A review of the Binyamina Reserve Unoaked Chardonnay 2011 and the Highland Park Loki 15-year-old single malt Scotch Whisky.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  May 9, 2013

Last week we noted that a wine’s flavors are primarily the result of how and where the grapes are grown coupled with the skill of winemaker, and that wine is essentially free of additives. There are parts of the wine producing world where the nonadditive approach is simply common practice and well-established tradition, while there are other regions where this sort of nonadditive winemaking is actually regulated. Even where regulation prevails, however, there are sometimes stipulated allowances for certain invasive steps and ingredients.
 

In some regions for example, where grapes develop with low sugar content, the winemakers are permitted to add some sugar to provide more sugar than the grapes can do on their own for the yeast to ferment into alcohol (this is commonly referred to as “chaptalization”).
 

Another common additive is sulfur dioxide (SO2), generally noted with the slightly alarming all caps, “CONTAINS SULFITES,” on the back of most wine labels. Even though this sounds bad, sulfites are naturally occurring anyway because wine yeasts produce sulfur dioxide during the fermentation process. Indeed, wines with no added sulfites contain anywhere from 6 to 40 parts per million of sulfite already. Additional sulfites are added merely to preserve freshness and stop fermentation in fruits and juices. Sulfite use has been in vogue since Roman times. In modern winemaking, sulfur is used as an antiseptic to kill yeast, bacteria and molds, and sulfur is also used as an antioxidant because it can inhibit enzymes that cause oxidation.
 

Mostly though, as we noted last week, the most frequent “additive” to wine is simply the use of oak barrels, either as the vessel used for fermentation or, more commonly, as the vessel used for aging the wine. Various types of oak have diverse effects upon the wines. For example, American oak is thought to impart more vanilla flavors into wine as compared to French oak. The interior of the barrels are also “charred” or “toasted” by fire to various degrees by the cooperages, depending on the species of oak and the specifications of the client. It is up to the winemaker to choose the oak type, toast level and duration of contact with the developing wine. Occasionally, in any given harvest (“vintage” in wine-speak), some of the wine may be given, say, medium toasted American oak treatment while other wine might be given lightly toasted French oak treatment, and then all of the barrels will be blended together for the final product. Since oak barrels are expensive, some wineries merely add oak chips or staves of oak barrels to the stainless steel tanks in order to approximate some of the same effects of actual barrel Aegina.
 

The positive influences of oak are upon the color, body, texture and character of the wines. However it can also be used to mask flaws and, for a while, there was a tendency toward too much oak, resulting in some wines tasting more like twigs than fruit. Not surprisingly the pendulum has shifted. Now there are wines that the consumer had associated with oak-aging that are increasingly being made in stainless steel, with no oak influence at all.
 

Chardonnay has long been made into noteworthy wines without seeing any wood at all. The advocates of “unoaked” Chardonnays believe that the wood masks the wine and that unoaked more accurately expresses the nuances of the grape. A kosher Israeli example is the Binyamina Reserve Unoaked Chardonnay 2011, a vibrantly flavored wine expressing loads of peach, pineapple, orange and melons on a medium frame with a clean, mineral laced finish.
 

Spirits-wise, rather than leap headlong into another discussion of oak and whisky we thought we’d return to Kirkwall, Orkney, to the Highland Park Distillery, to discuss the latest new whisky.
 

Founded in 1798, Highland Park is the most northerly Scotch whisky distillery in all of Scotland. Like many Scotch distilleries, however, it seems convinced that some concept-driven marketing shtick is needed to help push product beyond their already highly regarded regular portfolio of whisky expressions. Why the industry can’t simply push quality and keep the shtick to a minimum is beyond us. We humbly suggest they stop adding water before bottling, eliminate the addition of caramel coloring, and stop the use of chill-filtration. In other words, why not simply offer us consumers the whisky more or less straight from the cask (or batch of casks)? How’s that for novelty? No fancy bottles or labels required folks. Honest.
 

Before we fall off our soapbox in a drunken stupor, however, we should note that we aren’t in the business of making or selling whisky, while the whisky companies are – so what do we know? Maybe shtick is what the public wants. All we want is good whisky.
 

Last year, Highland Park started a new line of limited edition whiskies called their “Valhalla Collection.” Here is how they currently describe the collection on their website: “…a range of four unique whiskies, released annually, taking inspiration from the legendary Nordic gods of old. Not for the faint hearted, only those brave enough to accept the challenge of Thor shall be rewarded with the ultimate experience; a whisky of divine power.”
 

Generally, such guff makes us cringe – but the first whisky released in the series, the 16 year old cask strength Thor, was actually really good. Also the totally unnecessary packaging remains cool (same packaging for this release). Alas, the high price tag was less cool, and this current release (named “Loki” after another Norse deity) is about $50 higher and has a lower abv. So we approached the latest “Valhalla Collection” release with some reservations, but high expectations.
 

For what matters most, of course, is not the packaging or the marketing hype, but the spirit within.
 

Highland Park Loki 15-year-old single malt Scotch whisky (48.7 percent abv; $249): Matured in a mix of used sherry oak casks and oak casks that previously held heavily peated whisky, this is an elegant, complex, rewarding whisky. While it still has some of the typical earthy, honey character of Highland Park, this one veers into new territory, with aromas and flavors of dried apricot, hard pear, dried pineapple, candied orange, lemon zest, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, subtle tobacco-like sweet smoke, toffee, honey, vanilla, weird but pleasant wafts of menthol, anise, and toasted almonds. The mouth-feel is smooth and creamy, then dries up a bit mid palate. We don’t recommend adding water, but doing so adds a briny element, increases the anise, ginger and cinnamon, but flattens some of the complexity. The whisky finishes long and absorbing, with a touch more spice atop the sweet, citrus elements. Overall, a really lovely whisky.
 

Given the asking price, we feel duty bound to highlight that excellent, arguably better even if more familiar, Highland Park whisky can be bought for less. On the other hand, this is a most worthy whisky and, hey, it’s only money. L’Chaim!

Review of the Soreka Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and two single cask Kilchoman Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  – May 1, 2013

One question we are periodically asked is, “How do they get all those flavors into the wine?” The thought presumably being that the winemaker is somehow like a chef, creating finished dishes from a variety of ingredients besides just the primary one – that somehow winemakers add additional elements into their fermentation vats, perhaps throwing in some black cherries and pepper into the Syrah, or mixing some gooseberries into their Sauvignon Blanc.
 

Wine critics shoulder a fair amount of blame for this, since many of the “official” wine descriptors regularly invoked suggest a veritable pantry of ingredients. But the truth is that there are very few additives permitted in wine. What we taste is nearly entirely dependent upon the grape itself and the skill of the winemaker.
 

