| This is our first review of a wine from Serbia, a | | | | itself as the meal continued. The wine showed |
| small country in southeastern Europe that was | | | | refreshing acidity that accompanied the meal's |
| part of Yugoslavia. Fruska Gora means Frankish | | | | tomatoes. The taste of lime was predominant. |
| mountain in the local language. This region along | | | | The second meal consisted of whole-wheat pasta |
| the Danube to the northeast of Serbia's capital | | | | with homemade pesto and grated Parmesan |
| Belgrade claims to be the oldest wine-producing | | | | cheese. The Riesling was lightly acidic with some |
| region in Europe. They have been exporting wine | | | | citrus and a touch of citrus. |
| since the Fifteenth Century. Given the local | | | | For my final meal I had homemade cheese less |
| microclimate, the grapes ripen early. You may | | | | lasagna with whole-wheat noodles, peas, green |
| want to visit; the area is home to seventeen | | | | olives, ground beef, and a lightly spicy salsa. At |
| Orthodox monasteries and just as many lakes. | | | | first the wine was fleeting but tasted of lime and |
| Navip has been in business for 150 years and is | | | | had good acidity to deal with the meat's grease. |
| the largest wine exporter in ex-Yugoslavia. They | | | | As the meal continued the Riesling grew in |
| have made a commitment to organic wine, but | | | | intensity. Fresh watermelon cut into the wine's |
| presently Navip organic wines aren't available in | | | | acidity but the fruit remained. |
| my area. | | | | I finished the tasting with two cheeses. But first I |
| OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we | | | | tried Matjes herring. The wine was delicate |
| taste and review are purchased at the full retail | | | | (positive) and short (negative) with a taste of |
| price. | | | | apples. The first cheese was a provolone. The |
| Wine Reviewed | | | | wine's apple taste intensified and it became longer. |
| Navip Riesling Fruska Gora, 2006 11% alcohol | | | | The second cheese was an Emmenthal (Swiss). |
| about $7.50 | | | | This cheese was too strong for the wine. |
| Let's start with the marketing materials. Tasting | | | | Final verdict. This wine offers good value. Instead |
| Note: Pale straw, grassy, apple, pear aromas; | | | | of buying it again, I'll try at least one more of the |
| off-dry, citrus flavors. Serving Suggestion: Roast | | | | producer's offering and regret that its organic |
| pork, blackened fish. And now for my review. | | | | cousins aren't available in my area. As an added |
| At first tasting the wine was slightly acidic with a | | | | bonus, this wine comes in at 11% alcohol. It's |
| moderate length. It was limey. The first meal was | | | | getting harder and harder to find such |
| a boxed eggplant parmagiana slathered with | | | | "low-alcohol" wines. But I never had the impression |
| grated Parmesan cheese. At first I thought the | | | | that the alcohol was missing or even low. |
| wine lost its length but this problem corrected | | | | |