Bouchard Aligote 2009 and the Ecker, Gruner Velitliner, Berg-Wagram, 2010, both of which, for different reasons in each case, should complement Ahuva's cooking quite well.

[Pinchas L]

A tentative list includes the following:

Reds:

Hagafen Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Barkan Cbernet Sauvignon Superior 2003
Alex Eli Pinot Noir 2010
Four Gates Pinot Noir NV

Whites + Rose:

Flam Rose 2010
Hagafen Brut Cuvee 2001/2007
Yatir Viognier 2009
Hagafen Prix Chardonnay 2006

Sweet:

Carmel Shaal 2007
Binyamina Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2009
Yarden Semillon 2005
Alfasi Late Harvest Sauvingon Blanc 2011

-> Pinchas

[Harry J]

[As gifts from my sons for the 4 cups ; mony cab reserve 09 and ramat naftali malbec 2010. H]

[Jonathan K]

Likely to be a combination of Four Gates, Shirah, and Covenant wines. Without realizing it, I have been stocking up on Californian wines moreso than Israeli.

[Shlomo R]

Don't know yet. There will be grape juice for the kids, my father drinks Kedem Matuk Rouge Soft (naturally sweet), my mother will likely drink Rashi Light Pink and/or grape juice, I have guest whose tastes I don't know, and for my wife and myself I will pull some gems out of deep cellaring. Perhaps a Covenant (if I have a 2004), maybe an 01 Ortal...we will see closer to Friday. And there's nothing wrong with Yarden Cab either.

[Lior Yogev]

My family doesn't really like wine so I bought 3-for-100 today (for the first time in my life)
- Recanati Yasmine white 2011 - I buy it from time to time, great for simple everyday drinking. "A wine with an omelet"
- Galil Mountain Rose 2011 - crisp and acidic, another wine that I'd buy again
- Mt Hermon Red - many people find it "tasty". I initially took galil cab but then reflected that more people would like the sweeter hermon.

Hag Same`ch (happy holiday)

Lior

[Gabriel Geller]

My family doesn't really like wine

Man, you need to work on "converting" them!

I did so with my parents and both my brother and his wife quite successfully so I may now open good bottles of wine for shabbat and holidays while not being the only guy there enjoying himself (which is, frankly, not so enjoyable when you are drinking on your own).

It took some time and patience (it didn't take that long, barely 3 months) to show them different things and I had to do that progressively to figure out their preferences but it pays off in the end!

Best,

GG

[Gary J]

Such a tough one...lots of pressure here.

I'm thinking some combination of Castel Grand Vin (gotta see what oldest vintage I have is), Yatir Forest, Herzog Special Edition & Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib. Probably drink all these at the meal and drink some easy drinking stuff for the 4 cups.

Wishing all a happy Passover....Chag Kasher V'sameach (happy & kosher holiday).

Best!

[Craig Winchell]

I'm sticking with Agua Dulce 2010s for the sederim, and probably for everything else having to do with the first days. The last days I might delve into some of the new Four Gates. Of the Agua Dulce wines, the 2010 Cab is by far the best, but it is clearly not as good from this batch of barrel pulls as the past one. Still, a very nice wine, but small.

[DavidPer]

This year I''l be drinking Barkan's Tzafit from its assemblage collection.

The reasons that I chose the Tzafit are as follows:

1. I really like the wine. After tasting the series at this years Sommelier, I upgraded my respect for the Barkan Winery.

2. I find the blend intriguing, unorthodox and totally suited to our climate. Two of the varieties are quite unusual: the Marselan (a 1961 French hybrid of Grenache and CS) and Caladoc (a 1958 French hybrid of Grenach and Malbec). The hybrid's are well suited for the warmer Mediterranean climate. In addition Carignan and a little Pinotage.

3. I like the vineyard. The vinyard is located south of Tel Tzafit (biblical Gat of the Philistines) in the rolling hills of the low Shephela region. In addition to the well tended vines, Barkan's farmers have built a beautiful tower which provides a view of the area.

Hag Sameh to everyone!

[Isaac C]

I am hosting the Seders so for the 4 meals for the first days I will be having some of these wines, depending on how much we drink:

For the 4 cups I am going to start with a semi-sweet for the first two cups. I just find that it is not enjoyable to gulp down a big goblet of dry wine on an empty stomach in a quick time frame and the second cup also sits in the silver for an extended amount of time (still searching for a place that will make custom glass inserts). So I chose the Yikvei Zion Dolev Cabernet since it is not mevushal, semi-sweet, and 12% alcohol. I plan on drinking the good stuff during "Shulchan Orech", for the last two cups depending on my mood, and for the day meals.