The flavors of a wine are a result of the chemical compounds that exist in the specific varietal along with those that develop during fermentation and aging. This is where the expertise of the winemaker is most critical. Once the grapes arrive at the winery there are various techniques available that affect the flavors and structure, starting with some very basic options like crushing whole grape clusters (stems and all) or pressing only the grapes (minus the stems). And there are nearly as many different ways to handle fermentation and aging as there are grape varietals. Winemakers, additionally, can do wonders with oak barrels, and even have various tricks available to them to help make the most of nature’s bounty.
 

The bottom line is that the aromas and flavors in a wine are a reflection, in any given vintage, of the actual grapes the vineyard produces coupled with the hard work and ability of the winemaker. At no time does the winemaker add additional fruits or seasonings. Sometimes the results can be surprising. We recently tasted Soreka Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – new to the U.S. market and produced by Israel’s Madmon Winery from grapes grown in the Shomron. While it had many of the classic Cab flavors, including dark fruit and cassis, along with good balance and a nice finish, its predominant characteristic was a nearly overwhelming essence of chocolate.
 

Spirits-wise, keeping with this theme of aromas and flavors that seem to expand well beyond the base ingredients, we thought we’d return to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. First, whisky is our favorite category of spirit, and second, because single malt Scotch is our favorite type of whisky. Further, Scotch seems to offer, in general, the greatest range of enjoyable aromas and flavors in the world of distilled spirits, and easily takes first prize for most enjoyable complexity. To better highlight this, we’ve decided to revisit the Kilchoman Distillery (pronounced kill-HO-man).
 

Kilchoman is a fairly new, tiny, farm-style distillery on the western side of the Inner Hebrides island of Islay, Scotland. The distillery, which was founded only in 2005, is named for the nearby small settlement of Kilchoman. Kilchoman was the first new distillery to be built on Islay in 124 years, and essentially overnight became a critical success, attracting a massive following among us whisky geeks and aficionados (a euphemism for alcoholics with expensive tastes).
 

Kilchoman was established at Rockside Farm near Machir Bay, when entrepreneur Anthony Wills teamed up with farmer Mark French to establish a modern re-creation of the farmhouse distilleries from which the entire industry began. Islay had a great many such farm distilleries during the 19th century. Construction began in 2002 and finished in 2005 when the stills were fired up. Rockside Farm had grown barley for many years, so it made sense to use this barley for the distillery.
 

The entire process from malting to bottling takes place on site; they even built a small traditional malting floor with smoky peat fire underneath the floor to malt the barley – making this one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland that still uses floor malting for a percentage of their malted barley. In this way the distillery provides about 20 percent of the malted barley needed for total production, with the other 80 percent coming from the Port Ellen commercial malting house on Islay.
 

At the maturation stage, Kilchoman now employs mostly “first fill” used bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, USA, and “first fill” used oloroso sherry barrels from Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain. The phrase “first fill” in Scotch industry speak denotes barrels that are being used for the first time for Scotch, obviously they were previously used by their respective owners for bourbon whiskey or sherry wine. Kilchoman still occasionally uses “re-fill” barrels, or barrels that had previously held Scotch whisky (which, of course, had previously held bourbon whiskey or wine).
 

Kilchoman has released several expressions, first as young, feisty spirit (too young to legally be called “whisky”) and then as young, heady whisky (it legally needs at least three years of maturation in oak in Scotland to be called “Scotch whisky”). There are also, now, some fantastic single cask expressions that some of the independent bottlers have released. Here are two beauties to seek out and try:
 

The Kilchoman 2006, five-year-old, single malt Scotch whisky (46 percent abv; $75): This absorbing, complex, delicious whisky offers aromas of pears and apples overlaid with various different types of smoke, allowing the fruit to swim in and out of focus, and take on a brandied, Calvados-like character, along with citrus, olive oil, sage, French vanilla, ginger, butter, beech wood and hints of iodine, followed up with flavors of sea brine, smoke and ash, peat, vanilla, toffee, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, citrus fruits, butterscotch and some sweet, nutty barley notes that dart in and out of the cavalcade of senses, finishing cleanly with notes of peat, malted barley, anchovy paste, smoke, ash and cream. This is a dazzling and remarkably smoky, peaty Islay Scotch whisky.
 

Single Cask Nation, Kilchoman 4 year old, Bourbon Cask (58.4 percent abv; $95; available exclusively to members of the Jewish Whisky Company’s singlecasknation.com - do yourself a favor and join without delay): This pale, limpid yellow-colored Islay whisky first strikes, in traditional peat-monster fashion, like an overfull ashtray crossed with a nearly dissipated coal-burning barbecue, with a touch of smoked kipper. An awesome melange of smoke, peat, iodine and brine, with the usual floral, earthy-stable and burnt-oak elements one expects from this distillery, though the brine seems a tad more pronounced than usual. The oily palate follows accordingly, thankfully. With maybe a little white pepper heat from the alcohol and perhaps a smidgen of banana, berries, chocolate and butterscotch, all with a thin veneer of dust. Water clears the dust a bit and zaps the heat, but we much preferred it straight (so if you add water, do so very sparingly). The finish is long, warming (more like black pepper on the finish), smoky, peaty and herbaceous. An amazing whisky that wallops well above its four years of age, and makes up in complexity whatever it might have lost in slightly youthful imbalance. L’Chaim!

A review of the Yatir Sauvignon Blanc 2010 and a look at the Daiquiri.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week – April 24, 2013

Sauvignon Blanc is one of our favorite warm weather wines. It is produced around the winemaking world in a number of different styles ranging from dry to very sweet dessert wines. The bright flavors and balanced acidity typical of well made dry, nonsweet versions of Sauvignon Blancs pair well with lighter summer fare, including cheeses, salads and even sushi; it makes for delightful backyard deck or picnic sipping.
 

The varietal is thought to have originated in France’s Bordeaux region, and it is widely supposed that it gets its name from the word “sauvage” (wild) and blanc (white) from its early life as an indigenous varietal in the southwest of France. More recently, the grape has flourished and gained a great deal of popularity in New Zealand. Sauvignon Blanc’s profile ranges from grassy and herbaceous when grown in warmer climates to gooseberry, melon, citrus and tropical fruits when the vines are in cooler locations. The wines are most often fermented in stainless steel tanks as this is thought to maximize the natural aromas and flavors of the grape, although there are some winemakers who introduce a little oak influence as well. And some winemakers choose to blend in some other grape varietals, such as Semillion, to create a fuller body.
 

The Yatir Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is sourced from vineyards next to the winery in the northeast Negev in Israel. This floral and melon scented 100 percent sauvignon blanc beauty spends several months in French oak barrels after fermentation and expresses layers of fruit flavors including passion fruit, green apple, fig, lemon and grapefruit with a small amount of grassiness as well. The mineral-accented finish is refreshingly bright and lengthy. It is easily one of the best kosher sauvignon blancs currently available.
 

