Tischler & Halpern, Tokaji Sweet Szamorodni (Kosher), 2015

Tischler & Halpern, Tokaj Region (500 ml)

Kosher for Passover

This is a deliciously well-balanced and elegant Szamorodni, which has been aging in a noble way. Szamorodni is one of Tokaj’s traditional sweet wine styles. The name comes from a Polish word, which means “as it comes,” and refers to the type of harvest in which whole bunches of partially botrytized grapes picked (as opposed to Tokaji Aszú, which is made only from individually selected botrytized berries). Jews were using Tokaji wine as sacramental wine as early as the 1700s in Poland. Tokaji Szamorodni was the main wine which was exported to the Polish market, and much of it was kosher. So this wine is the continuation of two important traditions: the Tokaji Szamorodni wine style and Tokaj’s kosher winemaking tradition.

This wine is a blend of two local grapes, Furmint (70 percent) and Zéta (30 percent). 2015 was a hot and dry vintage, which led to early ripening. Grapes for this wine were harvested until the end of October, after rainy weather brought intense botrytization. The grapes were gently pressed (without being crushed or destemmed), fermented for three weeks in stainless steel vats, oak-barrel aged for 14 months, and bottled in April 2017. Since this is a kosher wine, this was all done under religious supervision.

This wine has a light golden color, with a creamy body, and a beautiful harmony between of sweetness and acidity. It is on the lower end of sweetness for a Szamorodni (67 grams per liter), but this is nicely balanced by the acidity (5.6 grams per liter), and alcohol (12.5 percent). The nose draws us in with vanilla notes, toffee, roasted peaches, dried apricots, and caramel-like aromas. This is a rich wine, with plenty of dried and cooked apricot and peach flavors, as well as some mango and plum jam. The finish is long, with some almond, minerality, and lingering candied fruit flavors.

Because it is just moderately sweet, this is a versatile wine to pair with food. But don’t just think of this as a dessert wine! Its balance between sweetness and acidity makes it a great match for a range of foods, particularly those which have some spice and heat (like Indian or Middle Eastern dishes). Or you could try the classic pairing, and drink this with foie gras. If you want to serve this as a dessert wine, try it next to cheesecake or poppyseed desserts.

This is a delicious sweet Szamorodni, whether you are seeking a kosher wine or just a great example of a sweet Tokaji wine!

About the Winery:
Tischler & Halpern make Kosher wines from grapes grown at the Disznókő Estate, and produced by the winemakers at Disznókő in a separate area in the winery designated for making kosher wines. This is done under the religious supervision of rav Daniel Hanan, an Israeli rabbi approved by the Israeli Beth Din Tzedek. The wine is kosher for Passover.

Péter Tordai, owner of Tischler & Halpern, has long been fascinated by kosher wine and (with the help of Israeli rabbis) has been making it in the Tokaj region for 18 years. He saw that there was a need for kosher wine, and that Tokaj would be an ideal place to produce a range of kosher wines—dry, semi-sweet, and sweet versions—in a region which has deep kosher winemaking traditions, which have almost disappeared. During kosher wine production, there are ancient rules which must be followed, and the winemaking process must be carried out by observant Jews. The name Tischler & Halpern pays tribute to the family names of Tordai and his wife. Their daughter has also joined the family business, helping with sales.

About Tokaj’s Jewish History:
The Tokaj wine region has a long history of kosher winemaking, and before World War Two the region had a substantial Jewish community. It played a vital role in the production, sale, and transport of wine from Tokaj to the rest of the world. Tokaj’s Jewish story began in the mid-1700s when Polish Jews began to settle in the region. In the early-19th century, Jews from Galicia (an area along today’s Polish/Ukrainian border) arrived. Many of them were followers of the Hasidic movement and by the beginning of the 20th century, Tokaj had arguably become the most important center of Hasidism in Europe west of the Ukraine. The Jews of the region contributed enormously to the fact that Tokaj wine remained widely recognized internationally for centuries. Jews or non-Jews, everyone living in the region loved the wine.

Click on the photo gallery (above) to see the back label showing the Kashrut supervision. 

Read About The Tokaj Wine Region

Read About Szamorodni

Read About Jewish Winemaking History in Hungary (here and here)