Submission #28337 by Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)
2023
I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
Pesach Kosher Wine Tasting
Jewish Observance
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Back by popular demand after a pandemic-driven hiatus, we offered our Pesach Kosher Wine tasting for the first time since 2019. We partner with our local wine merchant, Binny's, and their Kosher Wine Distributor, Royal Wines, who host a tasting of 8-10 wines, as well as a tutorial on Kosher wines, in their store's tasting room. Attendees can then order wines for their seders at a discount (no sales tax, volume discounts). We receive the wines in bulk at the synagogue and sort them for each individual order. Those who order are then contacted by men's club to pick up their wines once we finish sorting.
We start planning 2-3 months before Pesach to ensure that we can find a suitable date for the program ideally 3-4 weeks before the holiday starts. We did not charge for the program, though we provided kosher pizza in addition to the wine (which was provided by Binny's). During the "warm-up" period, we had a blind tasting of 3 different wines. We had about 30 attendees, most of whom purchased wine at the event. Our Kosher Wine Master, Simon Levin, described each wine as we tasted it, while also educating us on the different wine making regions, mevushal vs. non-mevushal, and the various varietals we were tasting. Price points ranged from $12 to $45 per bottle and included white, red and blush/sweet wines (something for everyone). At the end of the program, those who correctly identified the wines from the blind tasting received a free bottle from Simon. The program ran over two hours, and we received very positive feedback from attendees.
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Original Program