It’s spring! Which means we have some holidays coming up. Passover starts on April 5th this year and Easter is on April 9th.
Looking for some wines to bring to these gatherings? For Passover you will need to have Kosher wines, which means they’re made by Sabbath-observant Jews and no non-kosher additives are used in the process.
To start, you could check out Hermon Galilee white and red wines, available at both Larchmont Wine and Cheese, and Silverlake Wine. The white is a mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, and Chardonnay, and will be very crisp with notes of melon, honey and apple. The red is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, and will give notes of cherry, blackberry and vanilla. Both of these are affordable and would be a great addition to your Passover celebration and pair perfectly with the food.
Silverlake also has one more elevated Kosher wine, the Syrah produced by Yarden. This is 100% Syrah from Israel and has notes of red fruit, smoke and spice.  And Monsieur Marcel, at the Original Farmers Market, carries a Cotes Du Rhone produced by Meyblum & Fils that would be great with dinner.
And finally, to pair with dessert, I would recommend the Drappier Brut Champagne ‘Carte D’Or.’ This is a Kosher champagne that you can get at K&L Wine Merchants.
As for Easter, I recommend starting with a rich white wine or a sparkling and then moving into a chilled red. I really like the ‘Coume de l’Olla Blanc’ by Matassa right now. It’s a 2021 vintage from Roussillon, France, and the grapes are Macabeau and Muscat of Alexandria. It’s aromatic and has notes of fennel and ginger.
For sparkling, the Alessandra Divella ‘NiNi’ Riserva is delicious. It’s 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir and has notes of fresh apple and peach.
And for the red, a classic Pinot Noir would go great with most Easter dishes. The Marie et Vincent ‘Les Milans’ or the Arnot Roberts ‘Trousseau Pinot Noir’ would both be good options. All four of these are available at Melody Wine and Domaine LA!
Finally, Larchmont Wine and Cheese wine buyer Jesse Mangiagli, who is a relatively new addition to the Larchmont Wine and Cheese team, recommended two more kosher wines for Passover, and a European wine, his wine of the month selection for April, for Easter.
Among Magniagli’s Kosher recommendations, Dalton Estate’s Syrah is both savory and fruity and can go with anything. It’s imported from the Galilee region of Israel. And Covenant Wines’ Red C sauvignon blanc is a clever play on the biblical Red Sea. These wines are produced in Lake County northern California. The Red C sauvignon blanc is a high acid white wine with tropical fruit flavors so it works with fatty dishes like meat or even fish, explained Mangiagli. Priced at 20.99
For Easter, Mangiagli suggested a blaufränkisch, an Eastern European grape varietal, produced by the Pfneisl Vineyards. It’s a dry yet bright red wine with complex fruity flavors. It can also be served slightly chilled. The price is $15.99 for a liter size bottle. At that special price, you might want to drink it all month long.
Happy spring!!
Cassidy Rose Gyetvan is an actress, casting director and sommelier based in Los Angeles. She has worked at numerous wine shops and restaurants around LA and her taste focuses on natural and unique wines.
