It's a question that perhaps only a grape geek would ponder, but I sometimes wonder: What wine did Jesus drink at the Last Supper? It may seem trite to religious scholars, but haven't countless dissertations been written about the nature of the bread and whether it was, in keeping with the Passover tradition, unleavened? That fabled supper on the eve of what Christians now celebrate as Easter is widely taken to have been a seder, Jesus's reinterpretation of the meal at Passover, which this year begins in sync with Easter weekend.
Wine figures prominently in both cultural rituals – as a symbol of deliverance in Judaism and of sacrificial blood in Christianity. I'd love to know what grapes were in that chalice (or even to hear speculation from ampelographers familiar with vines around Jerusalem at the time).
In all likelihood, the vine varieties have been lost to time. So, all I can (tritely) recommend are a few reds appropriate for roast lamb, the traditional Paschal meat. Oh, and of course a couple of Israeli kosher wines for Passover.
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2011 (Italy)
SCORE: 92 PRICE: $31.95
Paolo de Marchi, originally from the northern Piedmont region, was instrumental in helping turn the tide decades ago for growers in Tuscany, where Chianti's reputation had fallen on hard times. This smartly made blend of sangiovese with dollops of local canaiolo and the French variety syrah shows perfect ripeness and that classic Tuscan salty tang, infused with notes of cherry blossom, baking spices and newly tanned leather. Various prices in Alta.
Allegrini Palazzo della Torre 2011 (Italy)
SCORE: 91 PRICE: $24.95
As seamless as a John le Carré novel, this polished, full-bodied red offers up a sweet core of black-skinned fruit, heady clove, shoe leather and juicy acidity, firmed up by chewy tannins. $29.99 in B.C., various prices in Alta., $26.26 in Que.
Le Ragose Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2010 (Italy)
SCORE: 91 PRICE: $21.95
Re-fermented with the solid residue of semi-dried grapes used to make bold Amarone, Le Ragose's ripasso strikes the ideal balance between weighty ripeness and lively spice. Medium-full-bodied and dense, it comes across like a spice cake studded with plums. Excellent length. Available in Ontario.
Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Terroir Carmenère 2012 (Chile)
SCORE: 91 PRICE: $15.95
Carmenère needs love – from consumers who might initially find the grape too herbal and from old-school producers insistent on picking before it's fully ripe. Casa Silva takes Chile's signature red seriously, even if the price of this bargain might suggest otherwise. Full-bodied and chunky, it suggests Italian pastryshop flavours of espresso and dark chocolate, with a nuance of herbs for bitter edginess. $19.99 in N.S.
Manoir du Carra Les Bottières Juliénas 2010 (France)
SCORE: 91 PRICE: $19.95
From some of the best soil in Beaujolais, this light-medium-bodied gamay starts smooth, then firms up beautifully in the second act, delivering punchy cherry-raspberry fruit and black pepper against a moderately astringent backbone. Available in Ontario.
Segal's Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Israel)
SCORE: 89 PRICE: $22.95
It's hard not to love a wine crafted by a poet. Good thing Avi Feldstein saves some of his artistry for his day job: winemaking. Concentrated and smooth, this full-bodied red starts with cherry liqueur and chocolate and finishes with spices and a prominent herbal character typical of cabernet franc. Kosher and mevushal for Passover. Available in Ontario.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné Secret de Famille Côtes du Rhône 2012 (France)
SCORE: 88 PRICE: $16.95
Veering toward the overripe spectrum but stopping safely short, this full-bodied red pumps out dark fruit and classic Rhône notes of pepper and licorice, tailing off into a chewy-smooth finish. Available in Ontario.
Tabor Adama Merlot Basalt 2010 (Israel)
SCORE: 88 PRICE: $26.95
One can taste the scorching head of Galilee's 2010 growing season in this very ripe red, with its syrupy concentration. A crowd-pleaser given its sweet core, it edges toward complexity with a prune-like, tobacco oxidative character. I imagined finding autumn leaves in my Dairy Queen sundae. Kosher but not mevushal. Available in Ontario.
The Flavour Principle by Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol recently took home top prize for best general English cookbook at the Taste Canada Food Writing Awards. Published by HarperCollins.