Wine News Roundup

Chateau Fontenil produced by the estate of Michel Rolland. (Courtesy of Jules Polonetsky)

A lot moved in the wine world this spring, and my May column rounds up what the kosher consumer should know. Michel Rolland, the Bordeaux oenologist often called the original flying winemaker, died on March 20 at 78, and his influence runs through many of the estates that now make kosher runs, including Angélus, which is reportedly preparing a kosher bottling of its first wine.

I also cover the 2022 Herzog Special Reserve Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon and news from the Negev, all against a broader market where Americans are drinking much less wine. The kosher segment is holding up better than most, and I share why Royal's Jay Buchsbaum and Covenant's Jeff Morgan think that is.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: Wine News Roundup

Wines for Dairy Shavuot Meals

An excellent Sauvignon Blanc by winemaker Anthony Girard. (Photo credit: Royal Wine Corp)

Shavuot brings blintzes, kugels, quiches and cheesecake, and a happy puzzle for the wine lover: is white wine truly required with dairy? My May column explains why big tannic reds tend to clash with cheese and why whites, with their acidity and lack of tannin, usually behave better at a dairy table.

I suggest kosher Sancerre (expect $35 to $55), make the case for Chenin Blanc and for a dry or barely sweet Riesling with cheesecake, and offer specific pairings: Netofa Chenin Blanc with blintzes, and Sancerre, the Capçanes Rosat or a chilled Pinot Noir with the cheese course or quiche.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: Wines for Dairy Shavuot Meals