Visions of summer include picnics with the family, barbecues with friends, and extended Shabbos afternoon meals with all your guests. The menu is cooked, the table is set. What drinks will you be serving? We spoke to Gabe Geller of Royal-Kedem wines to help us choose the beverage that will best elevate a meal.

Hi Gabe! What wine is universal to serve at every meal?
A high quality wine can complement any meal, but once you’ve made the effort to customize your menu, why not do the same with your wine?

But how could a novice at wine choosing pick from the over 1,000 selections out there?
At Royal right now, we wanted to address this need by introducing a new line of wines that marries high quality and affordability. The Herzog Lineage line carries six different selections, including two whites, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay, one rosé, and three reds: a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Pinot Noir and a blend. We call that one Choreograph. It’s comprised of assorted grapes with various flavor profiles.

What sets these wines apart from the others, Gabe?
The thing to remember is grapes have different profile characteristics. The climate and soil where the grapes are planted play into the final product. A cab from California, a hot region, will certainly differ from one whose grapes grew in Bordeaux in France, which has a cooler climate. But there are so many other things that affect the end results. The types of barrels the wine ages in, the type of fermentation, the amount of time a wine ages for. Herzog’s winemaker has a vision of what that wine will look like from the moment the root stock is planted. Lineage took all these into consideration and produced six distinct wines to help the consumer sample the wines, at a price point as low as $19.99 a bottle!

What if wine isn’t your thing?
Wine isn’t necessarily the drink of choice for every occasion. We just launched two new vodkas under the LVOV label. One is distilled from potatoes, but our newest product is a vodka made from beets! It’s slightly sweeter and less harsh than grain-based vodka, plus it’s gluten free! As far as I know, we are the only makers of kosher-certified beet vodka. Since its launch, LVOV has received high scores from all critics. It’s unprecedented for a new product. Of course, if you want to rely on a trusted American whiskey, the Boondocks line is your go-to.

Last question Gabe. A sunny summer day, picnic outing with close friends, what’s the one kind of bottle to grab?

A crisp Rosé, hands down! It has a fruity, refreshing taste to make all the guests happy. Stick one in your picnic basket on the way out.

For more wine talk with Gabe Geller, check out Swirl!