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Jewish Community News
News: March 2007
Pesach & Wine: what to drink with your meal
By Ernie Weir, owner and winemaker of Hagafen Cellars
Whether Ashkenazi or Sephardic, there are certain dishes you just cannot avoid when it comes to seders. Fittingly enough given the holiday, I’ve broken the meal down into four different courses. The suggestions below don’t cover every possible idea, but they do try to give you some hints for why certain styles of wine pair well with certain kinds of foods. L’Chaim!
Starters: Chicken soup with Matzoh Balls, Gefilte Fish
Let’s face it: both of these dishes, no matter how well made, are
a bit heavy on the tongue. You need a wine to cut across that richness,
and Sauvignon Blanc is just perfect for that. For those looking for a
less acidic wine, try unoaked Chardonnays; most will have about half the
acidity of a Sauvignon Blanc, but there will still be plenty of bright
fruit.
Sides: Potato Knishes, Green Salads, Savory Kugels, Cooked
Green Vegetables
Green vegetables and salads need a wine that can match their “vegginess.”
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, or a bone dry Chenin Blanc would be the way
to go because of the faint veggie character of each. For the savory sides,
try Pinot Noir or Merlot—the earthiness in these wines will pair
well with just about anything.
Mains: Savory Matzoh dishes, Roasted or Braised Lamb or
Brisket, Baked Fish
For lighter main dishes like fish—especially salmon--try a Pinot
Noir because of the delicacy of the varietal; for more robust main courses,
you cannot go wrong with a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Zinfandel. The
big fruits of these varietals always work well with meat, adding depth
and layers of flavor to the dishes.
Desserts: Honey or fruit-based dishes, macaroons, Sweet
Kugels
The sweet dishes of the seder need wines of equal or great sweetness to
them to really work well with dessert. Try sweet Rieslings, late harvest
Chardonnays, Semillons, and Zinfandels, or ice wine. The acids in each
of these plus the sweetness make for a light-on-the-palate ending to the
meal.
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