12 Apr Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Covenant Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Wine plays a significant role in Jewish culture. It is used in every Jewish ceremony and celebration and it is a central part of the Passover Seder where it symbolizes freedom and redemption. So, at our Passover Seder this year, of course, there was a bottle of wine on the table. And that wine was the Covenant Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, the Please The Palate wine of the week.

ABOUT COVENANT WINES

Covenant Wines was founded in 2003 by Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd. Jeff Morgan is a multi-talented man. He began his career as a professional musician. A saxophonist, he studied music at the French National Music Conservatory in Nice before becoming a co-band leader for the house band in Monte Carlo at Prince Rainier’s Grand Casino in Monaco. During his time in France, he also developed a love of wine. Jeff returned to the U.S. and was playing music in New York. He then worked for a Long Island winery for some years. He and his wife Jodie, the former Executive Director of the American Institute of Food and Wine (AIWF), moved to California and Jeff worked as the West Coast editor for Wine Spectator Magazine for eight years. In 2000, Morgan was hired by specialty food purveyor Dean & DeLuca as wine director and became friends with Leslie Rudd, owner of vineyard land in Napa and the proprietor of Dean & DeLuca. After tasting an Israeli wine, Leslie Rudd challenged Jeff to make a kosher wine from Napa Valley that would be as good as non-kosher wines from the region. And that is what he has done. Personally, when I would hear the words “kosher wine”, I usually have no interest in hearing anything else. But after tasting this Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon, my perception has been altered. Yes, Covenant Wines are kosher and this is great for those who require kosher wines. But Covenant Wines are also for those who might not be looking for kosher wine. If you are looking for delicious wines sourced from top vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Lodi, and Israel check out Covenant Wines.

TASTING NOTES

The Covenant Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley is a beautiful, silky smooth expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are sourced from vineyards in Mount Veeder and Oakville. The grapes are not crushed, but instead, gently release their juice as they ferment. Only the free-run wine is used for Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon. Classic notes of blackberry, black cherry, cassis, spice, and cedar are found on the nose. On the palate, the wine is balanced and elegant with smooth tannins.

FOOD PAIRING

The Covenant Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley was enjoyed with our Passover dinner of beef brisket and roasted potatoes. And this wine can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes. Jeff and his wife Jodie are also authors of “The Covenant Kitchen: Food and Wine for the New Jewish Table,” their eighth cookbook. The recipes in this book offer a contemporary approach to many traditional Jewish foods. The recipes are kosher but one does not have to be kosher to enjoy them. It just means there will not be recipes that mix milk and meat or include pork and shellfish. The book includes many recipes with suggested wine pairings. For Cabernet Sauvignon, some dishes that stood out to me are Braised Tuna with Lemon Zest and Ratatouille, Apple-stuffed Rosemary Roast Chicken with New Potatoes, Cowboy Cholent (a slow-cooked meat casserole inspired by a Chili recipe), and Braised Beef Short Ribs with Root Vegetable and Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes.

WHERE TO PURCHASE

The Covenant Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley retails for $120. It is available in top wine retailers, as well as directly from the winery at Covenant Wines.com.