The Yatir Winery is owned by Carmel, Israel’s largest winery, but functions independently. Australian-trained chief winemaker Eran Goldwasser oversees both the wines and the nearby vineyards. The winery is located near the Tel Arad archeological site that contains ancient winepresses, a testament to the 2,500-year-plus history of winemaking in the area. Along with Sauvignon Blanc, Yatir cultivates the classic Bordeaux grape varietals of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Malbec, Viognier and Shiraz.
 

Spirits-wise, we thought we’d embrace the warming weather and revisit one of our traditional summer cocktails a little early by slipping into a classic Daiquiri.
 

Although a Cuban concoction, the daiquiri has a unique connection to the nation’s capital. Specifically, it has a special connection to the Army and Navy Club (901 17th Street N.W.). For it was one of the club’s members, Rear Admiral Lucius W. Johnson, who brought this cocktail to the club, and from there helped it spread around the country.
 

According to legend, an American engineer named Jennings Cox invented the daiquiri in Cuba in the summer of 1896 (some accounts have 1898). Other accounts add another American named Harry E. Stout and another engineer named Pagliuchi. At any rate, Cox was in Cuba managing the properties of both the Spanish-American Iron Company and the Pennsylvania Steel Company. Expecting to entertain some American visitors one day, Cox discovered that he had run out of gin and so had to resort to the heady local rum, made by a family firm called Bacardi (then mostly unknown outside of Cuba).
 

Jennings Cox cut the rum with fresh lime juice, and then added cane sugar to modify the acid, and then used ice to chill the drink down. From this simple mix, a magical synthesis occurs, creating a flavorful elixir that, when made with a harmonious balance between the strong, sweet, and sour elements, is truly greater than the sum of its parts. As Cox lived near the iron mines, in a small southeastern coastal village called Daiquiri, about 15 miles east of Santiago de Cuba, he named his concoction after the coastal village.
 

According to some accounts, Cox also served his daiquiri two years later, in 1898, during the Spanish-American war, when he is said to have entertained American General William R. Shafter, leader of the U.S. forces that landed on Daiquiri Beach, below San Juan Hill. Some accounts also claim that Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, who would later become president and who at the time described Daiquiri as a “squalid little village,” also enjoyed Cox’s daiquiri cocktail.
 

What is known for certain, however, is that the USS Minnesota, commanded by Captain Charles H. Harlow, paid a visit to Guantanamo, Cuba, 10 years after the Spanish-American War, in 1909. Captain Harlow toured the old battlegrounds, accompanied by the ship’s young medical officer, Lucius W. Johnson. They were entertained at Daiquiri by none other than Jennings Cox, and were served his cocktail. Delighted and enchanted, Johnson copied down Cox’s recipe and bought large quantities of the local Bacardi rum.
 

When he finally returned to the United States with recipe and rum supplies in hand, Johnson introduced the drink to the Army and Navy Club, which promptly adopted it as the official house drink. Johnson then set about as an avid advocate of the drink, slowly spreading its familiarity and popularity around the nation. There is a brass plaque in the Daiquiri Lounge of the Army and Navy Club that commemorates the advocacy work of Lucius W. Johnson. During Prohibition, thirsty Americans – like Earnest Hemingway – knew to order a daiquiri when they visited Havana expressly because Rear Admiral Johnson promoted his beverage of choice.
 

It is, of course, nearly impossible to discuss the daiquiri without at least mentioning the fact that much of its post-Prohibition popularity owes to the mystique brought to it by Hemingway. The famous novelist drank thousands of gallons of the stuff throughout Prohibition at La Floridita Bar in Havana, where it is said that barman Constante Ribailagua perfected the drink. La Floridita is also the likely birthplace of the “frozen” or slushy form of the daiquiri.
 

There are several “classic” recipes for the daiquiri, and many widely accepted variations – particularly for the “frozen daiquiri” range. Here is our preferred recipe to help one embrace the warming weather and, once it firmly arrives, survive the summer heat.
 

The daiquiri: Squeeze 1/2 a lime (1/2 ounce of lime juice) into your cocktail shaker, stir in ½ teaspoon of superfine sugar, and then add 2 ounces of light or white rum. Shake well with cracked ice, and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Note: some folks prefer dark or amber rum to white, that’s fine, just cut back a little on the sugar. Hemingway preferred his heavy on the rum, light on the sugar, and supposedly with the addition of both ¼ ounce of grapefruit juice and a ¼ ounce of maraschino liqueur.
 

If you want it “frozen” you can either strain the mixed ingredients of either recipe into a cocktail glass filled with fresh, dry crushed ice (snow cone like), or blend the ingredients with ice to make it slurpee-like and serve in a large, saucer-style cocktail glass. L’Chaim!

A review of the wonderful wines from Tuscany’s Castello Vicchiomaggio.

By Lou Marmon

Gazette Newspapers  April 25, 2013

There are few places in the world more picturesque than the Tuscany hills, especially when viewed from Castello di Vicchiomaggio while sipping some of their excellent wines. Located on a commanding summit just north of Greve in Chianti, the site’s first castle was constructed in the 5th century by settlers who named the place Vicchio dei Longobardi. During the Renaissance the name was changed to its current “Village of May” and it was once visited by Leonardo Da Vinci while he was painting the Mona Lisa.
 

Over the subsequent centuries the property declined until purchased by Frederico Matta in 1964, an Italian wine importer living in London. Frederico initiated a program of renovations to the estate with replanting of the vineyards but interestingly never visited Vicchiomaggio. In 1982, his son John and daughter-in-law Paola took over responsibility for the estate with remarkable results.
 

Vicchiomaggio is simply gorgeous with its crenellated tower and manor houses surrounded by manicured gardens extending to the stone walls that offer captivating views of the surrounding hillsides. It boasts a first-class restaurant that offers cooking lessons and the property has accommodations that give visitors the opportunity to stay overnight at a working winery. Not surprisingly, Vicchiomaggio has become a destination for weddings and other special occasions as well as a popular place to taste some of the Chianti’s best wines.
 

John crafts his wines from the hillside vineyards surrounding the castle walls. As expected in Chianti, the principal grape is Sangiovese although he also grows some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon along with two indigenous varietals, Colorino and Canaiolo. John has been named “Italian Winemaker of the Year” three times and his wines have garnered numerous international accolades.
 

At a recent visit, one of John’s daughters, Delfina, explained that her father is, “very, very involved” in every aspect of the vineyards and winemaking. Yields are kept low to achieve the desired flavor profiles and the harvest is entirely done by hand with several passes often required to assure that each grape meets John’s standards. As we sat on a patio overlooking the recently harvested vineyards, Delfina opened their fragrant San Jacopo Rosato 2011, a 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon rosé with bright red cherry and raspberry flavors. It was a perfect accompaniment to the warm autumn day and the delightful vistas.
 

