A Kosher Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon
Yes, Argentina makes kosher wine...Tekiah Cabernet Blend
Our wine's cousin.
Today’s wine comes from Mendoza, the major wine producing area of Argentina. In the interest of trivia, Daniel Mendoza was Heavyweight Boxing Champion of England and the World at the end of the Eighteenth Century; the only middleweight in history to boast such a title. Mendoza was Jewish, but I don’t know if he drank only kosher wine and I assume that this wine region in the eastern foothills of the Andes wasn’t named for him. The vineyards here are some of the highest in the world. The producer makes only kosher wine; dry, sweet, and a sparkling wine made in the traditional (Champagne) style. Their web site provides wine serving temperatures and food pairing suggestions. The companion wine is an inexpensive Languedoc, France Cabernet Sauvignon coming from a fancy Bordeaux wine producer.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Tekiah Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 12.9 % alcohol about $13.50
Mendoza Argentina
Let’s start with a quote from the mostomagazine website (Dec. 22, 2008, Translated from the Spanish) “A very deep red color, with violet tints. Tekiah's elegant aromas are balanced and complex. Beautifully expressed flavors of red fruit and black pepper. Kosher for Passover.” And now for my review.
At the first sips this wine displayed light fruit and some oak. The initial meal centered on slow cooked beef and potatoes. When paired with the beef this Cabernet provided some chocolate and plums. It seemed thin but did offer balanced acidity and tannins. The potatoes strengthened the wine. With the side dish of fried red peppers, mushrooms, and onions the wine tasted of chocolate and plums with good length. It continued to gain strength. Perhaps it just needed to breathe.
My next meal featured baked chicken. In response this Cab was heady and powerful, tasting of black cherries. It was really long and round. There was a taste of oak that wasn’t overdone and some chocolate. In the presence of baked squash and sweet potatoes the libation became more acidic and its chocolate darkened.
My final meal started with Japanese Wasabi crackers that rendered the wine quite long, tasting of black plums. Then I enjoyed sesame seed covered puffed pastry stuffed with smoked turkey and mustard. In response the wine had a subtle quality and tasted of chocolate. This dish was accompanied by a medley of fried zucchini, chickpeas, onions, and black pepper. Now the wine was round and tasted of dark chocolate. Adding Louisiana hot sauce to the main dish did not make much difference to the wine.
As always, the tastings ended with two cheeses. When paired with a sharp Cheddar cheese the Cab was tangy and grapey. Goat’s milk cheese coated with fine herbs and garlic rendered the wine less acidic and I tasted more cherries than grapes.
Final verdict. I won’t be buying this wine again. Its pairings were too hit and miss. Unlike Daniel, it didn’t really pack a punch.
Access the companion wine A Wine Lover's Weekly Review Of $10 Wine - A Languedoc, France Cabernet Sauvignon
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would
rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario
French-language community college. His wine websites include
www.theworldwidewine.com
and http://www.wineinyourdiet.com
Visit his website devoted to Italian travel
www.travelitalytravel.com
Feel free to reprint this entire article which must include the resource box