Want to know which wines to pair with your Pesach meals? These winemakers share their tips

The first dish I asked them to pair their wines with was Silvia Nacamulli’s side of Salmon with roasted cherry tomatoes. While many of us would expect to drink a white wine with fish it’s complicated by the tomato topping. Tomatoes can be acidic which means you need a fuller-bodied wine to stand up to them.

Armando Caracena-Molco who makes his Vina Memorias label wines in Valencia in Spain says he would choose one of his red wines: “While white wine is often preferred for fish, I feel that our Memorias del Rambam Classic (£19.99) which is made from Bobal grapes is a good match with its fresh, fruit-forward profile. It has light tannins and juicy red fruit and makes an elegant, unexpected pairing. It complements the natural sweetness of the cherry tomatoes while staying delicate enough for the salmon.”

Jeff Morgan, winemaker, writer, cookbook author and co-founder of Covenant Wines sticks with a white — Covenant RED C Sauvignon Blanc (£34.99). He says: “Salmon is a deliciously fatty fish that carries the flavour of the recipe to the max. The tomatoes and herbs add fragrance and sweetness, while the anchovy fillets add tangy saltiness. Bright acidity in the wine adds a refreshing contrast that balances the salty richness of the fish. High-toned lemon and grapefruit notes leave the palate clean and fresh at the end.”

Jacob Ner-David, entrepreneur and found or Jezreel Valley Winery, comes back to a red wine, picking his Alfa wine (£24.99). “It’s a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Argaman grapes so will go nicely with the herbs — the Syrah will complement that well, but the fruitiness of the Argaman coming through will allow to flow well with the cherry tomatoes.”

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

Chicken dinner zinger:
Next up is a mouth tingling hot honey chicken traybake packed with zingy orange from Sarah Mann-Yeager. The winemakers are also split on their perfect pick on this one. The classic pairing for a spicy, full-flavoured dish like this traybake would be an off-dry, fruity white wine like Riesling or Viognier.

Morgan’s pick is a bold and fruit-forward white — Covenant Lavan Chardonnay (£54.99). “Chicken can take on just about any condiment. In this case, sweet honey takes the lead enhanced by tangy lemon and tangerine. The honey/orange drizzle adds a special fruitiness enhanced by peaches and herbs—and maybe just a touch of spicy chilli pepper. This is a dish that lends itself to a wine like this with its apple and peachy stone fruit flavours highlighted by zippy acidity — all framed by toasty oak — the wine wraps the diverse chicken flavours in a firm, fruity embrace.”

Winner winner chicken dinner - the top picks for the spiced up poultry dish From left: Red C Sauvignon Blanc; Memorias Origen and Jezreel Alfa[Missing Credit]

Caracena-Molco goes red again with a blend of Spanish Bobal and Shiraz grapes, which he says are more than a match for the strong citrus and chilli flavours of the chicken. He says of his Magus Duopole (£34.99 – currently on sale for £29.99): “The smoky, herbal notes of the wine and its vibrant acidity complement the sweet, spicy citrus glaze. The wine's bold fruitiness and smooth tannins enhance the zesty orange and honey flavours, creating a well-balanced pairing that will elevate the spicy and citrus elements of the dish.”

For Ner-David it’s another red. “I’ve gone for our Nahalal (£29.99), which is a Syrah (Shiraz) and Carignan blend, bringing together spicy and fruity, with some hints of pepper. Given our winemaking style, this will feel almost like a light jam, even though a completely dry wine. It will go well with the fruity approach to this chicken.”

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

Meaty marvel: 
The third dish is a show stopping recipe for slow-cooked lamb shanks with spiced vegetables and new potatoes from Fabienne Viner-Luzzato. It’s a rich, meaty and fatty dish filled with strong spicy flavours and notoriously hard-to-pair asparagus.

Ner-David’s pick is his label’s Cabernet Sauvignon (£32.99) on which he says “While it’s obviously a classic pairing in many ways, it’s a little bit different to going for a Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon as ours has a lighter feel. It will definitely stand up to the lamb, but doesn't overpower, creating a wonderful dialogue.”

Caracena-Molco’s pick for the meaty main course is a wine made from a Spanish grape grown in a single vineyard. His Finca Zerezal (£37.99) is full-bodied wine with lots of fruit and spice flavours aged in fine French oak. “It has plenty of tannins and depth which will hold up to the rich spices of the lamb. The wine is refined enough to enhance the dish's complexity, while its fresh acidity will cut through the richness of the lamb and potatoes.”