The first wine poured during lunch was their Littifredo di Vicchiomaggio, a non-vintage, easy drinking table wine that showed pleasant red cherries and a mild earthiness. It was followed by the more enjoyably complex Agostino Petri Chianti Classico Reserva 2009 composed of 90 percent Sangiovese, 5 percent Canaiolo and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon that opened with dark cherry and cedar aromas that flowed smoothly into elegant dark currant, cherry, chocolate and tobacco flavors within a medium frame. Also served was the fuller bodied, 100 percent Sangiovese Vigna la Prima Chianti Classico Riserva 2008, a delightful expression of the essence of Chianti that began with red fruit and floral aromas enveloped with a savory smokiness that persisted into the blackberry, red cherry and dried plum notes accented with cloves within soft tannins and a balanced, persistent finish.
 

Next was their award-winning Ripa delle More 2007 created with 60 percent Sangiovese, 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 10 percent Merlot. A full-bodied beauty with red cherry, violet and eucalyptus scents, it has both power and finesse within its layered flavors of cassis, black currant, and dried cherry along with a pleasant earthiness and well-developed, balanced ending. Their delicious San Jacopo il Santo dessert wine and a taste of their Grappa La Prima was an ideal way to finish this marvelous food and wine experience.
 

A review of the Zion Miharmartif and several Port-finished Whiskies.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  April 17, 2013

While we love a bargain wine, every so often it is fun to splurge, especially when the bottle remains drinkable for a long time after the cork has been pulled. This is the domain of the fortified wine, that middle ground between wine and spirit. Some fortified wines, such as Port and Madeira, can provide pleasure for weeks after opening while others retain their flavors only if kept refrigerated. These wines are typically costly to produce and available in limited quantities, hence the generally higher price tag.
 

There is no kosher Madeira, alas, but there is kosher Port. Indeed, in the past we’ve reviewed all of the available, authentic kosher Port. We use the term “authentic” because, of course, true Port comes only from Portugal. Also known as “vinho do porto” or “porto,” the name comes from Oporto, the city in northwest Portugal from which the wine was originally shipped.
 

Port wine is made from various varieties of very foreign-sounding grapes grown in the Douro Valley region of Portugal. There are more than 100 grape varietals officially sanctioned for Port wine production, but the five most typical are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (the local name for Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cao.
 

Port is a typically heavy, rich, sweet, high-alcohol (usually 18-20 percent abv) wine not only due to the type of grapes used, but also because it is fortified – the winemakers add some measure of distilled grape spirits (a local brandy called aguardente) to fortify the wine with an artificially higher alcohol content which, in turn, immediately kills the yeast cells, halting the fermentation process before the grapes’ remaining sugar is converted into alcohol. The wine then gets aged in oak barrels or vats of concrete or stainless steel, depending on style (and eventual price).
 

Port comes in an off-puttingly confusing variety of styles – including “Vintage,” which only comes from the best vintages and requires many years of further maturation in bottle, Tawny, which has spent at least two years in oak barrels, Colheita, LBV (or “late bottle vintage”), Ruby, White – and can also be produced as a semi-dry or even an extra-dry wine, but generally, sweet is what the market and tradition calls for. Whatever the style, Port is usually served at the end of a meal, with dessert or as the dessert.
 

While the Portuguese would undoubtedly prefer that only their wines be called “Port” similarly labeled and similarly styled fortified wines are produced throughout the winemaking world including Australia, U.S., South Africa and Israel.
 

The kosher Zion Miharmartif ($98) is made from of blend of different grape varietals in a Tawny Port style, with some of the constituent varietals seeing up to 32 years of oak aging. Beginning with raisin and nutty aromas, it develops layers of dried apricots, citrus, butterscotch, caramel and almond flavors with nice balance and a long finish. A decadent way to end a meal or to enjoy on a cool spring evening.
 

Spirits-wise, we thought we’d carry on with the Port theme, but in the more familiar realm of whisk(e)y. Here are a few worthy offerings.
 

The Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Angel’s Envy American Whiskey, Kedem Port Barrel Finish Edition (43.3 percent abv; $48), for example, is a wonderful and dangerously easy drinking bourbon whiskey that was finished for six months in barrels that previously held OU certified port-style wine from the Kedem winery in N.Y. While a little different from the initial release of Angel’s Envy that used actual ex-wine barrels from Portugal, rather than kosher port-style wine from N.Y.’s Finger Lakes region, this version is a similarly well-rounded, rich, and almost silky offering with charming sweet berry and sweet citrus notes integrated into the more familiar maple syrup, toffee, and vanilla and all with some distinct if light spicy cinnamon and nutmeg. Truly lovely.
 

The Glenmorangie, “The Quinta Ruban,” 12 Year Old, Port Cask Matured, Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (46 percent abv; $60 – though often found for less) spent its first 10 years in used bourbon barrels and then transferred for a further two years of maturation in used “authentic” Ruby Port wine barrels (large casks known as “Pipes”). This charming, warming whisky offers aromatic notes of dark berries, citrus fruits, dark chocolate, oak, toasted walnuts, a little incense and subtle, yet definite, sweet malt. The sweet, rich almost creamy palate follows the aromas beautifully, upping the sweet malt, citrus and dark fruit content while adding additional flavors of caramel and even a little ginger and pepper that helps prevent it from becoming cloying. The finish is long, velvety and sweet.
 

Or consider the Arran Malt “Port Cask Finish” Single Malt Scotch Whisky (50 percent abv; $80), an intriguing though not entirely balanced no-age statement whisky from the only distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Arran (the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, between Ayr and Kintyre). Opens with a very sweet yet slightly musty and acrid nose, not unlike the momentary smell of a just-lit match, mixed with overripe berries and syrup, the whisky takes time to develop, with a little vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg joining the party, followed by some nuts, more dark fruits (plums, cherries and raspberries) and citrus – a little water really helps here, too. These notes are followed on the palate with additional rich and pleasing fruit and malt, with a touch more spice (ginger and black pepper), and caramel. Ultimately, the finish seems to slightly smother the whisky a bit, but the results are interesting and rewarding, even if not entirely polished. Well worth trying.
 

Then there is the exceptional Balvenie PortWood, 21 year old (40 percent ABV; $190) which was also initially aged in used bourbon barrel and transferred for additional maturation in 30-year-old Port Pipes (the whisky is even better when bought at Duty Free shops as that edition is non chill-filtered and bottled at 47.6 percent abv). With wonderful depth and concentration, this whisky offers elegant and generous aromas of white peach, sultanas, candied fruit, marzipan, cocoa and a whisper of smoke, the whisky presents an enjoyably complex and silky medley of flavors including vanilla, Tupelo honey, oily malted barley, mouth-drying nuttiness, buttered scones, raisins, poached pear, caramel apple, red fruits, anise, cinnamon, cocoa and a distinct yet pleasant wine-cellar mustiness in the background, with a slightly bitter, agreeably graceful finish. This is a marvelously indulgent and rewarding postprandial dram. L’Chaim!

