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Intrepid reporter investigates Carmel kosher wines

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Message: If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/17391/full/17391/intrepid-reporter-investigates-carmel-kosher-wines/ Intrepid reporter investigates Carmel kosher wines Friday, March 8, 2002 | by ALEZA GOLDSMITH To be honest, I'm not a big wine drinker—except when it comes to the Jewish holidays. And apart from my absolute certainty that wine from a bottle is better than wine-in-a-box, I can't really claim to know much about the subject. So I felt a little awkward before embarking on a recent, late afternoon promotional tasting of three kosher-for-Passover wines in the Bulletin office. But with the holiday rapidly approaching, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Luckily for me, Leslie Berman, the export and import director for Israel's Carmel winery, is anything but a wine snob. He is, on the other hand, a definite connoisseur. One sign of his expertise is that he can declare without hesitation his choice to accompany almost any food. How about a big, juicy steak? I ask. "Red, generally a Cabernet, since it's heavier," is his answer as he fills my glass with a golden 1999 Chardonnay from Carmel's private collection—one of the newer offerings the winery is pushing for Passover. "But you know," he adds in his charming South African accent, "I say to hell with convention. The whole idea behind wine is to drink and enjoy. It's not to worry so much about what wine to choose for which food, then not enjoy yourself because you didn't like it." Berman turns his attention back to the Chardonnay, a medium-bodied wine produced from grapes from the Kerem Ben Zimra estate in the Upper Galilee. He suggests, with a swishing facial gesture: "Play with it in your mouth," and "let the air come through." As this is an activity normally restricted to mouthwash in the confines of my bathroom, I feel a little embarrassed—but I try it nonetheless. As I do, he explains that this helps to bring out the fruity flavors of the wine and a hint of oak, which comes from seven to 10 months of aging in French Allier barrels. I begin to see, or rather taste, his point. This is good. It isn't just the wine talking when I say I'm having a great time. Learning about wines "should be fun," he tells me. "You shouldn't have to be scared or intimidated." At this point Dennis Bookbinder, the director of sales for Royal Wine Corporation (Carmel's American representative), pipes in with his own "fun" serving suggestion: "Chardonnay and latkes!" I think this sounds rather tasty. Apparently, this Chardonnay and several other kosher, mevushal (flash-pasteurized) wines by Carmel should be more widely available in Bay Area stores during the coming months. Increased distribution in the United States is part of the winery's recent attempt to revamp its image and remain competitive in the kosher wine industry. Over the past five years, the winery, Israel's oldest—dating back to the 1870s—has invested more than $10 million in upgrades. Carmel appointed Royal Wine Corp. as its representative, changed the designs of its bottles and labels, and improved its public relations campaign through many avenues, such as this tasting. But "the real proof is in the pudding," states Berman, and is the wine itself. He holds up a 2000 bottle of Emerald Riesling/Chenin Blanc, a white wine made from grapes grown in Israel's Shomron region. "When we want to sell our product to wine stores, we don't have to say anything. We just open up the bottle and let them taste it." Upon sipping this fruity and flowery-tasting wine, I declare it's my favorite. I soon discover I'd make a cheap date as it sells for a suggested retail price of only $7.99. The Chardonnay sells for $13.99. Berman says it makes perfect sense that I prefer the Emerald Riesling to the Chardonnay and the red wine that we end up tasting, a 1999 Merlot that sells for $20.99. "Newcomers to wine tend to go for the sweeter wines first. As they develop a palate for wine, then they start to go for red wines. But it takes time to develop that taste." Berman, of course, is anything but a newcomer. His father used to pick his own grapes and make his own wine in his native Paarl, in South Africa's wine country. Berman attended hotel school in Israel, then returned to run restaurants at exclusive South African resorts such as Sun City and Golden Reef City Hotel. He immigrated to Israel in 1994 with his wife and children. As for neophytes like myself, Berman offers a tip: All kosher wines do not have the sugary taste of the Concord grape. In fact, the Concord grape "doesn't even exist in Israel." The mere mention of sweet wine causes me to flash back to a Passover seder I hosted in college, when all my guests got smashed on the stuff and sang an incredibly long rendition of "Dayenu." What distinguishes kosher wines from others is that "from the time they arrive at the winery, [the grapes] are handled by religiously observant Jews," Berman explains. Apart from that process, "Carmel wines taste just like non-kosher wines. They cater to the wine lover, not just the kosher wine lover." I have to agree the wines I've sampled taste nothing like the aforementioned sugary wines. Carmel also produces a wide array of liqueurs, vodkas, brandies and juices, as well as oils and vinegars. Its state-of-the-art wineries are located in Rishon le Zion, southeast of Tel Aviv, and Zichron Jacob, in the Carmel Hills south of Haifa. There's also a boutique winery in Ramat Arad. One could say that enjoying fine wine is part of Jewish tradition. There are "52 holidays a year, alone, called Shabbat," says Berman, "on which it's the Jewish tradition to make Kiddush." Hmmm. As far back as I can remember, wine played an integral part of Shabbat for my family. As a kid, I had my own little silver Kiddush cup. And at Friday night services all the kids would go up on the bimah for the Kiddush—albeit only for grape juice. Thankfully, it wasn't too long before I graduated to wine. Berman gave me something else to think about, too. "When we say the blessing over the wine, we're in essence thanking God for providing us with wine." I raise my glass of Emerald Riesling and decide, I'll drink to that!

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