After learning more about his Jewish ancestry in Ukraine, Finger Lakes winemaker Bruce Schneider partnered with Chateau Chizay in western Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region to create Elijah’s Fifth Cup. Located in Western Ukraine and bordering Hungary, Chateau Chizay is located on volcanic soils in the warmest, mildest part of the region. Certified Kosher for Passover and Mevushal. Honestly, for its price range, this competes and represents well with Cabs all over the world. Purple in color, slightly cloudy. The nose has red berries with some purple fruit. On the palate, tart red and purple fruit. Very light tannins. Moderate finish. The wine itself is sort of generic red. The story is not. This is a bottle to buy for fun, for connections to Ukraine and to share on Passover. It will be interesting to see where this winery goes over the years.
