As I have been posting for a few weeks now, KFWE 2024 was going to be Trade-only, KFWE LA was canceled, as they moved to every other year, and there were two new entries into the Kosher Wine Tasting season. Those new entries were the Jewish Link Wine Guide Grand Tasting and KWD’s Wine and Food Night. These events were back to back to back, three nights in a row. The first two were in the NJ area, KFWE returned to the Hilton MeadowLands, as it did in 2022, and the Jewish Link Event occurred in Passaic, NJ.

All in all, as we will delineate in detail, the week was a smashing success. I know the next question will be which was the best? Were they a Mosh Pit or in the current vernacular – a Kiddush Scrum?? Which had the best wines? Were they mostly idiots who attended? Could you really taste anything? All of these and more will be clarified below.

KFWE – the approach should change

Look, ask most of the public why they go to KFWE and they will reply to have a good night out. Think of it as a more expensive dinner for two, throw in VIP, and it is a very expensive dinner for two. Many of the VIP folks from last year never left VIP, they had their wine, not very good food, but it was comfortable and they did not have to travel back and forth between the buildings. Read my post about last year’s KFWE and you will see that the food failed them last year and that VIP was a mess, food-wise, but again, comfortable.

Fast forward to 2024 and sure, KFWE dropped the public, shrunk the footprint, expanded the wine selections, and made an overall better product for those who need the opportunity to taste that large a portfolio in one location. The point here is that KFWE, looking back at it, with the proper lens, was always a lose-lose proposition. It was too much of a mosh-pit, even during Trade hours to do any proper tastings. It was also, too much selection, a classic overload for the average person hoping to learn something new. In the end, neither came out with what they wanted, and the sheer size of the humanity made for an unappealing outcome.

As we progress through this retrospective, I must admit that much of this was an epiphany that I garnered by the end of the week, after attending all of the events. Let us start with the fact that they really should rename it KWE, the food was an afterthought, which is 100% reasonable, given the year’s focus. Still, as we move through this retrospective, this will become a sticking point.

I was thinking of doing pros and cons – but this is a more streamlined approach (AKA my stream of consciousness) – so my apologies.

1. The food options were passable – at best, other than the pizza, the fried tortilla with Cilantro, while the Sushi was acceptable.
2. There were not enough pourers but it was not HORRIBLE, but it could have used more
3. The biggest tactical error they made was to remove the water towers they had at the last KFWE NYC. Having a single place for the Hotel’s staff to go and fill up water, allowed them time to also clean out the spit buckets
4. The outcome of removing the water towers was the spitoons being full on most of the tables I tasted at. To be fair, the clientele was spitting far more than in previous years, but the reason for the full spitoons was not the clientele, it was the lack of staff, which I think was exasperated by the need to go to every table and fill every bucket on those tables. A multiplicable time suck, exaggerated worse by the number of pitchers and tables. Essentially, it was the perfect storm, caused by a single mistake. Overall, it was a tactical error that NEEDS to be fixed next year. It was beyond gross when more than 4 tables I was on had spittoon buckets filled to the top! Sorry, this was a big issue for me.
5. The Tam Tam crackers on all the small tables – may well have been the best food at the event.
6. Overall, I have never had the opportunity, even if I wanted to, to get to taste so much wine in one event, to me that means the event was a success. The crowds were controlled and the tables had issues but overall, I tasted through all of the Israeli wines and that was cool.
7. The 2021 Bordeaux vintage really put a damper on the overall wines that I would say “ARE GREAT”. People asked me throughout the tasting – which was the GREAT one and I had to think hard. Most of my TOP wines of the year are not from Royal. Such is life – this year! The 2020 Leoville Poyferre, was lovely as was the 21 Herzog Alex Cab, the Covenant 21 Solomon Cab, the 2020 Chateau Lascombes, and the 2020 Elvi Wines Clos Mesorah. That says a lot. Next Year will be very different, I think.
8. The stupid music was so annoying – I could not even HEAR myself think, let alone talk to the winemakers or the folks at the table – HARD PASS! Further, for the given focus and clientele, the music was a hindrance.
9. Overall, 2021 red Bordeaux are painful, 2023 white and rose wines from Israel are water and not much else, 2021 Cali reds rock, 2021 Israel reds are VASTLY improved over all the other years I tasted. Again, these are generalizations, there are exceptions, but sadly, those exceptions are far and few between.
10. Finally, I was saddened by the lack of focus of Herzog, as was promoted. There was no KFWE LA this year and the lack of a deep Herzog lineup bummed me out! Sure, the mainstays were there but I have tasted many wines from Herzog that were not there. Further, the marketing of the KFWE East Coast event made clear that Herzog and Israeli wines would be a focus. I think they swung and missed there. Sure, they brought a single bottle of a barrel sample for a wine that has not been released yet. Sure, that is cool, it was stuck on the side, more like a worth check. Were you worthy of a dram of this wine? Sorry, either this is something to showcase Herzog and it should have been in greater supply or it should have not been there like other wines. Yes, I tasted it, this is not sour grapes (which it was not), but it is a point that Herzog was not focused on enough.
    In the end, the lack of selection, and the lack of focus, made me feel like Herzog was just punting here. I think for trade they should have been more active, more present, and showing more of the portfolio! How else will new restaurants, wine shops, or retailers know about the many cool wines that are being produced at Herzog? Showing older wines that do not promote the brand well, undermines Herzog and undermines the point of KFWE, especially for Trade partners.
    KFWE Miami was also a swing-and-miss, no one was there to promote the Winery. That is crazy to me. I know it was Hanukkah, but hey wine is a business.