Clifton—Shopper’s Vineyard, located at 875 Bloomfield Avenue in Clifton, is known for its wide variety and deep discounts. Though only 10 percent of the store’s wines are kosher, the selection is vast as the store is as large as an average Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods supermarket. Every major kosher label on the market is present with multiple bottles in each product line, as well as many new, different and offbeat choices for wines and spirits, from all over the globe. Most of the wines Shopper’s Vineyard sells are below $25.
Jerry Hampel, who is well known to many kosher wine buyers in Bergen County, used to manage the kosher wine selections at Wine Country in Bergenfield and Queen Anne Wines & Spirits Emporium. He is now getting to know the Passaic and Clifton community and working with Brian Cook at Shopper’s Vineyard, bringing his razor-sharp memory, sensitivity to Jewish calendar practices and preferences, and supportive recommendations to both new and seasoned wine buyers. “I am really enjoying working here because I can give people great values for these wines,” he said. “I can meet you here [in the kosher aisles] and walk with you to the cash register and work with customers. If I see you are buying a case of wine, I can work with you on the price.” Hampel added the store generally offers 20 percent off on all case purchases, including mixed cases.
Getting right to it, Hampel spoke of his interest in recommending wines to kosher consumers in time for red wine’s biggest night of the year, the Pesach seder. With a large array of choices, Hampel chose to stay on the more affordable end of options this year, sharing six recommendations that would be solid, even impressive choices for the seder table. At prices as low as $8.99 and only as high as $42.99, the special thing about Hampel is he can recommend a great wine for whatever price his customer wants to pay.
A great wine at a shockingly low price is Barkan Classic Merlot Argaman 2014, which is being sold at Shopper’s Vineyard for $8.99. This is a big fruit wine with strong oak flavor but also with smoothness that is uncommon for the cost. Argaman is a unique Israeli varietal, and Barkan combines it beautifully with the Merlot, bringing intense depth and a punch of robust flavor. “This is a great glass of wine,” Hampel said.
Also noteworthy is the Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot 2012, at $12.99. “This is one of my favorites in this range. Petit Verdot is a lighter grape with great aroma. It softens the Cabernet a lot. It’s also a French Bordeaux grape. At this price anyone can buy this and enjoy it,’’ he said.
For California wine lovers, Hampel recommended the Herzog 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Camouflage 2014. It’s a special bottle celebrating 30 years of Herzog’s success making wines in California. “At about $20, it’s a great price for this red wine blend. They use Cabernet, Merlot and a couple of others. It’s pretty subtle, easy drinking. Big fruit,” said Hampel.
A special wine this year is Kadesh Barnea Midbar Adom 2009. At $25.99, the Midbar Adom is also a blend. Kadesh Barnea exclusively makes desert wines. “Desert wines are different because there is intensely cool evening and hot, hot sun. They have drip irrigation, they don’t desalinate. You can’t put too much salt back into the soil because it will harm the grape. You get much more fruit [flavor] because of the hot sun. You need 120 days over a certain temperature to mature wine in these regions,” said Hampel. The wine is matured 14 months in French oak barrels, rendering full-bodied flavors of black plum, fig and tobacco.
A treat wine is Gush Etzion Winery Lone Oak 2011 Cabernet Franc Judean Hills, at $34.99. This high-altitude Cabernet Franc has aromas of ripe berry framed by white and black pepper and just a hint of oak. The palate is firmly structured, showing dark fruit, licorice and well-balanced acidity. “This is a great wine if you want to support Israel and the disputed territories,” Hampel said.
For those who really like to spend for an impressive seder wine, Covenant Red C Cabernet 2013, $42.99, is Hampel’s choice. “This is definitely a ‘treat yourself’ type wine. Red C is about half the price of the high-end Covenant red… This wine spends a lot of time in an oak barrel. Especially the regular Covenant. That is better to put down; don’t drink that right away. It’s such a big wine, whereas the Red C is a lot more approachable. If you really want to treat yourself and open it right away, Red C is the way to go.”
Learn more about Shopper’s Vineyard and view everything online at http://www.shoppersvineyard.com. Call Jerry Hampel at (973) 916-0707, or visit him at 875 Bloomfield Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07012.
By Elizabeth Kratz
