Psagot Winery announced the completion of its new home and the hiring of Sam Soroka, its new chief winemaker. The 2020 vintage begins at its new location with an expected production in excess of 600,000 bottles…
Following the steady growth of Tequila on the spirits market, Royal Wine recently launched Zarza, a new brand of high-quality Tequila made in Mexico and made from 100% agave. According to Shlomo Blashka, Royal Wine’s National Spirits Brands Manager, Zarza is committed to the finest techniques and agave, striving to make the best Tequila possible. “We only accept agave with a minimum of 23 Brix sugar content Brix because the riper the agave is, the better quality the Tequila will become. To achieve the unique taste we are striving for, we distill the fermented “wort” (agave juice) twice. The second distillation finishes the Tequila and gives the Zarza it’s unique and delicious flavors,” Blashka explained. Zarza was first released to the New York and New Jersey markets. Additional states will follow.
Royal Wine’s Herzog Wine Cellars will soon release its first-ever Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon,…
Two new sales representatives have recently joined the Royal Wine’s sales force under the leadership of managers Kobi Zaken and Joselyn Mendez.
David Miranda and Billy Keys come with a solid background in the wine industry, having both graduated with a Level 3 certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), the internationally recognized program based out of London, UK.
“Both Billy and David crushed whatever doubts one would have about hiring someone with experience and within the industry. The passion, and the self-motivation that they both demonstrate in learning for the WSET level 3 on their own shows commitment,” commented Kobi Zaken, Royal’s head of sales for New York and New Jersey. “I feel that as a manager, having sales representatives who push the envelope is crucial to an organization and is inspiring,” Zaken added. The majority of Royal Wine’s NY/NJ sales representatives hold a WSET Level 2 certification.
Herzog Wine Cellars, located in Oxnard, CA, releases Variations Be-leaf, a kosher, mevushal, CCOF-certified organic wine made from prime Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in Paso Robles AVA. Organic wines are not easy to come by, as they have to be produced and bottled without any added sulfites. According to Herzog Variations winemaker Alicia Wilbur, “This is a wine we had wanted to make for many years. It was a challenge to locate and identify an organically farmed vineyard that yields grapes of our standards of quality.” The demand for organic wines has been steadily growing in recent years, and the kosher wine market lacks quality options. “We are pleased to offer now an excellent and affordable organic, dry Cabernet Sauvignon from California,” says Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine’s PR Director and Manager of Wine Education. “The Herzog Variations Be-leaf answers the wishes of many consumers in the kosher wine drinking community,” added Geller. “There are many people who appreciate fine wine, some of them, however, are sensitive to sulfites. Now they have an option that is both made from organic grapes and without any added sulfites.”
On-premise businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and caterers COVID-19, are among the most affected by the lockdowns and restrictions enacted by the authorities. Some kosher restaurants in New York have adjusted with varying degrees of success in offering delivery and outdoor seating. “The situation as a whole is not ideal, of course. But I have found that our rosé wine sales are the highest they’ve ever been,” says Jose Meirelles, owner of Le Marais Steakhouse in Manhattan. “I think the outdoor seating brought it out in the guests in a way indoor seating couldn’t before,” added Meireilles. Some restaurateurs had the courage to open new restaurants or innovate with their operations during the pandemic. Unfortunately, several kosher restaurants, such as Abigail’s on Broadway and Wolf & Lamb Brooklyn, closed down permanently.
With the impact of Covid-19 on travel and gatherings, Josh Greenstein had to adjust and find different ways to promote his wines. Erik Segelbaum, a renowned wine consultant and Food & Wine Magazine’s Sommelier of 2019 award winner teamed up this past month with the IWPA, offering many of the country’s leading somms the opportunity to get to know Israeli wine better. The IWPA put together professional masterclasses via the Zoom videoconference app with the participation of the winemakers and proprietors of many of the wineries it represents.
LVOV will be featured as a 2019 Hot Prospect Brand in the upcoming September 1st and 15th issues of the Impact Global Newsletter. The criteria for this prestigious award are as follows: depletions of at least 50,000 cases sold annually but not over 200,000 in 2019 and at least 15% growth in 2019 and consistent growth in 2017 and 2018. In addition to the article in the September 1 & 15 issue of Impact, there will also be a feature story on the 2019 Hot Prospect Brands in the October issue of Market Watch. LVOV Vodka was successfully launched in 2016 by Royal Wine Corp. offering a line of top Quality-Price-Ratio vodkas. LVOV Vodkas are produced in Poland, and the catalog includes a vodka distilled from potatoes, as well as one distilled from beets, both are gluten-free.
With the stay-at-home orders that have significantly reduced foot and road traffic over the past 4 months, Royal Wine has progressively shifted some of its outdoor budget towards digital advertising. “Targeted ads for brands such as Jeunesse and Bartenura have been featured all over the internet and on social media with millions of impressions and extremely high consumer interaction,” says Royal’s Marketing Director David Levy. Mr. Levy added that “some channels that previously were either not available or beyond the budget have become the best solutions for brand exposure.” This program will continue throughout the second semester of 2020.
Despite trade war tariffs, French wines remain popular.
Royal Wine has just introduced Château Guiraud 2017, 16 years after the last kosher cuvee produced by the celebrated 1st classed growth Sauternes estate. Rated between 93 and 96 points by leading critics from the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, and Wine Enthusiast magazines, this wine is one of the most complex and cellar-worthy dessert wines the kosher wine has to offer.
Sparkling French wines have been spared by the 25% tariffs imposed by the Federal government in last October, and demand has remained strong. The trifecta of kosher wines produced by Champagne House Drappier is finally back on the market. The kosher versions of Drappier Carte d’Or, Drappier Brut Nature, and Drappier Rosé are available again and can be purchased from select retailers throughout the country.