For Morgan, Syrah (aka Shiraz) is the grape to go for: “Lamb, with its slightly gamey flavour has always been a favourite dish for me when accompanied by Syrah (£59.99) the rich, red wine that is so perfectly suited to red, limestone infused soils found in Northern Israel. Covenant Israel — from our Israeli wine endeavour that stretched from 2013 to 2021 — produced an extraordinary Syrah from biodynamically grown grapes in the Upper Galilee.”

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

Pudding partner:
I didn’t give the wine makers a specific dessert, telling them only to pair their wines with chocolate cake.
We have several fabulous Pesach options including this rich flourless chocolate cake from Fabienne Viner-Luzzato; or Shiri Kraus’s festive-looking chocolate layer cake or even Silvia Nacamulli’s wonderful chocolate nut cake — one of my annual favourites.

The classic pairing with chocolate would be Port or even a full-bodied red wine. Morgan sticks with tradition, recommending Covenant’s Cabernet Sauvignon (£124.99) or any fine Port, saying: “red Wine with chocolate? Indeed, it works well. The dark, black fruit notes and firm tannins are softened the by sweet chocolate in the cake. If you are finishing a full-bodied red wine  just keep drinking it with dessert! And if you’ve got a fine, rich, sweet Port at your disposal, try that too.”

Chocaholic - wines to sip with dessert (From left: Memorias Brut Reserva; Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon and Jezreel Argaman)[Missing Credit]

From Vina Memorias a lighter option — a dry sparkler. Caracena-Molco would pair his pud with a glass of Memorias Brut Reserva (£22.99) which is a dry bubbly. He says: “the crisp acidity, fine bubbles, and citrus notes of this wine create a refreshing contrast to the richness of the chocolate cake. The brut finish cleanses the palate, while the elegance of the sparkling wine makes for a special dessert experience.”

And Ner-David will be drinking Argaman (£49.99) (made from the ancient Israeli grape of the same name) with his chocolate dessert. As my personal favourite pairing is Argaman and chocolate, I’d definitely go with this — while the Argaman can be drunk with the meal, it is such an experience of a wine, that it creates a wonderful finish, and will only accentuate the chocolate. As a "descendant" of Carignan, some of the peppery notes remain, but with a fruit forward character softened by the Souzão (Argaman is a cross between Carignan and the Portugese varietal Souzão).”

Seder special – four cup favourites:
And my final question to the winemakers was what will they be drinking at their Seders? Do they stick to one for the entire Seder or use it as a chance to pick a few of their favourites?

When it comes to his Seder cups, Caracena-Molco is a one wine man. “My ideal Passover wine is our Memorias del Rambam Classic (£19.99). With its smooth profile, soft tannins, and fresh finish, it’s light enough to enjoy throughout the evening. It’s a wine that is balanced and elegant and will also work beautifully with our Seder meal.”

Morgan takes a completely opposite approach: “Since I make four different wines called “RED C,” I like to think that they are the ultimate wine for Passover. The “C” stands for Covenant of course, but it’s also a play on words. I like to proceed with lighter bodied wines first and move on to more full-bodied wines as the meal moves on.

We’ll start with bright, fresh, citrussy Covenant RED C Sauvignon Blanc. It’s terrific for kiddush — which need not be made on red wine, contrary to some opinions.

“The second cup will be Covenant RED C Viognier, another fruity white wine with hints of citrus, spice and honey. Third on the list is RED C Rosé, a light-colored “Rhone” styled wine made exclusively with Grenache grapes. And finally, we finish with Covenant RED C RED, a lush, lively red wine that pairs well with just about any meat dish imaginable. It’s made with a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah. A little Zinfandel adds spice.”

And Ner-David leaves it open to his guests. “In terms of my own Seder (we only have one) I serve people what they want — some prefer to start off lighter, maybe a white wine, then a rose, and moving into the reds for the meal and second two cups. And some like to do the reverse.”

For him personally, he’ll be drinking Jezreel Argaman (£49.99) for all 4 cups, and during the meal will pop a bottle of Jezreel pet nat rose (only available in Israel). Why do I focus on Argaman? Because it best represents modern Israel, a grape created here and only grown as of now in Israel. It celebrates our freedom as a people and our ongoing innovation — and I love the taste!

Find Vinas Memorias wines here; Covenant Wines here and Jezreel wines here.