Mariah, Isiah and Vera Wang: Why Global Icons are Betting on Kosher

The kosher Black Irish cream liqueur endorsed by singer Mariah Carey. (Courtesy Royal Wine Corp)

Bartenura Moscato, the famous blue bottle, went from a niche kosher wine to a pop culture fixture. My December column asks whether Royal Wine can catch lightning in a bottle again with a new wave of celebrity kosher labels.

I compare Amar'e Stoudemire's wines, made with Herzog and Israel's Tulip Winery and rooted in his own kosher lifestyle, with Isiah Thomas's more commercial bet on grower Champagne with the Cheurlin family, and the luxury ambitions behind the Mariah Carey and Vera Wang offerings. Celebrity endorsements do not guarantee quality, but they do help normalize the kosher label in the mainstream market.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: Mariah, Isiah and Vera Wang: Why Global Icons are Betting on Kosher

8 Nights, 4 Pairings: Wine for Chanukah

Binah Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine, a fine pairing with any potato latke. (Courtesy of Jules Polonetsky)

Chanukah is a sommelier's playground, since the holiday menu is built on salt, fat and sugar. My December column pairs kosher wines with the big three of the Chanukah table: latkes, doughnuts and chocolate gelt.

Team Sour Cream and Team Applesauce get different answers, and I make the case for Riesling, the misunderstood hero of kosher wine, whose balance of sweetness and acidity handles applesauce and fried potato at once. I also tackle the tricky jelly doughnut and finish with a wine that embraces milk chocolate rather than fighting it.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: 8 Nights, 4 Pairings: Wine for Chanukah