This spring, stores are stocking shelves with a selection of wines to help celebrate Passover, Easter, and the return of warmer weather. “McCabes Wine & Spirits has a proud history of offering arguably the largest selection of kosher wines in Manhattan for Passover,” says store owner Daniel Mesznik. “This year our team tasted hundreds of prospective kosher wines and spirits, as we continue to curate and build that section and make it a focus of our store.”
Among the kosher wines tasted, brands that emerged as offering the best value include Sainte Béatrice Instant B Côtes de Provence Rosé ($22 a 750-ml.), Zion Winery Lion’s Gate Capital Red ($23), and Odem Forest Red Blend ($29). “Moreover, we are quickly adding more rosé from all corners of the winemaking world,” Mesznik says. “This week alone we have rosés arriving from Austria, California, and, of course, Provence.”
Moving up the pricing ladder, McCabes also stocks Pescaia Solei Terre Alfieri Arneis ($33 a 750-ml.), Hajdu Pinot Blanc ($35), Psâgot Cabernet Sauvignon ($49), and Netofa Tel Qasser Red ($55). “I’m a firm believer that it’s incumbent on us as retailers to keep our inventory fresh and new so our guests don’t get complacent and always reach for the same wines,” Mesznik says. “Whether it’s a new rosé, an orange wine, or a chillable red like Ruché from Piedmont, we’re always searching for new and exciting wines. I encourage our buying team to continually search for wines and spirits that excite them, and that excitement translates to sales. I want my team to sell the products they love. ”
Wines are promoted at McCabes through in-store tastings, social media, and email blasts. “We do in-store tastings at least once a week, and each tasting includes one or more social media posts,” Mesznik says. “In the week leading up to Passover, we’re doing four in-store tastings. It’s critical to give guests the option to try before they buy. We also send a weekly newsletter either promoting the aforementioned tastings or introducing new items.”
Retailers all over the country are preparing to meet anticipated demand. “We are promoting kosher wines for Passover, and rosés are very popular this time of year as the weather warms up,” says Mat Dinsmore, manager at Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado. “Pinot Noirs are popular as well because they go with a variety of Easter fare.”
In a recent newspaper advertisement, which the store runs weekly, Wyatt’s highlighted such kosher wines as the Barkan Classic series ($9 a 750-ml.) and Chaya ($14 to $15). The ad featured a whole page dedicated to rosé wines, including offerings from the French labels Anges & Démons ($11 a 750-ml.), BDX Revolution ($10), and Delatour ($15 for two 750-ml. bottles). Wyatt’s promoted Apothic Rosé ($9 a 750-ml.), Domaine de Sahari Moroccan Rosé ($11 a 750-ml.), and Luxus One Spanish Rosé ($15), along with rosé sparklers like Kylie Minogue Prosecco Rosé ($16 a 750-ml.), Les Andides Crémant de Loire Rosé ($16 a 750-ml.), and Zufini Prosecco Rosé ($13). In addition to the weekly newspaper ads, Wyatt’s pushes its selection via Facebook, Instagram, and some print ads. “The only way to reach some of the older consumers in smaller communities is through print ads in local newspapers,” Dinsmore notes.
Back in New York, McCabes has seen orange wines and Tequila become increasingly popular with the store’s customers. Orange wines currently in stock at McCabes include Aransat Borgo Savaian ($22 a 750-ml.), Château Lestignac Sémillon Michel Michel ($29), and Gulp/Hablo Orange wine ($30 a liter), while Zarza Reposado ($60 a 750-ml.) is a featured Tequila. “We can’t keep Tequila in-stock—the category is on fire,” Mesznik says. “Similarly, more and more of our guests are reaching for orange wines.”