Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/674905
may 2016 / the tasting panel / 85 If the festival proved anything, it is always wise to keep expanding consumers' minds on what "kosher" is all about, even if they've already seen the light. "Our big trick is that we make wine, and we sell it—it's deceptively simple," said Mordy Herzog, CEO of Royal Wine, parent company of Herzog and the country's largest importer of kosher labels. "Without events like this, you have a lot of winemakers with great ideas, but there's no way to tell the story. We want to take down the glass wall between ourselves and the consumer by uncorking the bottle, pouring some wine into the glass and allowing people to experience the quality for themselves." Schlomo Blashka, who serves Royal Wines as a wine educator, marketer and publicist, adds that the timing of the first ever Los Angeles edition of the festival nicely dovetails into their regular marketing plans. "We generally release our wines around February, as we get our largest market segment, kosher trade and consumers, in time for Passover," he said. "However, it's also a great time to release wine to the general public, as most wineries typically do not release their wines this time of year. It's like putting out a movie or song during a slow month to generate excitement. In fact, over half of our wine purchasers in California are not Jewish!" An assortment of kosher appetizers at The Kosher Food & Wine Experience. California: HERZOG VARIATIONS 2014 FRENCH OAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND HERZOG VARIATIONS 2014 AMERICAN OAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON nery Notes: "We wanted to allow the winemaker to show what you could do with a single wine. We took 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the North Coast grapes, and filled two different kinds of barrels, one exclusively in American oak and the other in French oak. The variations start interesting conversa- tions when tasted side-by-side." —Joe Hurliman, Winemaker Tasting Notes: Herzog Variations 2014 French Oak Cabernet Sauvignon: A full-bodied wine with strong stone fruit aromas and flavors (plum, red cherry), wild berries and a toasty finish, picking up the essences of the California terroir and the French oak barrels. It pairs well with meat-based pasta sauces, salmon and poultry. Herzog Variations 2014 American Oak Cabernet Sauvignon: A structured but approachable wine with dark red fruit aromas and flavor notes, including cherries and red currants. American oak contributes to its mellow, smooth finish. Excellent partner for lamb and steak. Joe Hurliman, Winemaker at Herzog Wine Cellars. P H O T O : S KY CH ES H I R E Introducing Se Standouts fr the 300 nes Showcased at KFWE