“Shavuot, known as a dairy holiday, is probably the only holiday where quiches, pasta, cheeses and blintzes are the dishes of choice…” Yonatan Sternberg suggests some Shavuot white wine options to pair with your dairy feast.
While most Jewish holiday meals include various carnivorous feasts, Shavuot, known as a dairy holiday, is probably the only holiday where quiches, pasta, cheeses and blintzes are the dishes of choice.
I’m sure you’ll agree that every holiday meal requires at least one bottle of wine on the table. In honor of the upcoming Shavuot holiday, I decided to sample several white wines which will complement the dairy meal. Of course these are only suggestions, red wine or a chilled glass of rose will definitely get the job done as well.
I also decided to limit the price range to a maximum of NIS 55; hence the following wines are all sold for that price or less.
I started off by sampling Binyamina’s, Special Reserve, Gewurtztraminer and the Yogev Series’ Sauvignon Blanc – Chardonnay. ‘Yogev’ – the biblical term for farmer, is dedicated to the farmers and vintners that are an inseparable part of the wine production process. The off-dry Gewurtztraminer is showing litchis, citrus and various spices. Unlike most wines, aromatic Gewurtztraminers can be paired with piquant and even hot dishes, try serving with a piquant goat cheese and red pepper quiche.
The Dalton winery recently launched a rose style wine along with the Dalton, Fume Blanc, Reserve, 2008. Produced using Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested from vineyards in the Upper Galilee, the wine offers various aromas including green melon, citrus peel and a slight smoky note.
Other options include the Gamla, Riesling and the Yarden, Sauvignon Blanc produced by the Golan Heights Winery – both offer good value for money and should go well with a wide range of dairy dishes.
The Tishbi Winery is offering both a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as part of their medium range series “Estate”. The latter is showing generous green apple as well as typical citrus aromas and a slight grassiness. Tishbi recommends serving the wine alongside grilled fish, goat cheese and Mediterranean style dishes.
L’chaim and Happy Holiday!
