The Second Glass

Passover is one of my favorite holidays, not in the least because Jewish tradition requires that you drink 4 glasses of wine with dinner. Imagine four generations of a family sitting around a huge table, recounting (joyously) the story of our freedom from slavery… with a giant collective buzz.

It used to be all Manischewitz all the time, but Passover-kosher wines have improved and expanded dramatically in recent years. No longer are we restricted to the overly sweet and gummy flavors of the Concord grape (Vitis labrusca. Most wines are made with grape species Vitis vinifera). This year we bolstered our Manischewitz with bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon from an Israeli boutique vineyard, Dalton Winery. It was more complex and interesting, but still had that ripe gummy flavor… I wonder if it was an intentional nod to their competition. Maybe that’s why it was so popular at our table.

“Next year, may all slaves be free.”