Kosher Wine for Shavuot

This year at Shavuot, anticipating some serious dairy and the inevitable cheesecake I wanted to lighten things up with our kosher wine selections.  Let’s face it, if you’re going to be up late learning you probably don’t want to be staring across the table at a bottle of Cabernet.  So let’s throw our pretensions aside and enjoy a few “ready to drink right now” wines that are fun and easy to approach.

2013 Or Haganuz Amuka Rose (Israel); $20. Or Haganuz winery was founded in 2005 at the foot of Mount Meron.  A blend of Cabernet Franc (25%), Merlot (25%), Shiraz (25%) and Mourvedre (25%), this semi-dry rosé wine from the northern Galilee was blended from grapes from the Naburia plot in Amuka Vineyard.

2012 Goose Bay Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand); $16.  Using grapes harvested in New Zealand’s South Island, this wine is a perennial crowd pleaser. The long, cool growing season and clay loam soils have contributed incredible citrus fruit flavors and a crisp texture to this wine. Serve alongside fish, cheeses, and freshly baked breads.

2013 Carmel Selected Riesling/Chenin Blanc (Israel); $10.
Semi sweet, tropical fruity flavors, and a cool, clean finish.  Easy on the pocketbook and to drink!  (If sweeter is not your thing, it works well for Sangria too)

2009 Terra di Setta Chianti Classico (Italy); $18.
Perfect accompaniment for pasta, pizza and most any Italian dishes, this ruby red wine is produced from grapes grown on a hill with a breathtaking view of Tuscany. A blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is smooth and elegant with a rich and fruity bouquet of cherries, wild berries and violet.  Did you know that Terra di Setta is the only fully kosher winery in Tuscany?

Have a happy Shavuot, what wine will you be drinking?