Reviews of the  Alexander Reserve Cabernet Franc 2009 and several Tomintoul Single Malt whiskies.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  April 10, 2013

Cabernet franc is one of the lesser-known grape varietals. Aromatic and with a softer feel than its better-known progeny cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc is usually added to enhance aromas and mellow a wine’s structure without sacrificing its ability to age. Cabernet franc, or “cab franc” as it is often called for short, even plays a prominent role in several of the most exalted Bordeaux wines. Cab franc can be excellent on its own, or as the primary or dominant constituent to a blend, and the resulting wines can range from rustic and austere to rich and balanced.
 

There are several kosher cab francs that meet these latter criteria, including the Alexander Reserve Cabernet Franc 2009. Created from vines planted along the side of Mount Mitzpe in Israel’s Galilee, with just 5 percent of petit verdot blended in, the Alexander Reserve Cab Franc is a delightfully fragrant wine with floral, raspberry and blackberry aromas accented with some spice and tobacco. The flavors that follow include more dark berries and spice along with red cherries, blueberries and plums along with an interestingly pleasant green vegetable component. Consider pairing this with roast chicken, brisket, Italian dishes and other Mediterranean fare.
 

The Alexander Winery is located on Moshav Beit Yitzhak in central Israel’s Hefer Valley. Founded in 1996 in Tel Aviv by owner and winemaker Yoram Shalom, it moved to its current location in 1999 and only became certified-kosher in 2006. Their grapes are sourced from three distinct vineyards in the upper Galilee and their wines are released under the Alexander the Great, Alexander Reserve, and Liza labels.
 

Spirits-wise, with Pesach behind us, we thought we’d return to the Speyside region of Scotland and revisit a relatively youthful producer – the Tomintoul Distillery built in 1964. The distillery is situated in the “Strath” or valley between the Glenlivet Forest and the hills of Cromdale, east of the Avon River – the veritable heart of the Speyside region. Despite the beautiful, lush environs and pure spring water source, the site was not really suited for whisky production until modern transport options made distribution commercially viable. Hence the mid-1960s late start. The distillery was named for the nearby Tomintoul village (population 300 or so).
 

Like nearly all distilleries of the region, Tomintoul was built to produce whisky for blending purposes, and although single malt releases from Tomintoul have been available since 1973, they remained relatively hard to come by until the 1990s. Even still, little was done until 2000 when Angus Dundee Ltd took over and revitalized the place and essentially (re)created the brand. At last word, less than 4 percent of the 3 million liters of whisky produced there annually is destined for single malt release – most still goes to blended whiskies. The distillery’s motto is “The Gentle Dram” and, mostly, this fits the whisky.
 

Angus Dundee Ltd is a London-based independent bottler and whisky blender. It has been around for more than 50 years and exports globally. Its focus is primarily blends, though it has invested heavily in single malts, buying both Tomintoul and also the Glencadam Distillery in the Highlands. Angus Dundee also produces the great, if hard to find, “Mackillop’s Choice” label of independent bottlings, and the seemingly even harder to find “Montgomerie’s” label.
 

The man behind the whisky is Robert Fleming, whose family has been making whisky in the Speyside-Glenlivet region for four generations. He oversees all aspects of production, from still room to maturation and bottling. Tomintoul uses both American and European oak and offers a full range of whiskies, from a no-age statement heavily peated (“Peaty Tang”) malt to a 33-year-old sherry-cask limited edition.
 

One other note of distinction: the whiskies are imported to the U.S. by Medek Wine & Spirits, a division of the Royal Wine Corporation (“Medek” is “Kedem” spelled backwards, a nod and wink to Royal’s original company name and the label of its hugely successful grape juice and kiddush wine brand). Because of Tomintoul’s connection to Royal, it was persuaded in July 2010 to obtain OU kosher certification for several of its single malts (Peaty Tang, and the 10-, 14- and 16-year-old expressions). Also worthy of note, as we mentioned a few weeks ago, Medek was one of those generous companies who very kindly donated to “Rabbi Antine’s 3rd Annual Guys Night Out & Seder Summit” held at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac.
 

Here then are several Tomintoul single malt whiskies to enjoy before and after Passover:
 

Tomintoul Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a Peaty Tang (40 percent abv; $40): With a beautifully pungent, smoky, peaty, earthy nose, this lovely whisky offers additional complex aromas and flavors of toasted oak, copper, pine nut, sweet barley malt, pepper and something slightly floral. Clean, fresh, and full, with a long, slightly hot finish. A delightfully peaty malt whisky.
 

Tomintoul 10-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (40 percent abv; $35) is an excellent, easy-drinking, delicate, aperitif style whisky with a light, floral, malty, toffee nose, with additional notes on the palate of vanilla fudge, apples and lemon, toasted nuts, honey and malt on the finish.
 

Tomintoul 12-year-old Oloroso Sherry Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (40 percent abv; $60) is basically its 10-year-old whisky that has undergone an additional 18 months or so in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. This additional European oak finish has added a more profound, fruitcake note to the bouquet, helping to deepen and enrich the whiskies’ otherwise slightly grassy, malty, toffee aroma, and fill out its body. This more muscular, slightly silkier whisky also has a comparatively spicy and chewy oak note to it, in addition to notes of wild berry, soft honey, malt, toffee, dried fruits and a slight whisper of smoke. A rich, creamy and delicious 12-year-old whisky.
 

Tomintoul 14-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (46 percent abv; $70): This charming, light, subtle yet vibrant whisky offers aromas and flavors of citrus fruits, vanilla, cream, sweet malted barley, various types of honey, spices, and fudge, with a light, elegant, slightly grassy finish. Very hard to put down.
 

Tomintoul 16-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (40 percent abv; $50): This excellent, medium-bodied, gentle and sophisticated whisky offers lovely aromas and flavors of hay, marzipan, espresso, vanilla fudge, cream, dried fruit, a very subtle hint of anise, toffee, pepper and honey, and with remarkable yet improbable hints of mint. Wonderful and a real bargain for the price.
 

L’Chaim!

Reviews of several Petite Sirah wines from California.

By Lou Marmon

Gazette Newspapers  April 10, 2013

 
 
Petite Sirah has seen dramatic changes since our last look at this underappreciated varietal several years ago. Its classic dark berry and cherry flavors accented with mild peppery spiciness make it easy to praise as an ideal wine for grilled foods and hearty winter fare. But for many years Petite Sirah was either relegated to a blending role or, if bottled solo, required at least an hour of aeration before consuming to allow the wine to become enjoyable.
 

