If you are seeking fresh inspiration for the Passover table, start with the wine. Abraham Lerner, wine director at Marty’s Fine Wines in Newton and a founding member of the Boston Sommelier Society, recommends two kosher pours worthy of the occasion. A 2012 Recanati Winery Reserve Merlot from Israel is one of his favorites. “It’s full-bodied and plush, almost velvety, with finely grained tannins,’’ he says, an excellent sipper with beef brisket or chicken roasted with dried apricots and peaches. With swordfish, tilapia, or sprightly vegetable dishes, he suggests a 2013 sauvignon blanc from Goose Bay Winery, a “classic New Zealand’’ expression of the varietal, offering lemon, grapefruit, and an appetizing hint of green. Guests will delight in a reinvigorated approach to tradition.

Recanati Winery Reserve Merlot 2012 (around $30) is available at Marty’s Fine Wines, Newton, 617-332-1230; Gordon’s Main Street, Waltham, 781-893-1900; The Butcherie, Brookline, 617-731-9888. Goose Bay Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (around $23) is at Marty’s Fine Wines, Gordon’s Main Street, and Berman’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Lexington, 781-862-0515.

ellen bhang

Ellen Bhang can be reached at bytheglass@globe.com.