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December 7, 2001
Chanukah Issue
Grapes of different hue
Should latkes be eaten with a red or a white wine?
STAN TAVISS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Carrying on from my last column (Bulletin, Sept. 14), there
are some more questions about wine that are asked quite frequently,
and I will attempt to answer a few.
Why are some wines red and others are white?
In general, so-called white wines (they really start out with
a greenish tone and gradually oxidize and develop beige tints, from
wheat color to an almost beautiful gold) are made from green grapes
that have little or no pigment. On the other hand, red wines are
made from grapes that range in color from dark blue to purple to
black, and which all have pigments on the inside of the grape skins.
As the fermentation proceeds, the resultant alcohol leaches color
from the skins and the wine that is produced is a vibrant red.
It is possible to make white wine from black grapes. The winemaker
only needs to remove the skins, after the grapes are crushed, but
before fermentation begins. In this type of vinification, the possibility
of red color is prevented. You may have seen bottles that describe
the contents as "blanc de noirs" - this is merely the French-language
equivalent of describing white wine made from black grapes. This
kind of wine will be found most frequently in some champagnes, where
the winery wanted the depth of flavor of a black grape (such as
Pinot Noir) in a white wine.
You may have come across wines that are neither red nor white.
For example, the so-called "blush wines" that are very popular in
the United States. Originally, these wines were called "rosé" and
they all have a pink or salmon color. Wine fanatics will tell you
that the best rosé is the Tavel, which comes from the south of the
Côtes du Rhone, a village not far from Chateauneuf du Pâpe. Such
wines are produced from black grapes and the intermediate color
is achieved by removing the skins, and thus the pigments, a short
while after the fermentation has started. In this way, only a little
color is leached from the skins.
What is wrong with sweet wine?
A few readers have commented on my description of certain wines
as being "thick and sweet," with the implication that this was undesirable.
We are a people, many of whom originated in the Mediterranean, and
wine has been regarded in that region as being a natural adjunct
to food. Quite aside from the sacramental purposes to which wine
is put by Jews (and Christians for that matter), it is something
to drink with food to increase our enjoyment of meals and for better
digestion and health.
I have challenged many friends to give me an honest answer to the
following question: Imagine you have a juicy steak on your plate
(or a nice poached halibut, if you prefer) - are you more likely
to cover the food with a layer of strawberry jam or grape jelly,
or are you more likely to reach for horseradish or HP sauce (a little
fresh lemon juice in the second example)? I suggest that really
sweet wines do not enhance your enjoyment of food.
Years ago, the only kosher wines available were made from Concord
grapes, by manufacturers like Mogen David or Manischewitz. They
were, and are, very sweet. These are the wines we grew up trying,
at our parents' table, especially at Friday night Kiddush, the Passover
seder and other occasions. We got used to thinking that kosher wines
needed to taste like that and, besides, children start off preferring
things that taste sweet.
As I have pointed out in previous columns, there is now a wide
variety of wines that are kosher and that are friendly to food (i.e.
that are not sweet). Check out the wine store on Cambie Street and,
for a greater choice, check out the wonderful selection at Schara
Tzedeck. Of course, if you actually do not like the taste of wine,
and you do prefer sweets with your steak (or fish), please feel
free to drink what you like!
As we approach Chanukah, I am asked what wine I intend to drink
with latkes. Well, I love potato latkes, and I love the smell and
taste of the holiday treat. However, I need a white wine with enough
acidity to stand up to the distinctive fried taste. My choice is
wine produced from the sauvignon blanc grape. You may remember that
all of us here at the Bulletin preferred the sauvignon blanc from
the Golan Heights when we tasted kosher white wines last July, and
this would be an excellent choice. Enjoy.
Stan Taviss is a legal consultant and "serious wino" living
in Vancouver. If you have any wine-related questions, please write
to the Bulletin. Taviss will be happy to answer them in a future
column.
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