Ask AOA: wine for Passover
Kosher wines -- there are a lot more than you might think.
So Abby asks:
Passover is later this week and I'm in need of a good bottle of wine to bring to a seder. Can we get some leads on where to find something that tastes better than cough syrup aka Mogen David wine?
Well, there's always Manischewitz... kidding. Ahem.
We checked out a few of the local wine shops and liquor stores to get recommendations. Got any other ideas? We'd love for you to share.
Here's what we found:
Mark Brogna at Capital Wine at State and Lark recommends Tabor. He stocks Tabor's sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. "It's an $18 bottle of wine, but I'd put it up against anything else in the store in its range."
We also found a selection of kosher wines at University Wine and Liquor on Western Avenue. They had about 30 bottles. Their recommendations included Barkan and Tishbi. Both are from Israel and both around the $10-$12 mark.
Empire Wine has a selection of about 100 kosher wines including the ones mentioned above. They've got wines from all over the US, Israel -- even a kosher wine from Multipulciano in Italy. One of their more popular kosher wines is a California red from Herzog that sells for $11.45. They've also got a kosher sparkling wine from Herzog and a kosher vodka.
The folks at Empire tell us that what makes a wine kosher is that there's no boiling process and the wine is blessed by a rabbi. After doing a little reading, it seems there might be a little more to it. But here's a very helpful hint they gave us -- a lot of kosher wines (not all) are marked with a small " k" in a circle on the label.
*Note:
You may have noticed that Capital Wine is an advertiser here at AOA. Â Is it why we selected them? It's not. Â They're our neighborhood wine shop and we wanted to know what was available in our neighborhood. Â But we just thought you should know.
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Comments
I would like to recommend a bottle of the Coke for Passover, and some rum. This is still kosher.
... said bk on Apr 6, 2009 at 12:38 PM | link
We've found good Passover wine (and good advice at Delmar Wine & Liquor.
... said Katherine on Apr 6, 2009 at 12:41 PM | link
Awesome list guys. I love Manischewitz, but in a so-sweet-it'll-rot-yer-teeth-out kinda way.
... said Albany Jane on Apr 6, 2009 at 1:06 PM | link
@BK
I know this guy that goes around town buying up all the Kosher Coke he can.....just for this reason. Ever heard of such a thing?
... said JVG on Apr 6, 2009 at 3:28 PM | link
Awesome leads! Thanks AOA! You never disappoint! I'll be out shopping today!
(BTW - there is a difference between regular kosher wine and kosher-for-passover wine.)
... said abby on Apr 7, 2009 at 7:14 AM | link
@Abby - wow, really? There are levels of kosher? I had no idea. What are the differences?
... said jess on Apr 7, 2009 at 10:11 AM | link
@ Katherine... I love Delmar Wine & Liquor. Jim really knows his stuff and has a good memory for what I've tried and what my tastes are. He's out of the way but worth the drive.
... said charley on Apr 7, 2009 at 11:41 AM | link
Kosher for Passover wine is a little different from regular kosher wine because it has to be made from a mold not grown on bread (and some other obscure rules).
@abby: I just checked out your website and I loved it! Such cute stuff... I bookmarked you for later!
... said KMA on Apr 7, 2009 at 12:11 PM | link
@jess - don't get me started on kosher. There's regular kosher, then there's kosher for passover. In a pinch, during passover you avoid leavened foods, including things made with yeast.
Unlike lots of other major religions, Judaism doesn't have a central authority (like the Catholics have the Pope.) So the texts are left up to interpretation, which spawns all those jokes about 2 rabbis in a room with 13 different opinions. (AOA -- and interview with the local kashering group would be a fascinating read, btw.)
@KMA - Thanks for the love! I add new designs weekly, so check back!
http://www.cafepress.com/thymelee
... said abby on Apr 7, 2009 at 3:57 PM | link