on your back by the time the added. “You can buy kosher,
PICKING A KOSHER WINE
food is served.”
support Israel and still enjoy
wonderful wines.”
Ahead of Passover, industry experts Jay Buchsbaum, Arlene Mathes-Scharf, David
ISRAELI WINES:
What may be the ultimate
Raccah and David Rhodes convey the following advice to kosher wine consumers:
THE ‘HOTTEST TREND’
affirmation for the growing
• Take it from the pros. Try to buy from a wine store that specializes in customer care, with
When they’re combing the field of top-flight kosher wine
a wide selection of kosher wines and knowledgeable staffers.

supermarket shelves this time is the following sentiment
• Check your labels. Although most kosher wines are marked KP (kosher for Passover), there is
of year, many consumers reach that Buchsbaum said he has
the occasional kosher wine that isn’t approved for the holiday, including some fruity sangrias.

for wines from Israel, which heard hundreds of times from
exports some 1.5 million bot- consumers: “I’m not really
• Avoid inebriation. Since most of the ceremonial four cups of wine are consumed on a
tles to the U.S. each year.

kosher, but I had to bring
relatively empty stomach in the first hour of the seder, you’ll want to buy wines with an
“Not only is Israel the place something nice to a seder
alcohol content of under 10 percent.

that the story of Passover is once and I’ve been drinking
• Drink up year-round. The more varieties you sample, the better your palette will evolve, and
about — wine is mentioned that wine ever since.”
eventually you’ll start to taste the different between high-quality and low-quality wine. Go to local wine
over 70 times in the Torah —
“Look at it this way,” Buchs-
events or get together with friends for wine tastings.

but buying Israeli is a chance to baum said. “The largest-selling
• Don’t break the bank. You can get some very good wines in the $15 to $20 range. Spending any more
support Israel and Israelis,” Moscato [an Italian sparkling
than that doesn’t guarantee that you’re getting a vastly superior wine.

said Rhodes, who added that wine] in the world is a kosher
vineyards are an efficient way wine by Bartenura that sells 5
• Be ready for special cases. Prepare for guests who have sulfite allergies (symptoms like headaches can
to use the Jewish state’s land million bottles annually. Most of
surface as additional cups are consumed at the seder). Have at least one bottle of kosher for Passover
since grapes are both a low- those customers aren’t even Jew-
organic sulfite-free juice or wine on hand, just in case. l
water and high-profit crop.

ish. They just like the wine.” l
“You can get upscale French
and Italian kosher wines along
with California ones, but the
hottest trend is the Israeli wines,”
Royal Wine’s Buchsbaum said.

According to Rhodes, Israel’s
“WHERE YOU’LL FEEL LIKE YOU’RE IN ISRAEL”
expanding high-quality wine
market took off in 1983,
ENHANCE YOUR
when Golan Heights Winery
HOLIDAY (under its Yarden label) opened
Seder plates
with the latest and fin-
its doors. These days, Israeli
– est selection of table
wines are bringing home prizes
Kiddish cups
wines from Israel,
from international competitions.

All Your
– France, Italy,
Eran Pick of Tzora Winery
Needs For
Haggadahs California and all over
was recently named Israel’s
The Seder
– the world, from exotic
first-ever accredited “Master of
Fun Items
to traditional, for every
Wine,” and a story on Israeli
for kids
taste and budget.

wines was featured on the cover
of the October 2016 issue of the
CHOOSE FROM BRANDS, SUCH AS:
popular Wine Spectator maga-
Carmel •
Baron Herzog • Bartenura • Gamla • Binyamina • Jeunesse
zine. The same magazine’s 2016
Barkan • And so many more – all at very reasonable prices.

list of the world’s top 100 wines
included two from Israel, selec-
SAVOR POPULAR VARIETIES, SUCH AS:
222 Bala Ave • Bala Cynwyd, Pa 19004
tions from the Tzora and Galil
Moscato • Pinot Grigio • Merlot • Sauvignon Blanc
Barbera D’Asti • Chardonnay • Chenin Blanc • Riesling • Shiraz ...

Mountain wineries.

610.664.1303 • jewishweddings@msn.com
“We’re only the 36th wine
BEAUTIFUL, CONTEMPORARY SELECTION OF
producer in the world in terms of
Seder Plates • Kiddush Cups • Matzah Trays • Decorative Tablecloths
size. We produce 1/400th of the
Haggadot • Shmurah Matzah • All of your Holiday needs
French output, a drop in the bar-
PLUS rel. But our recognition is grow-
Gifts • Jewelry
Ahava Cosmetics
ing geometrically,” Rhodes said.

All Judaica
Raccah said the Israeli mar-
Elegant, Imported
Home Décor Accessories
ket is still somewhat bifurcated
between the religious Jews “who
PASSOVER GREETINGS TO ALL
just want to make kiddush [the
7818 CASTOR AVENUE • PHILADELPHIA • 215.342.1452
OUR CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS
blessing on wine for Shabbat
Prepared Foods
and holiday meals]” and the
‘KOSHER-STYLE’ SIGNATURE DISHES All are Passover
made with ingredients
Rabbi and Rachel Gabay
that are Kosher for Passover.

more yuppified Tel Aviv market
FOR PASSOVER MENU
...from sundown
on April
10th to
sunset on
April 18th
“that demands excellent bou-
Empire Chicken
APPETIZERS SOUPS
DINNERS tique wines whether for home
Chopped Liver
Chicken Matzah Ball
Kebobs (Chicken, Lamb, Beef) Lamb Chops
Fish Mediterranean
Gefi lte Fish
Potato Dill
Stuffed Cabbage
or to order in restaurants.”
Trout Almondine
Baba-Ganoosh Passover Vegetable
Vegetarian Prokas
But Rhodes said he is opti-
Broiled Salmon
Mazah Borscht Romanoff
Brisket Tilapia
Bedouin Bandid
Kebobs SALADS
LUNCHES mistic that the two market sec-
DESSERTS Turkish Lamb
Israeli Latkes
tors can coexist, “since Israel is
Apple Matzo Cake
Greek Omelettes (Grecian, Cheese, Lamb Shank
Chicken Carmelita
Chocolate Babka
Nicoise French, Florentine, Nova Lox)
increasingly able to produce
Chicken Israeli
Pesah Mystery Cake
Tuna Light Mediterranean dishes Chicken Marakesh
Israeli Date Cake
Nova Lox on Greens
kosher wines that are religious-
Chicken Marengo
Tiramisu Chicken on Greens
SUBSCRIBE Cornish Hen
ly proper while still pleasing a
TODAY! more refined palate.”
726 West Avenue • Jenkintown, PA 19046 • 215.884.7204
Monday-Saturday, 11am-10pm • Sunday, 2pm-9pm
“You don’t have to compro-
ONLINE at JEWISHEXPONENT.COM or CALL US at 215-832-0710
mise anymore,” Buchsbaum
Award Winning Israeli Wines
For Your Seder
JERUSALEM Israeli Gift Shop
Bala Judaica Center
™ If you’re not getting the
, you’re just
not getting it!
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
MARCH 30, 2017
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