Episode 3: Petit Castel 2020 & Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2009

In this episode, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath and Dr. Kenny Friedman discuss the most recent news out of Israel in the terrible damage to Avivim Winery due to Hezbollah and the continued importance of supporting Israeli wineries. They also share their experiences drinking Israeli wines on Purim, focusing on one of Rabbi Bernath's Purim wines, the Petit Castel, 2020 from Israel's Domaine du Castel Winery. The conversation touches on the Bordeaux-style blends produced by Castel and the significance of unfiltered wines. The hosts then discuss Kenny's tasting of the Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, 2009 and the expensive hobby of wine drinking. The conversation shifts to the differences between kosher and non-kosher blends of the same winery. They discuss the role of mashgichim in the kosher winemaking process. They conclude by emphasizing the endless topics to explore in the world of kosher wine and the importance of engaging with listeners.

Takeaways

• It is more important than ever to support Israel and its wineries.
• Domaine du Castel is a notable international winery based in Israel and Eli Ben Zaken has made a great contribution to the Israeli and international wine industry.
• Kosher runs of wines may have different blends compared to their non-kosher counterparts due to the availability of fruit and timing constraints.
• Mashgichim play a crucial role in the kosher winemaking process, ensuring that only authorized individuals handle the wine.
• Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, 2009, comes from an incredible vintage but this might also be responsible for a shorter drinking window.
• There are always new topics to explore in the world of kosher wine, as each vintage is different and wines age and evolve over time.
• Engaging with listeners and addressing their questions and comments is important for creating meaningful content in the podcast.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Reflection on the Podcast
• 0:23 Discussion on the Recent News from Israel
• 3:18 Supporting Israeli Wineries
• 6:21 Wines Drank on Purim
• 8:07 Castel Winery and Bordeaux-style Blends
• 9:13 Comparison of Petite Castel and Grand Vin
• 12:44 Unfiltered Wines and Kosher Wine Topics
• 19:05 Tasting the 2009 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
• 22:03 Kosher Burgundies and Benjamin Uzzon
• 22:40 Kosher Runs and Non-Kosher Blends
• 24:33 Kosher Wineries in California
• 27:35 Kosher Wineries in Commercial Areas
• 28:09 Kosher Wineries with Vineyard Views
• 29:28 Visiting Four Gates Winery
• 30:06 Kosher Wineries in California
• 30:45 Clarification on Kosher Wineries in CA
• 33:30 Receiving Special Bottles
• 36:04 Looking Forward to Future Episodes