By Rachel Montefiore Nataf
Spring is upon us, summer time is upon us, we are all busy with Pesach cleaning and renewal in preparation for the holiday eve.
And like every year, there is the constant debate: Where to have the holiday? The bride's side or the groom's side. Who makes the salads? The main courses? And what about the dessert? Let's not forget.
The moment you finally sit down around the Seder table, there is a sigh of relief and a feeling of satiety;
The table is set, all the food is ready, and the Haggadah is ready and waiting.
All nights you don't drink even one glass, but this night, you will drink no less than four glasses of wine;
Did we mention the wine festival?
Is the decision about which wine you will pour "this night" pushed to the end of the list for you too?
Do you also pick up the first bottle you come across on your way to the checkout at the supermarket?
We at Vitkin Winery offer you the perfect opportunity to diversify, to drink four different types of wine, which will make your reading of the legend more enjoyable and compliment the dishes on the table.
Here are some top recommendations from our staff:
Assaf Paz– Chief Winemaker Recommend Carignan mature vines, with a purple-black and opaque color, powerful, elegant and deep, displaying an impressive spectrum of aromas typical of the Carignan variety, with black plum, pomegranate concentrate, wild raspberry, floral and slightly earthy in the taste. It has an intense structure, rich and balanced, deep and has a supportive freshness. Assaf will match the wine with the main course that is always on his holiday table, lamb shank with garlic, olive oil and rosemary.
Sharona Paz-Belogolovsky– The director – Recommends The Pink Israeli Journey Ours, the wine has aromas of fresh red strawberries, pleasant grassiness and slightly floral notes typical of the Grenache variety. In the mouth it displays freshness and sharpness with clean, sharp and well-defined fruit flavors. Sharona will sip the wine before the start of the meal to whet the appetite and of course alongside light appetizers and of course kosher for Passover.
Elihai Kruger - Chef and Kitchen Manager - Recommend The white wine, a fascinating and exciting white wine, fermented in French oak barrels for several months and aged in the bottle for at least 3 more years to achieve a powerful flavor and harmonious balance. At Elihai's house, drink the wine alongside a dish of oven-baked sea bream in a za'atar yogurt sauce.
Yossi Rokach - Production Floor Manager and Kashrut Supervisor Ours – recommends Roots Friday 2016 The wine is produced only in special vintage years, in a limited edition. The vintage years are indicated in Hebrew letters and each edition is dedicated to one of the family's roots. The wine has a sharp, mineral and earthy freshness. In taste, it exhibits pronounced fruitiness and a slight floral background. The finish is rich, elegant and persistent. Aging for over two years in new French oak barrels added depth, complexity and intensity of flavors to the wine. Yossi plans to savor the wine alongside a juicy entrecote steak, so simple and so good.
Nahora Farhan - Visitor Center Manager– Recommends "insight" A rare white wine made from the Macabo grape variety, a rich and elegant wine – fermented in a single oak barrel. Wind regime, relative dryness, chilly nights and scorching sunny days have grown grapes rich in aromas of white fruits, citrus and jasmine flowers and elegant, almost mineral flavors, with a long and delightful finish. Nahora is waiting to drink the wine alongside an appetizer of white fish sashimi in a citrus sauce and a little hot pepper that will not bore the palate.
I, Rachel Montefiore - Marketing Manager– Recommends Pinot Noir– A delicate yet powerful wine, with fresh aromas and flavors of red fruits alongside an intoxicating earthiness, all characteristics theThe Pinot Noir variety that we love so much. I chose to drink the wine alongside a dish of oven-roasted chicken with potatoes filled with olive oil and rosemary, don't forget the coarse salt.
Chen Elshar - Operations and Logistics Manager– Recommends Red Israeli Journey, a brilliant purple wine with aromas of fresh red and black fruit, violets, pepper, a touch of vanilla and Mediterranean herbs. This is a wine with vital freshness and good complexity. A balanced medium body and a pleasant fruity finish, the Carignan contributes to the wine's intense color and rich fruit, the Syrah to the fruitiness and florality and the Cabernet Franc to the spicy black fruit as well as the body and structure. Chen will drink the wine throughout the meal because in his words "it is the perfect gastronomic wine" and recommends cooling the wine slightly before pouring.
It doesn't really matter which wine you choose to drink on holiday eve, the main thing is that you choose blue and white wine. And above all, the fact that your family is sitting around the table is the real victory.
We hope that all the kidnapped will return to us as soon as possible and that all families will enjoy a holiday filled not only with wine but also with complete peace and joy.