The latest releases of Petite Sirah show a considerable refinement in structure and approachability. The enticing flavor profile remains intact and, in many cases, has expanded. The majority of the current offerings lack the imposing harshness that necessitated decanting or a long wait in the glass and these former issues have been controlled without sacrificing the varietal’s bold nature. Those that have maintained the older, more rustic format open sooner than their predecessors. And since Petite Sirah remains somewhat undiscovered, many remain a reasonably priced, good value wine.
 

Petite Sirah (or Petite Syrah) is actually a French grape called “Durif” that is a product of crossing Syrah and Peloursin. It was first planted in California in the 1800s and quickly became important as a blending grape to supplement structure and flavors. It fell into disfavor as other red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon became popular, and by the mid-1970s only a few wineries still bottled a single varietal Petite Sirah. Some winemakers continued to wave the Petite Sirah flag and the ensuing years saw a slowly growing rebirth of interest. There are now more than 800 California wineries creating Petite Sirah with some so popular that they are only available via a limited mailing list.
 

Nearly every one of the more than 50 Petite Sirahs tasted for this column were appealingly flavorful, well-made wines with good balance and structure. Their overall quality suggests that it might be difficult to find a badly made California Petite Sirah. Some might require a bit of aeration, while others will open immediately in the glass. But they are certainly worth trying especially for those looking to expand beyond Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel. Space does not permit recommendations for all the deserving wines so feel free to try some random selections. It is unlikely that you will be disappointed.
 

Concannon was the first to release a single varietal Petite Sirah in 1964, and they have remained at the forefront of Petite Sirah producers. The Concannon Central Coast Selected Vineyards 2009 ($10) is a great value with its dark berry, mineral and earthy flavors while their deliciously deep, award-winning Concannon Polo Field Vineyard Reserve Petite Sirah 2008 ($36) has dark fruit, blueberry, roasted meat and earthy notes accented with minerals and spice.
 

Other value-priced offerings include the Line 39 North Coast Petite Sirah 2010 ($10) that shows some anise, herbal and red fruit flavors on dark berry frame and the Bogle Petite Sirah 2010 ($11) with chocolate, cranberry and berries lasting throughout the finish. The Crusher Grower’s Selection Petite Sirah 2010 ($14) is also very good with jammy blueberry, coffee and smoked meat flavors along with some hints of citrus and vanilla.
 

The Girard Petite Sirah 2010 ($28) is a fine example of the softer side of Petite Sirah. It opens with jammy black and blueberry aromas and flavors that continue into a bacon-, pepper- and spice-laden, satisfying finish.
 

Others producers worth exploring include Biale, Gustafson, Artezin, Barra (try the Port-style Petite Sirah), Foppiano, Stanton, Etude, Madrigal, Rosenblum’s Rockpile Road, Pedroncelli, Grgich Hills, Etude, McCay and Field Stone (including the Petite Sirah Rose).
 

A review of the Tulip Syrah Reserve 2010 and several recommendations for Passover libations.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  March 28, 2013

All Jewish holidays, outside of fast days, entail big, festive meals. Passover is, in many respects, the ultimate example of this, despite having a more restricted diet. Not only must we eat matzah and maror at the seder meals, but we must eat matzah and refrain from all chametz (leavened grain products) throughout the holiday. Further, not only must each of us consume four cups of wine at each seder, which, depending on the number of guests, can make for a lot of bottles, but we are encouraged to keep the wine flowing as an expression of our freedom and joy. Besides, with our adult beverage options severely limited by type, with all grained-based spirits and beer unequivocally off limits, the importance of having enough wine on hand takes on yet another level of importance. So drink up (in moderation, of course).
 

Nearly all kosher wine is also kosher for Passover, but should you have any doubts look at the kashrut certification on the back or front label. You’ll find either a “P” near the kashrut symbol, or a declarative “Kosher for Passover” printed in English or Hebrew or both.
 

As most every kosher wine consumer knows – even if this is the first time you’ve seen our column – there are hundreds of kosher wine options available today. So deciding what to choose, or even how to choose, may seem daunting to some. So many choices, so little time – alas, we feel your pain.
 

Indeed, our empathy, you’ll not be surprised to learn, led instantly to a wine recommendation. One of our favorite Israeli boutique wineries is the Tulip Winery in Kfar Tikva, near Kiryat Tivon in the north of Israel. Recommending their wines is easy not only because they are good, but because the Tulip Winery is doing good, too.
 

Roy Yitzhaki, Tulip’s owner, has a robust moral vision that is actually an essential part of the winery. He employs a contingent of workers from Kfar Tikvah, a unique community that is home to 200 emotionally and developmentally disabled adults aged 20 to 74. When Tulip first decided to go kosher, however, their community work with the residents of Kfar Tikvah raised some rabbinic concerns.
 

Nonreligious employees always pose a certain basic level of concern in any kosher winery. It’s nothing insurmountable if the desire to go kosher is strong enough, but it certainly requires training, policies and protocols and often newer winery technology to better control human contact with the grape juice and the wine. The additional “special needs” dimension required additional attention and sensitivity to developing the most appropriate and workable kashrut supervision arrangements and understandings.
 

Most of the kashrut agencies Yitzhaki initially approached failed to figure out how to make it all work out. Rather than shift in any way on his commitment to the residents of Kfar Tikvah, Yitzhaki said he’d rather be closed out of the kosher market. To be clear, going kosher is a real necessity for commercial growth in the Israeli wine industry.
 

Around 94 percent of the Israeli wine trade is dominated by the 10 largest producers, all kosher. The next 10 largest are also all kosher. Indeed, to not be kosher certified is to be denied access to Israeli supermarkets, most Israeli hotels and caterers, and export is extremely limited – the demand for nonkosher wine from the Jewish state is, shall we say, not economically all that significant. The decision to not go kosher is a decision to remain a relatively small wine producer.
 

Fortunately for all concerned, the U.S.-based OK Kosher Certification group developed a workable approach – one which involved some shifting of employee roles, and, most dramatic, a separation of the winery’s visitor center from the winery itself. In this way, Tulip became kosher certified starting with the 2010 vintage without its having to sacrifice anything. The separation of the visitor center from the winery production area also enables the center, one of Yitzhaki’s stipulations, to continue to stay open on Shabbos to sell wines and offer tastings.
 

Tulip Syrah Reserve 2010 ($40): a big, full-bodied red with red cherry and cedar aromas along with loads of bright, peppery, spicy-sweet raspberry and blueberry flavors. It is an ideal accompaniment to the leftover brisket.
 

Spirits-wise, as promised, we continue with kosher for Passover options. Since fruit based spirits is the largest category, and so offers more options than simply another kosher for Passover certified vodka, we thought we’d explore some fortified wine and cognac options.
 

Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (15 percent abv; $24; comes in a nonkosher version, too, so make sure to check for the kosher certification): is a bone-dry fortified wine, offering a pleasing mix of flavors including almonds, walnuts, fruits, fresh olive oil, salty crackers and Granny Smith apples. It has a lovely long and smooth finish that is dry, refreshing, a little tangy, and a tad herbaceous. Not for all tastes, but excellent and pleasurable; should be drunk young and well-chilled.
 

Porto Cordovero, Fine Ruby Port (20 percent abv; $35): Dark garnet in color, looking not unlike a deep dark Manischewitz, with overripe, almost stewed though pleasant aromas, fading tannins and some balancing acidity, with notes of prunes, dark fruit compote and lovely vanilla followed by a generous cinnamon- and nutmeg-accented finish. Showing its age a little, but still pleasant.
 

Quevedo Ruby Port (19.5 percent abv; $24; comes in a nonkosher version too, so make sure to check for the kosher certification): This vibrant, fresh, very fruity Ruby Port offers great balance between acidity and fruit, with jammy flavors of black currant, cherry, raspberry, and also vanilla and mocha, with lovely aromatics of flowers, blueberry and hazelnut. Gets better as it breathes. Full bodied, full flavored and easily the best quality, and best value, kosher Ruby Port.
 

Dupuy XO Cognac (40 percent abv; $85; comes in a nonkosher version, too, so make sure to check for the kosher certification): This smooth and aromatic cognac spent more than a dozen years maturing in Limousin French oak casks and showcases generous notes of vanilla and cinnamon, with a good and balanced mid-palate offering dried fruits and additional notes of walnuts, dates and almonds, all leading up to an enjoyable and involved if slightly clipped finish. L’Chaim!
 

A review of the Dalton Zinfandel 2010 and some suggestions for Passover libations.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  March 20, 2013

Though the Passover seder has firmly established millennia old rules, rituals and traditions – the very word “seder” means “order” or “arrangement” – after all, the Jewish way is to conduct the night’s proceedings with highly personalized, family specific, customs and practices. This is especially true for the menu, which may run the gamut from cherished family recipes, to the latest cookbook concoctions, to professional catering, to potluck. Invariably one of the most traditional foods – at least among Ashkenazi Jews, is beef brisket. This, alone, seems subject to countless variations.
 

Finding a wine to pair with any particular brisket recipe can be tricky, since the particular spices, sauce or preparation may very well overwhelm certain delicate wine aromas and flavors. Yet, some wines lend themselves to this sort of challenge. A good choice to consider is a bold and fruity Zinfandel with mild tannins and plenty of spice, like the nonmevushal, Israeli Dalton Zinfandel 2010, from vineyards among the Galilean foothills of Mount Meron. Also containing 13 percent Petite Sirah, this medium-bodied effort begins with currant and red berry aromas that are joined by black plum, raspberry, clove, cinnamon and vanilla oak accents. The balanced acidity, soft tannins and lengthy finish accented with hints of earth and leather make this an excellent choice for the seder.
 

Spirits-wise, it’s time for us to consider some kosher for Passover options – but first, it behooves us to highlight a local event that took place this past Sunday at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac.
 

The event, billed as “Rabbi Antine’s 3rd Annual Guys Night Out & Seder Summit”, not only brought 350 men from across the Jewish communal spectrum, and from all around the Greater Washington area (and beyond), for some pre-Passover learning and socializing – but it also featured a tasting of more than 20 different whiskies (most of which we’ve favorably reviewed in this space before, and the rest of which we’ll review sometime after Pesach), and some awesome barbecue beef ribs and fried chicken. The event was, from our perspective, a huge success and great fun.
 

So as not to needlessly tease any who did not make it to the event this year, we’ll not list all of the whiskies here – but a special shout out to the whisky companies for their generosity and appreciation seems most appropriate (in alphabetical order of the parent companies that donated all this fine hooch). To: Christina from Beam, Inc., Robin from Campari America, Edward of Castle Brands Inc., Scott from the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Ewan from Diageo North America PLC, Jason from the Jewish Whisky Company, Shlomo from Medek Wine & Spirits, and last, but certainly not least, David from Moet Hennessy USA. Thank you all very, very much for helping to make this event terrific fun!
 

OK, so now for some kosher for Passover spirits. As we’ve noted before, there are some truly fine certified kosher-for-Passover spirits available these days and, as we’ve also noted before, nongrain-based spirits cannot and should not be presumed to be acceptable as kosher for Passover just because they claim to be 100 percent fruit- or vegetable-based.
 

After all, this biblically mandated holiday only lasts eight days for us, so proper kosher-for-Passover certification really isn’t a huge burden. More to the point, given the many industry accepted unlabeled processes that actually involve chametz, it really is generally necessary to be certain your tipple is fit for a kosher Passover home or table. It isn’t a matter of money for kashrus agencies, but really a matter of understanding how food science complicates what otherwise seems simple.
 

For example, it is often thought that any 100-percent potato vodka should automatically be acceptable for Passover, since potato is not a grain. While potato vodka is a good candidate for being made kosher for Passover, for that to happen, the distiller would have to use only a kosher-for-Passover source for amylase, the enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch into sugar for fermentation. This is very often done with small amounts of malted barley, which is most definitely chametz, as an essential and normative part of the process, the resulting spirit cannot be said to be fully acceptable. Not to mention the equipment in most distilleries is used for lots of different spirits which nearly always involve definite chametz. So at a minimum, before buying whatever it is you think would be acceptable without certification, we strongly recommend checking with your friendly neighborhood, or preferred, kashrut authority or rabbi.
 

Without further ado, here are some great options to imbibe this Passover or year-round (we’ll review a few more options next week, too):
 

No. 209 Kosher for Passover Gin (40 percent abv; $40): Smooth, fragrant and tasty with traditional notes of juniper berry and citrus fruit, an herbal element lurks in the depths, and with a pleasing dollop of spice (like coriander and allspice), and a subtle undercurrent of sweetness. Complex and delicious. No. 209 Kosher for Passover Vodka (40 percent abv; $30): This is basically the gin without the herbs, spices and botanicals for added flavor. It is a clean, burn-free, faultless neutral spirit distilled from sugar cane. It is great vodka, and like all quality vodka is notable mostly for the subtleties of its otherwise tasteless and odorless delivery. A solid choice.
 

Zachlawi Vodka (40 percent abv; $35): This explicitly Russian-styled vodka is crisp, refined, faultless, and delivers nicely. Another winning choice. Los Arango 100% Agave Reposado Tequila (40 percent abv; $45+): Named for Pancho Villa, this lovely silver tequila is complex, smooth and creamy, with aromas and flavors of green vegetables, brine, chili peppers, and with slightly sweet notes on the mid-palate. Very nice.
 

