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Fall 2003 Kosher Wine Review Bonjour, mes amis. With the High Holy Days just having ended, I am in the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. And in that spirit, lets cut the French some slack and talk about Kosher French wine. Many of you have asked me why none of the great wines of France are not Kosher? Well, some of them can be and in fact are Kosher. A warning: They aren't cheap. In fact a few of the Grand Cru Chateaus of Bordeaux make a Kosher bottling in addition to their regular non-Kosher bottling. They also double the price of what is already a premium priced wine. But what the heck, you can't take it with you so let's talk about a few high end kosher French wines that can put a dent in your wallet. NV Laurent Perrier (Kosher) - Before we go to Bordeaux, lets have a little Champagne. I mean real Champagne, not some everyday, ho hum sparkling wine. Laurent Perrier is one of the great houses of Champagne and if you like your sparklers crisp and clean with hints of pear and green apple, aromas of fresh bread on the nose and tight little bubbles then this is your kind of Champagne. While it may be a notch below Krug, Salon and Cristal (all non-Kosher and all over $100/bottle), for Kosher champagne, this is as good as it gets. 5 gefilte fish and pass the kosher caviar. $62/bottle ($34 for the non-Kosher bottling) '97 Chateau Giscours (Kosher) - This is a Grand Cru Bordeaux (Cabernet/Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend) from the highly respected appellation of Margaux. While this vast estate has been a bit of an underachiever through the 70s and 80s, new management and modernization has been turning this estate around and we are seeing very fine wines beginning to emerge. 1997 was not an easy vintage, yet Giscours produced a forward and appealing wine with floral, plum and cassis notes across the nose and palate. The acids are fairly low, the tannins dusty and the finish is soft and clean. 4 gefilte fish and grab another slice of a good stinky cheese. $53/bottle ($28 for the non-Kosher bottling) '99 Chateau Leoville - Poyferre - This is also a Grand Cru Bordeaux but from a property just a little north in the appellation of St. Julien. This wine seriously puts a smile on my face. It has a wonderful dark purple color in the glass and is rather flamboyant with coffee, dark current and smoky notes across the nose. In the mouth it is quite fleshy with the flavors extending across the mid-palate into a medium long finish. 5 gefilte fish and you better have another bottle ready when you realize how much you paid for it. $70/bottle ($38 for the non-Kosher bottling) Okay, so unless your last name is Rothschild, you probably don't drink these wines every day. Then again, if your name is Rothschild, you probably drink wines with the name Rothschild. Consider this a review for those times when you need a very special Kosher wine for a very special occasion. In my next review, I will find some selections that won't leave our wallets quite so bruised. May we all have a sweet year filled with health and happiness. L'Chaim. David Isenberg Biography of David Isenberg, Kosher wine critic I am a full time dentist and a part time wine collector/consumer. I actually prefer the title, Cork Dork. I have been a serious and passionate collector of both kosher and non-kosher wines for the last 10 years. My private wine cellar was featured in the October 2002 issue of Seattle Magazine (no doubt as an example of someone who spends way too much money and time on wine!). I consider myself an enthusiastic advocate and honest critic of good wine and good food. My goal is to inform and assist the gentle reader as he/she attempts to negotiate the confusing and Byzantine world of wine, especially kosher wine. From the Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 12b, wine "helps to open the heart to reasoning". Rating system: Each wine will be adjudicated using the following 5 Gefilte Fish Scale: 1 Gefilte Fish - Feh! Each wine will receive a narrative critique along with a score that evaluates its color, aromatics, taste, finish, balance and value. |
