Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for Hanukkah! Well, almost, but it is time to start preparing for your Hanukkah celebrations, and that means getting your wines now.
The best part of any Hanukkah party is the absurd amounts of delicious, wonderful foods, and they deserve to shine as brightly as the candles in your menorah. This isn’t a light meal, by any means, so choose your wines carefully, as to not throw your tastebuds over the edge.
For the latkes, you want something light and bright to cut through all that lovely, oily, goodness. What party is complete without the bubbly? Look for a crisp Cava, one that is full of acidic fruits and citrus that will help serve as a counterbalance to the fried latkes.
Maybe you’re having brisket, as we tend to do on any Jewish holiday that involves eating, which might require a little something different. This sacred meat deserves a joyful buddy like a zesty red which will complement the peppery, fragrant taste of the traditional dish. Think red Zinfandel or a Tempranillo.
Then there’s the matzo ball soup, which yes is a Passover food, but let’s be honest: there is never a wrong time to eat matzo ball soup. It’s chicken-based, obviously, so stick with a bright white. A Sauvignon Blanc or even a Chenin Blanc is going to be refreshing in comparison to the warm, salty deliciousness of MB soup.
Now, we can’t forget dessert! First up is the sufganiyot, or the jelly donuts. The filling in these tends to be berry, mostly raspberry, so a punchy red will be a nice finish to the meal and a good pair to this fried, fruity delicacy. A Malbec or a Shiraz would be ideal in this situation, especially from Australia.
And finally, the rugelach. We know it, we love it, we can’t live without it. So what goes with the flaky, sugary, sometimes chocolatey, sometimes fruity treat? Well, lots of things! You could go with a Merlot to match the jammy insides, or maybe a Moscato d’Asti to accent the sweetness. You can’t really go wrong because rugelach are delicious no matter what.