Clear Creek Distillery Kirschwasser (40 percent abv; $30; 375ml bottle): Made from a mash of pure Oregon and Washington cherries, this artisanal, German-styled, brilliantly made Kirsch is just off-dry, creamy, complex, delicate and really lovely, with subtle but distinct notes of under-ripe cherry, vanilla and marzipan. A wonderful, refined digestif! Perhaps no Passover would be complete with Slivovitz. While the old rot-gut varieties are still out there, two lovely, refined options to consider are:
 

Clear Creek Distillery Slivovitz Blue Plum Brandy (40 percent abv; $30; 375ml bottle): made from Oregon grown Italian blue plums, this smooth, slightly off-dry, complex brandy offers notes of fresh, sweet, ripe plums and a little distinct pepperiness, with an absorbing, warm finish.
 

Mosby Kosher Plum Brandy Slivovitz (43.3 percent abv; $55): Made in California from locally sourced plums, this potent, deeply flavorful Slivovitz seems closer in kinship to the more traditional Eastern European brands, but oh, so much better! With heady aromas of pure plum, and more subtle notes of vanilla pudding, marzipan, overripe melon, and a little pepperiness to tickle the palate, this Slivovitz is fruity, floral, medium-to-full bodied and surprisingly complex. The finish is a tad hot, but satisfyingly so. L’Chaim!
 

A review of the Barkan “Reichan” Assemblage Galil 2010 and Tullamore Dew Blended Irish Whiskey.

By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  March 12, 2013

One of the facets of wine culture that has contributed mightily to its more negative reputation for effete, snobby, high-brow insularity is the wine world’s propensity for invoking foreign words and phrases. If a culprit must be found, blame France. For, like it or not, the one nation most associated with wine is France. French wine continues to dominate the fine wine market and remains the benchmark for quality. Hence we have the French words, phrases, concepts and poses endemic to wine including such terms as bouquet, brut, cuvee and domaine.
 

Another is “assemblage,” or the “art of blending.” It is also the name of a line of high-end blended wines from Israel’s Barkan Winery. Barkan’s Assemblage series are three wines created by blending grapes from nearby vineyards to showcase the uniqueness of specific grape-growing locations within Israel. Both a testimony to terroir – French again, alas – and the ingenuity of their winemaking team, the Assemblage wines are created to be approachable and food-friendly.
 

The Barkan “Reichan” Assemblage Galil 2010 is a blend of 67 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot and 13 percent Syrah grown in the upper Galilee near Har Reichan. Each base wine is separately barrel-aged before blending. It opens with black cherry and plum aromas that have a hint of smokiness and then progresses smoothly into bright red cherry, cassis and blackberry flavors with accents of mocha, spice, and minerals. This well-made, balanced beauty would be a great choice for your Passover seder, or can be enjoyed over the next several years.
 

Spirits-wise, with Passover rapidly approaching, we thought we’d cling to our chametz – the leavened foods that are forbidden to even own, much less consume, over the Passover period – just a little bit longer. Next week we’ll cover kosher-for-Passover spirit options, but for now, consider Tullamore Dew, a blended whiskey from Ireland.
 

The origins of Tullamore Irish whiskey can be traced back to 1829 when the Tullamore Distillery was founded by Michael Molloy in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. It enjoyed a solid reputation, and did very well.
 

In the 1880s, Daniel Edmond Williams became general manager. He had a genius for whiskey, and began a series of improvements to the distillery: electricity, telephone service, new construction for warehousing and a bottling facility, and he created the Tullamore Dew brand, which quickly became the distillery’s signature brand. By 1886 the company was a massive distilling operation, employing 100 people and producing 270,000 gallons of pure triple distilled pot still whiskey.
 

The B. Daly Distillery (Tullamore) was very successful basically from its founding, until the 20th century, where it fared no better than any other in Ireland when the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921, though violence continued in Northern Ireland) ruined the domestic market, just as U.S. Prohibition (1919-1933) removed a major export market. The Irish whiskey industry suffered even more due to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923) and the loss of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth markets (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the Caribbean and Far East). The global economic downturn, of course, didn’t help either, and then World War II more or less pushed Irish whiskey into economic oblivion. The B. Daly Distillery survived, but hardly prospered.
 

In 1947, Desmond E. Williams, grandson of Daniel, created the Irish Mist Irish Whiskey Liqueur, which proved highly successful, and then released Ireland’s first blended whiskey brand, in hopes of capitalizing on the success of Scotch blended whisky, called “Tullamore Dew Blended Whiskey.” Despite the popularity of these new products, the business faltered and ceased distilling in 1954, closed entirely in 1959, stopped selling diminishing stocks of whiskey in 1963, and sold the brand in 1965.
 

This was a common fate in Irish whiskey where just four functioning distilleries remain.
 

Thus, all Irish whiskeys are produced at one or more of these four distilleries. There are lots of different styles, and lots of floating whiskey brands (which are made to order by one of these four) that are owned and marketed by others. This includes Tullamore Dew which, as of 2010, was owned by Scottish family company William Grant & Sons (of Glenfiddich and Balvenie fame).
 

By 2009 the floating “Tullamore Dew” brand became the second most popular Irish whiskey in the world (behind Jameson’s), and remains the fastest growing Irish whiskey brand globally – despite not being properly tended to or invested in by its then owners, the C&C Group plc. William Grant & Sons are thankfully investing heavily in the brand (including a new $50 million visitors center) and focusing a fair amount of energy on the U.S. market (they’ve rebranded “Tullamore Dew” as “Tullamore D.E.W.”). They have also announced plans for a new distillery to be built in the town of Tullamore, County Offaly, in Ireland’s midlands. That is, they plan to make the Tullamore Dew brand once again a proper distillery-identified Irish whiskey back in the place of its creation. Leave it to the Scots to bring a little more authenticity back to Ireland. Kudos to William Grant & Sons!
 

Tullamore Dew is deemed “Kosher approved-parev” (neither meat nor dairy) by the Kashruth Authority of the London Beth Din (KLBD) – meaning that while not certified kosher, it has nonetheless been officially approved for consumption. While here in the United States opinions seem split: the highly respected Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) lists Tullamore Dew as “Not Recommended” though no reason is given, while the also highly respected Star-K of Baltimore considers it “approved” in its most recent liquor list. Whatever – we hold by the London Beth Din.
 

Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey (40 percent abv; $24): this well-made, light, medium-sweet, slightly hot finishing, subtle blend offers fruit (apples and pears) and citrus notes (lemons and oranges), vanilla, honey, a little oak, light floral aromas, with characteristic Irish whiskey oiliness and a final, gently drying, kiss of sweet chocolate and fruit (peaches?) on the fairly hot finish. Light and uncomplicated, but very enjoyable and (oh so) easy to drink. L’Chaim!