Stepping Out From Behind the Scenes: The Solo Expression of Sagie Kleinlerer

The new wines from Kleinlerer Wines (Courtesy of Kleinlerer Wines)

For a decade Sagie Kleinlerer has been the quiet engine behind Covenant Wines in Berkeley and Napa. My June column profiles him as he steps out with his own label, Kleinlerer Wines, a small lineup that reflects his personal philosophy and decades of experience inside wineries.

I cover his unusual path from law to wine, his role as Covenant's managing director and his rare WSET Diploma. He is also refreshingly unpretentious, insisting that wine is about friendship, religion and history rather than tasting notes, and I review the wines, including his 2024 Carneros Pinot Noir.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: Stepping Out From Behind the Scenes: The Solo Expression of Sagie Kleinlerer

South Florida's Barrel Wine and Cheese Raises the Bar

Allison Sarbin Chlimper, the owner of Barrel Wine and Cheese. (Courtesy of Barrel Wine and Cheese)

When Mutra in North Miami became the first strictly kosher restaurant anywhere to earn a Michelin star, it showed how high kosher dining can reach. My June column heads up the coast to Hallandale Beach, where Barrel Wine and Cheese is doing something just as ambitious for kosher wine.

I explain how Barrel lets you try a wine before you commit to a bottle, the clever stainless steel setup that solves the halachic challenge of pouring wine that is not mevushal, and the sommelier who built it all. If you are planning a winter trip to South Florida, put it on your list.

Read the full column in Washington Jewish Week: South Florida's Barrel Wine and Cheese Raises the Bar