Once upon a wine: A winemaker’s winter’s tale

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, a wintery season brings a chill to the people. To ease the dark evenings, imaginative winemakers of the land share delicious winter recipes with great wines, adding a touch of magic to the dish. A glass of wine with a delicious supper by a toasty fireplace becomes an enchanting evening.

The head winemaker of the Golan Heights Winery, Victor Schoenfeld, gathers his family and friends to prepare a secret cholent stew recipe. He cooks this dish for the coldest days, inhaling the mystical scent it brings forth.

While cooking, his children question Schoenfeld on the origins of the cholent. An old-fashioned Jewish recipe, cholent stew has been for years a cozy and warm dish to serve during harsh winter days. To personalize his cholent stew, Schoenfeld fuses with it a classic French Cassoulet, chosing this dish as it pairs well with one of his favorite bottles of wine, the chic Yarden Pinot Noir, a wine with aromatic cherry, red currant and ripe pomegranate fruit characters layered with attractive floral and spice notes, complex and full-bodied with notes of smoke, earth and exotic spices.”

Victor’s style of wine selecting parallels his daring lifestyle, suggesting an interesting challenge for real white wine lovers and people who dare to think “outside the box” by trying his cholent with the rich Yarden Chardonnay, which contrasts the heavy dish.

In close proximity, Micha Vaadia serves as chief winemaker at Galil Mountain Winery. With prior voyages to the vineyards of California, New Zealand, and Argentina, Vaadia has become one of the top winemakers in the land. For a pleasant winter weekend, Vaadia puts together his classic lamb roast with rosemary, coriander seeds and za’atar.

The energy consumed from the scrumptious roast surely adds a bundle of warmth. Vaadia feasts on his roast with a bottle of Galil Meron, a deep complex blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The dreamy Galil Meron pleasantly combines characters of wild berry and blueberry, with hints of nutmeg and chocolate. A rich and bold wine, the Galil Meron is a true fairy tale touch for this supper.