EST. 2011 BY LIZ RUEVEN
Kosher Tipples For Your Turkey (and everything else on your table)

Kosher Tipples For Your Turkey (and everything else on your table)

contributed by Zachary Sussman.

Chances are that this isn’t the only “Thanksgiving Wine” post you’ll read this year.  The yearly roundup of turkey-friendly tipples has become an inevitable fixture of the holiday season, perhaps even a bit of a cliché. And yet, with its nearly schizophrenic hodgepodge of textures and tastes— from sweet to salty and everything in between— the traditional Thanksgiving meal poses a notorious challenge for even the best-intentioned wine pairing efforts.

To wash down your kosher bird with an equally sanctified wine only increases the difficulty— particularly since the familiar regiment of big, tannic Cabs and buttery, oak-driven Chards will all but drown out the wide spectrum of flavors that miraculously cohere at the Thanksgiving table.

For some expert guidance, I recently spoke with Robin Schwartz— the kosher wine buyer for Garnet Wines & Liquors, one of the city’s top retailers— who offered her personal “top picks” for Thanksgiving whites and reds this season.

As a general rule, steering clear of the beaten-path rewards the adventurous wine buyer, and the examples at hand prove no exception. Each of Robin’s selections avoids more obvious “international” grapes, such as Pinot Noir or Merlot, favoring lesser-known, indigenous European varieties transplanted to Israeli soil. The results are versatile, food-friendly kosher wines that are equally capable of tackling the tartness and tang of Aunt Judith’s cranberry sauce and the savory, earthy notes of the stuffing.

White:

2010 Domain Netofa White Chenin Blanc, $21.99

Another spectacular offering from this intrepid Lower Gallilee winery, this succulent expression of Chenin Blanc harkens back to the marvelous examples of that grape originating in France’s Loire Valley— most famously, those from the appellation of Vouvray. Firmly dry, yet exhibiting just the faintest kiss of residual sugar, it maintains a striking harmony between generous orchard fruit (no doubt a product of the warm Israeli sun) and a brilliant wash of acidity, perfect for cutting through even the heartiest holiday fare.

 

Red:

 2007 Hevron Heights Judean Hills Tempranillo, $22.99

With turkey, Robin advises, one ought to drink something fresher and lighter in style, without too much tannic structure, richness, or oak. If an Israeli Cabernet doesn’t quite fit the bill (or the beak, as the case may be), this mouth-watering Tempranillo achieves a perfect balance. Based upon the primary grape in the Spanish reds of Rioja and sourced from vineyards planted high in the mountains surrounding Jerusalem— where cooler temperatures retain the wine’s freshness— here’s a bottle that delivers all the juicy roundness your bird deserves without interfering with its subtle flavors.
Now that’s truly something to be thankful for! 

Note from Liz: Thank you to Robin Schwartz, for helping to sort through the Israeli and Kosher wine choices. We’ll be serving your two suggestions at out table.

And another thank you to Bertrand Celce for sharing his photo. He blogs at Wine Terroirs.

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

SIDE DISH
Photo by Jerri Graham Photography

Hi. I’m Liz and I welcome you to Kosher Like Me.

When I’m not caressing fruits and veggies at my local farmers’ market you’ll likely find me chatting with like-minded eaters, probing the scene in NYC or seeking inspiration in my spice cabinet. Life outside of this blog is all about my family, tasty travel adventures and power walks deep in the CT woods or along the shore.

Please brew a fragrant cup of tea, grab a nosh and stay a while.