Despite the surprise snowstorm on Saturday, January 7, the sisterhood of Congregation Ahavath Torah drew over one hundred people to “An Evening of Wine and Whiskey.” Wine, whiskey, vodka and cordials were presented for tasting by Wine Country Stores, with several winemakers and distillers on hand to explain the finer points of their craft.
Scott Maybaum, owner of Wine Country Stores at 89 New Bridge Road, Bergenfield, said the evening was a chance for people to “taste and explore.” Consumers who appreciate wine, and those who wanted to learn more, could choose from over 150 wines and 40 spirits, including oat and rye whiskeys, which Maybaum said are becoming very popular. “It was a treat for people to have so many at one time to compare, to look for nuances and appreciate quality,” he said.
Asked if he could spot any trends from what people were sipping and buying, Maybaum said there was a lot of interest in Israeli wines. “Israel produces outstanding wines. Cabernet, in particular, from Israel is very high quality. Israel can compete against the best in the world.”
Beth Lipschitz, co-president of the sisterhood, said the event was “highly successful. It was well attended and everyone enjoyed. And Wine Country did a great job!”
Maybaum and Kim Renta, a wine writer and blogger for the company, gave The Jewish Link a virtual tour through the tables.
Renta described two very fine wines from Dalton Winery. The first, Dalton Estate Zinfandel, has the distinction of being the only Israeli-grown Zinfandel wine. The Dalton Reserve Shiraz is slightly peppery, with an incredibly smooth buttery finish.
Another wine worth trying, she says, is Gros Family Winery’s Onyx—a fabulous, organically grown Cabernet from Israel, a big bold red that would be the perfect accompaniment to hearty beef dishes and cold winter nights.
In the 2016 Wine Enthusiast list of the top 100 wines in the world, only two kosher wines made the cut: Galil Mountain Yiron was one of them. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Upper Galilee, the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months and features flavors of vanilla and toasted oak, with even a hint of butter in the finish.
For a different taste, Renta sampled an Italian wine; Terra di Seta Assai Chianti Classico is a 100 percent Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels. Intense, fruity and spicy, with a slightly balsamic nose. It is a wine that definitely benefits from aerating before drinking, she warns.
Maybaum said there are several good, well-priced wines from Spain. In the top category, people are talking about Clos Mesorah, a rich line with a distinctive purple label. Renta liked a Syrah-based rosé—very fruity, with a refreshing pleasant taste. She can’t wait for summer to give this one another try while sitting by the pool.
Both highly recommend Alexander the Great Cabernet, aged in French and American oak barrels, with a distinctive hint of smokiness and amazing depth of flavors. Renta said it was one of the best wines they sampled at the event.
The top kosher wineries were well represented, and Renta singled out a few, including Cumulus from Matar (noteworthy), Namura French Blend from Or Haganuz, Vision Semi Dry White from Teperberg (a great-value white), Cabernet Single Vineyard from Psagot (one of the best sips of the night) and Tabor Adama Sufa Storm (fabulous for the price).
There were three tables of spirits. Renta singled out Prohibition Distillery, calling it one of the best of the micro-distilleries popping up all around, producers of Bootlegger brand vodka, gin and bourbon. The handmade vodka is distilled six times, and unlike many other luxury vodkas, contains no glycerin. She said you can actually feel the difference when you put a drop or two on your hands. The taste? Ultra-smooth, without that burning sensation you sometimes get with vodka. Maybaum noted that Prohibition’s owner was there, explaining in layman’s terms the differences in his products, and people were listening very closely to what he said.
Koval, named one of Whiskey Advocate’s “Top 10 Most Influential Craft Whiskey Makers,” is owned by a Jewish husband-and-wife team from Chicago. Renta loves their organic Koval Dry and Barreled Gin; she says both are crisp enough to enjoy straight up, and perfect for cocktails. Plus, the bottles are pretty enough to repurpose when the gin is gone. Maybaum loves a Koval fruit-flavored brandy. “Just drink neat or with ice,” he recommends.
A stop at the Lost Distillery Company’s table had Maybaum and Renta sampling Gerston Classic Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Gersten Vintage Blended Malt Whisky. The Classic Gerston had great flavors of ripe fruit, toffee, malt and spice, they note. The Vintage Gerston was exceptional—a true whiskey-lover’s kind of whiskey, whether with a splash of water or sipped neat.
From Scotland to Ireland, their next sample was of 12-year-old Knappogue Castle Single Malt Irish Whiskey. This whiskey is triple-distilled one batch at a time in traditional, onion-shaped copper pot stills, and then aged in bourbon oak casks for 12 years.
For dessert there was an assortment of cordials from Heaven’s Artisan. Renta’s favorite: Dark Chocolate, “which was thick and syrupy and as good in a glass as it would be over ice cream. In a word…heavenly!”
Lipschitz said prices at the event are in effect until January 21 when ordered through Ahavath Torah. Forms can be obtained by contacting Lipschitz at [email protected].
By Bracha Schwartz
