Yiddishe cup: Lawrence partners prepared for Pesach

When it comes to wine for Pesach, people know what they want, says Mitchell Steinberg. Shortly before Rosh Hashanah, he and his partner, Bob Merenstein, took over the Liquor and Wine Warehouse in Lawrence. And they’ve learned a lot about their customers since then.

The Passover seder, of course, requires participants to enjoy four glasses of wine and plenty of sophisticated South Shore connoisseurs — who know a syrah from a shiraz — nevertheless choose the traditional sweet and semi-sweet wines they remember from childhood, such as Kedem, Manischewitz, Kesser, and Rashi. Together, they account for one third of Steinberg and Merenstein’s holiday sales.

But in recent years there has been an explosion of choice among high quality kosher-for-Passover dry vinifera varietals and they outsell the old standbys two-to-one.

With backgrounds in healthcare and finance, Mitch and Bob have had a steep learning curve in their first wine retailing venture, but they have enthusiastically embraced their new role in the community. “I love the area,” says Steinberg. “ I grew up in a conservative affiliated home, working here I feel like I am home. I feel very embraced by the Jewish community.”

Steinberg estimates that fully fifty percent of the Liquor and Wine Warehouse’s business comes from the Jewish community and he and Merenstein quickly doubled their kosher wine offerings. Today, they proudly proclaim the distinction of having the largest selection of kosher wines on Long Island.

“People want variety. We have an enormous selection of wines from Israel, Spain, Italy, France, Chile and California,” noted Steinberg. “Sales are up from the same time period last year.”

What’s the favorite? “Barnetura Moscato, bar none, sells the most in units,” says Steinberg. People love the taste, the versatility, and effervescence of the sparkling Italian wine.

In addition to Passover wines, vodka is now available for Pesach in four varieties. There are five different types of Cognac and roughly six types of liqueurs.

Liquor and Wine Warehouse has Sunday hours and has sold their chometz .

Weekly tastings every Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. give customers a chance to get acquainted with many products they may never have tried before, but more importantly, it gives Steinberg and Merenstein with an opportunity to meet and greet the community they serve.