If you want to conquer the wine-drinking masses, it helps to name your wine after a conqueror. That's what Bojan Boskovic, owner of Balić Winery in Mays Landing, did.
The newest of the 30 different kinds of wine he produces is Alexander the Great, a red wine he describes as "rich in tannins, very in-depth and rich in the body." Made primarily with Vranac grapes, the wine is a blend that Boskovic, 37, will reveal nothing else about.
"Our formula is our secret," he says. "It's like Coca-Cola. You can know the ingredients, but you can't make it"
Vranac, he says, translates to "black stallion" in his native Yugoslavian tongue.
Boskovic named the wine, which he compares to cabernet sauvignon, after Alexander the Great because Vranac grapes hail from Macedonia, the same region as the legendary conqueror. Since its introduction in December 2002, it has been the winery's top-selling wine.
"It beats every other wine here," Boskovic says. "People don't care about whether it's summer or winter. They buy it." Balić, which is pronounced more like "balich" than "Balic" due to the accent mark over the "c," was founded by Boskovic's uncle, Savo Balić. In 1966. Boskovic left his hometown of Belgrade in 1993 to join the winery, which is situated on 57.2 acres along Route 40 in Atlantic County
Boskovic recommends serving Alexander the Great at room temperature with a nice piece of red meat or an Italian specialty dish like pasta with red sauce or an antipasto with Italian meats. The wine sells for $17.95 a bottle.
With the red wine market conquered, Boskovic has his eye on the white wine market. His next release, which he says will be soon, is a white wine named Napoleon Bonaparte.
Balić Winery, 6623 Route 40, Mays Landing. Tasting room open 9 a.m. to 8 p. m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Call (609) 625-2166 or visit www.balicwinery.com
Cindy Nevitt
Food Editor
The Press of Atlantic City
CNevitt@pressotac.com
The newest of the 30 different kinds of wine he produces is Alexander the Great, a red wine he describes as "rich in tannins, very in-depth and rich in the body." Made primarily with Vranac grapes, the wine is a blend that Boskovic, 37, will reveal nothing else about.
"Our formula is our secret," he says. "It's like Coca-Cola. You can know the ingredients, but you can't make it"
Vranac, he says, translates to "black stallion" in his native Yugoslavian tongue.
Boskovic named the wine, which he compares to cabernet sauvignon, after Alexander the Great because Vranac grapes hail from Macedonia, the same region as the legendary conqueror. Since its introduction in December 2002, it has been the winery's top-selling wine.
"It beats every other wine here," Boskovic says. "People don't care about whether it's summer or winter. They buy it." Balić, which is pronounced more like "balich" than "Balic" due to the accent mark over the "c," was founded by Boskovic's uncle, Savo Balić. In 1966. Boskovic left his hometown of Belgrade in 1993 to join the winery, which is situated on 57.2 acres along Route 40 in Atlantic County
Boskovic recommends serving Alexander the Great at room temperature with a nice piece of red meat or an Italian specialty dish like pasta with red sauce or an antipasto with Italian meats. The wine sells for $17.95 a bottle.
With the red wine market conquered, Boskovic has his eye on the white wine market. His next release, which he says will be soon, is a white wine named Napoleon Bonaparte.
Balić Winery, 6623 Route 40, Mays Landing. Tasting room open 9 a.m. to 8 p. m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Call (609) 625-2166 or visit www.balicwinery.com
Cindy Nevitt
Food Editor
The Press of Atlantic City
CNevitt@pressotac.com
