Wine Basics

Belgrade Liquor has an extensive variety of wine for everyone from the connoisseur to the customer exploring wine for the first time. Our knowledgeable staff can help select a wine for any occasion. Confused about which wine is going to be best? Stop by Belgrade Liquor and let us help choose a wine that is sure to make an impression.

Varietal Basics
Cabernet sauvignon - Cabernets can be mellow and mild, hearty and rich. It has a deep red color, with the primary taste being black currant. Other overtones can include blackberry and mint. Traditionally aged in oak, the wine also takes on an oaky, vanilla flavor. Higher quality cabs age extremely well (although a bit slowly), developing a sprinkling of five or six tastes within it.

Chardonnay - Depending on where it's grown and how it's fermented, Chardonnay can taste semi-sweet or sour, heady or light. Typical flavors are apple, tangerine, lemon, lime, melon, and oak. Chardonnay is usually dry, and goes best with poultry or seafood, like lobster or scallops. It can even go well with a light red meat dish. Good cheeses for Chardonnay include Gruyere, Provolone, and Brie.

Malbec - This red grape that is popular in Argentina and Chile. While it once was also grown in Bordeaux, it is rarely used here in modern years. Still, it is legally one of the only grapes which is allowed to be used in a red Bordeaux blend. This black grape creates a rustic, mid-bodied wine, but is most often used in blending with other wines. In Argentina it is almost the most-planted red grape, and is the third most planted in Chile. Malbec goes well with roast meats such as chicken or turkey.

Merlot - Not quite as harsh as other reds, merlot has less tannin than a Cabernet and can therefore be drunk earlier. It is mellow but still complex, a bit chewy. Merlot is known for the flavors of plums, black cherry, violets, and orange. It is a perfect match for beef and other medium-heavy dishes. Try some with a rich, red pasta dish, or even a heavy chicken dish. Merlot is also an excellent compliment to chocolate.

Pinot Gris/Grigio - Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are actually the same white grape, with two different names. In Italy and California this wine is known as pinot grigio, while in Oregon and France it's known as pinot gris. French pinot gris wines tend to come from the Alsace region. These are more fruity and flowery than their Italian counterparts, though they still have that mineral aroma. Flavors can range from peach to grapefruit to melon. Pinot grigio pairs well with light dishes that are still on the "thick" side, like chicken in a rich white sauce, or eggplant with heavy spices. Pinot grigio is a white wine, but it is able to hold its own against richer flavors.

Pinot Noir - Pinot Noir's color can be any of a range of colors - from cherry red to purple-red and even brown as the wine ages. Typical flavors include earth, leather, vanilla (from the oak), and jam; the fruity flavors of the jam often taste like raspberry, strawberry, and plum. Pinot Noirs go well with pasta with red sauce, or lighter beef dishes. Also, any local game you might have, or even goose would do well.

Sauvignon Blanc - Sauvignon Blanc has pronounced flavors of a herbal variety, with grassy and apple flavors, plus olive and a soft, smoky flavor. They can be anything from sweet to dry, but are typically very light. Sauvignon blancs tend to be crisp and acidic, helping the wine cut through heavy food flavors. It pairs well with thick sauces and stews.

Syrah/Shiraz - The Shiraz / Syrah grape is called Syrah in the US, France and many countries. In Australia it is called Shiraz, where it is considered the finest red wine grown there. Shiraz is certainly the most widely planted red grape in Australia. Now that Shiraz has become well known and popular, some wineries in the US who are making an "Austrlian style wine" with this grape are calling their wines Shiraz as well. Shiraz is known for its spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors. Shiraz goes very well with beef and other hearty foods. It also goes well with Indian, Mexican, and other spicy foods.

Viognier - Viognier is becoming a favored white wine, as its depth of character and complexity is greater than the current white favorite, Chardonnay. Viognier is noted for spice, floral, citrus, apricot, apple and peach flavors. It typically produces medium bodied wines with relatively high acids and fruit. Typically, the younger the Viognier the better - aging allows the fruity medly and the aromatic strength of Viognier to fade away.

Zinfandel - The color of a zinfandel wine is deep red, bordering on black. Zinfandel is a spicy, peppery wine, with a hint of fruity flavor - berries or dark cherries are often the taste range. Zinfandel goes well with "typical American" food - pizza, burgers, etc. It's hearty enough to match up with thick red sauces.


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