Sweet Or Not: Luscious Wines For A Sweet New Year
By: By Gabriel Geller
A column about recommended wines for Rosh Hashanah should not automatically be about either sweet and/or new wines. It is certainly appropriate to include such wines, but not exclusively. I have therefore decided to put wines in the spotlight that are luscious in their essence, but only some of them are sweet. Or new. Or both. Let’s get this year started with great wines, sweet and dry, ones that bring smiles to all those partaking in the yomtov meals. And may those smiles stay on for the whole year and beyond! L’chaim!
Fumanelli, Terso, Bianco, Veneto, 2022: This white wine is brand-new, but it is dry, not sweet. It is the first kosher wine ever produced by this highly respected Italian winery. It is also unique, being a blend of two Italian grapes: Trebbiano Toscano and Garganega, and aged 18 months in oak. It is quite delicious, as well. Medium-bodied, with on the nose orange blossom, lime and yellow plums, and a lovely viscosity on the palate which echoes the nose, and shows a bit of an oily texture with saline mineral notes and hints of hazelnuts and vanilla cream on the finish. Really special.
Château Moulin Riche, Saint-Julien, 2022: Like most 2022 Bordeaux, this is a great wine, possibly the best ever for this one. It is rich, bold, complex yet elegant and refined. It will definitely command attention now, but aging it for a decade or more will add many layers of flavors and complexity.
Capçanes, La Flor del Flor del Primavera, Samso, 2021: From this vintage and on, this luxurious Spanish old vines Carignan (Samso means Carignan in Catalan) is now mevushal. This fact perhaps contributes to its approachability. It is medium to full-bodied, juicy yet complex and nuanced, with notes of ripe red berries, roasted herbs, wet earth, and olives with nice acidity and soft tannins on a long, flavorful finish.
Herzog, Lineage, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022: Herzog is King of Cab(ernet Sauvignon). If one says that in front of other wine aficionados, most of them will likely agree with that statement. At the same time, it is wines such as the Alexander Valley, Warnecke Vineyard, or Generation IX that would probably come to mind. The Lineage Cabernet Sauvignon is here to validate the statement as for roughly $20, it is arguably the best California Cab out there in that price category. It is full-flavored and expressive with notes of ripe black fruit and cedar while being easy to drink and highly enjoyable right out of the bottle, with no further aging necessary.
Kamisa, Pi Blanc, 2021: Truly a wonderful, sweet dessert wine from Israel’s Upper Galilee. Kamisa is the only winery in Israel that houses a high-end kosher (and Badatz!) steakhouse. I would not eat a steak with it, but I would happily indulge in a glass or two after eating up my steak. Delicately concentrated in its aroma and flavors, this wine shows notes of citrus blossom, dried peach, candied orange, lychee, and vanilla. A wonderful and unique sweet Gewurztraminer that will go well with apples in honey or pomegranate seed and fresh figs.
Madame de Rayne, Sauternes, 2022: The second wine of the celebrated 1er Cru Sauternes Château de Rayne-Vigneau sports unbelievable concentration of signature Sauternes flavors such as candied lemon, tangerine, mango, and honey that coat the palate and mesmerize the senses with great balancing acidity and a subtle touch of bitterness that keep the sweetness in check. The finish is long and luxurious. Immensely enjoyable now, and will evolve for many years to come. L’chaim, Shanah Tovah Umesukah!