Here are the choices for my dry wines.

Dalton Shiraz Oaked 2009
Dalton Petite Sirah 2010
Dalton Alma SMV 2009
Dalton Alma Cab 2009
Dalton Cab Reserve 2007
David Vignobles Cotes du Rhone Reserve
Ella Valley Cab Franc 2009
Ella Valley VC Cabernet 2005
GHW Yarden Merlot Ortal 2004
Recanati Cabernet Reserve 2009
Recanati Special Reserve 2007

This is the menu I will be pairing these wines with: First Seder - Coq au Vin and Duck Confit. Shabbos Day - Seared Tuna Salad and then 72 hour sous-vide chuck eye roast and a cholent with tons of Flanken, Beef Cheek, and Lamb Breast. Second Seder - 30 Day Prime Rib Roast Sous Vide. Sunday Lunch - an assortment of cheeses, Matzah Brei, and Pickled Salmon.

I will also be having these wines:

Yikvei Zion Dolev - as mentioned, for the 4 cups
Carmel Vintage 2004 to drink with/as dessert over the whole Pesach
GHW Yarden Botrytis 2005 with some of the desserts

[Shlomo R]

Well, I've got a 2004 Carmel Limited Edition that is a prime candidate for the seder, as well as a 2004 Covenant. Have to check through some more of the cellar to finish the decisions.

[Craig Winchell]

I noticed that Isaac C is going to have Dalton Shiraz Oaked. I'd like to know why anyone would enjoy a Syrah that was not oaked. Syrah absorbs oak like a sponge, letting it out sparingly. In my experience, Syrah requires around twice as much (French) oak as Cabernet, for me to have a similar perception of oak. AndI wouldn't use American oak, for that matter, as I don't find the flavors compatible with Syrah.

[Gabriel Geller]

Two of the varieties are quite unusual: the Marselan (a 1961 French hybrid of Grenache and CS) and Caladoc (a 1958 French hybrid of Grenach and Malbec).

Thanks David! I always love learning new stuff on wine! Chag Sameach!

[DavidPer]

Two of the varieties are quite unusual: the Marselan (a 1961 French hybrid of Grenache and CS) and Caladoc (a 1958 French hybrid of Grenach and Malbec).

Thanks David! I always love learning new stuff on wine! Chag Sameach!

My pleasure. I was really surprised by the blend in the Tzafit.

I also had not heard of Marselan or Caladoc so I looked in Oz Clarke's Grapes & Wines and didn't find the varieties there. Next I checked Hugh Johnson's World Atlas of Wine with no luck. So I went to the internet and found the hybrid varieties there.

Gabriel, I enjoyed meeting you in your new wine shop in Jerusalem. I hope that many forumites will visit you there.

Chag Sameach to everyone!

[Andrew Breskin]

Hoping for the best with:

2010 Shirah Coalition
2010 Shirah Counter Punch
2008 Covenant Solomons
2010 Ch Thenac
2009 Shiloh Barbera
2007 Ch Fourcas Dupre

And lots of Malvasia...

[Sam M]

Andrew,
How did you like the shirah coalition? I wasn't impressed . I loved the Thompson vineyard syrah however.
Sam

[Andrew Breskin]

Andrew,
How did you like the shirah coalition? I wasn't impressed . I loved the Thompson vineyard syrah however.
Sam

Didn't end up opening it, but loved it before it was bottled. The Counterpunch was great though!

[Craig Winchell]

The AG 2010 Cab was a creditable wine, alternately too tannic or perfect, depending upon my mood, though it certainly will need a year in bottle before release (though whether it gets the year is more a matter of the will of the winery's ownership than my own mandate). The 2010 Syrah had good fruit and weight, and with some oak on it, could develop into an object of some pride. The disappointment is the 2010 Zin, which never was particularly appealing, and still is stuck in that category. Perhaps judicious blending with the Syrah can resolve some of the lackluster qualities. At this point in time, it went down easy, which made it the overall preferred wine for seder, but had nothing else to recommend itself by. For those who feel I judge the wine of others too harshly, they should know I am no less critical with my own.

[Bill Coleman]

We drank the following:

2009 Dalton Zinfandel
2010 Weinstock Alicante Bouschet
2009 Power to the People [arrived erev yom tov]
2010 Eagles Landing Pinot Noir [Sta. Rita Hills]

2011 Red C
2008 Golan Chardonnay

also served 2010 Moscato di Carmel and Kedem Grape Juice