Fine Wines That Are Fit and Kosher : A Few of the Bottles Can Challenge the World’s Best

Kosher wine producers have virtually abandoned traditionally sweet, sugary, Concord grape wine in favor of Passover varietals likely to appeal to the most fastidious of experienced wine lovers.

A few of the bottles can challenge the world’s best, such as Yarden’s Cabernet Sauvignon, 1984. Yarden’s is a winery in Israel’s Golan Heights, formerly a battlefield at the foot of Mt. Hermon, utilizing three vineyards owned by agricultural kibbutzim. This is a super Cabernet, aged six months in French oak with California-like intensity and style--silky, lovely flavors, ample tannin and structure, all likely to age into distinction and excitement. It is drinking well now and is unquestionably the best red wine ever to come out of Israel. It is priced at $15.

Napa Valley’s Hagafen Cellars 1984 Cabernet represents its best effort yet in a rich blend of spice, cherry and chocolate-like flavors. Made with a dash of Cabernet Franc, the wine, although not robust, needs additional aging and is not as attractive for today’s consumption as the Yarden. It carries the kosher label designation of “K,” a certification not as broadly accepted as the orthodox “OU,” which seems to enjoy the strongest national reputation for uncompromising religious adherence.

A Degree of Personal Acceptability

The term kosher means fit, or fit for use, but does not require any particular wine style. How kosher is kosher is frequently a question of the degree of personal acceptability, yet all authorities agree on certain wine-making prohibitions, such as not using so-called foreign ingredients like animal or fish substances, the use of clarifying agents such as gelatin or albumen, yeast fermentation aids and several anti-foaming and defoaming agents. Strictly orthodox Jews are concerned that kosher wine should be boiled or pasteurized (in Hebrew, yayin mehvooshall ) so that microorganisms are destroyed, thereby rendering the wine stable.

Now qualifying for the “OU” designation, Weinstock Cellars Chardonnay, Alexander Valley 1986, is a good buy at $6.50 in a clean, light style, with lots of fruity, apple-like flavors and showing little if any wood. Sauvignon Blanc 1986 at $6.50 exhibits a floral nose, excellent fruit and a sweet, light finish with some petillance, while White Zinfandel 1986 provides clean, sweet, light flavors of strawberry and cherry tones.

Hagafen’s Winery Lake Chardonnay 1984, in a heavier style than Weinstock, is a fine Chardonnay with solid apple-like perfume, a touch of wood and overall rich flavor appeal, but with a slight finish of heat. It is priced around $13. The winery’s Johannisberg Riesling 1986 is lovely and opulent, not oppressively sweet and is about $9, while its Pinot Noir Blanc 1985 shows little nose and only decent flavor at about $7.

Yarden’s Sauvignon Blanc 1984 is among the best of all Sauvignon Blancs, reflecting the finesse of 22% Semillon grapes, a nose hinting at straw-like austere tones and a clean, crisp, not excessively fruited finish.

Another California Sauvignon Blanc is Domaine de Baron Jaquab Herzog, 1986, which reflects more melon-like flavors in medium body and fine balance. Produced in Asti, Sonoma County, the Herzog wines carry the “OU” designation and are made at the ISC Winery with the assistance of former Mirassou wine maker Peter M. Stern.

Herzog’s White Zinfandel at a low 8.5% alcohol is very sweet and lacks crispness, while a 1985 Cabernet, much better, with a spirited nose, displays a full-fruited, lighter style not for aging that shows a bit of wood. Chardonnay is most appealing with a smoky, apple-like, straw-like taste.

Stern also consults for Gamla Winery, another Israeli winery, also from the Golan region. A 1984 Cabernet is intriguing with clean flavors in a lighter style, although aging a bit will help. Sauvignon Blanc 1984 lacks the flavor of the others, whereas a Cabernet Blanc 1985 is exceptional with clean, good fruit in a not-completely-dry style--excellent freshness and crispness. Sweet-wine fans will enjoy the clean, fresh taste of Herzog’s Semi-Dry White Table Wine.

Gan Eden’s Alexander Valley Chardonnay 1986, made by Craig Winchell, an Orthodox Jew, can compete well with a clean, subtle, apple-like nose but in a full tropical fruit flavor style. No wood is showing here. The wine is generous and does not require aging. The winery’s 1985 Early Harvest Gewurztraminer is a nice blend of spice and melon-like flavors, a bit sweet and indeed a richer style for the variety.

Three Improved Wines

Carmel, the giant Israeli cooperative established in the 19th Century, offers three improved “OU” wines--Emerald Riesling Samson 1986, Sauvignon Blanc Dan 1986 and Cabernet Sauvignon Galil 1981. The Riesling is a good buy at $4.79 in a floral, trifle sweet style. Although the Sauvignon Blanc lacks acidity, there is adequate fruit for generous pleasure. At $6.99, the Cabernet makes sense reflecting 10% Petite Sirah, which comes through nicely in the taste. Not heavy, and ready to drink.

According to Alfred Stiller, Carmel’s chief winemaker, the cooperative is endeavoring to isolate its vineyards for better taste and greater varietal intensity. Also in the Carmel line is a decent Cabernet Galil 1982 Brandy and a naturally fermented sparkler, Blanc de Blanc.

Whichever wines are selected, it is comforting to know that technically many rate with the best, actually a fulfillment of the Passover instruction to freedom-loving seder participants that the finest is to be enjoyed while recalling the bitterness of the Hebrew exodus from slavery.