Van's Liquor Store has proudly served the tri-states since the mid 1930's. Originally started by John Vanderah, it remained with his family until 1987 when, Ron Jansen, became proprietor. It was Ron's commitment to wine nearly two decades ago that made Van's “the tri-states true wine specialists.” Throughout the years Van's has increased wine awareness through wine dinners, weekly wine tastings, and our large bi-yearly wine tastings. Annually we hold one wine tasting in the spring and the other to kick off the holiday season about two weeks prior to Thanksgiving. Our seasonal wine tastings are really a great experience; they allow people to sample all types of wines from all over the world. At these wine tastings people are given the opportunity to try over a hundred wines at each tasting in addition we serve hors d'ouerves for our guests to try their own food and wine pairings. We have found through the years the key to unlocking the mystery of wine is to simply sample whenever possible. You can read all of the publications and know the terminology but the bottom line to the mystery of wine is do you like it? If it tastes good, you've found a winner if not keep on tasting!

When it comes to pairing wine w/food the first thing you should do is disregard every “rule” you may have heard regarding the matching of wine with food. The best wine to pair with your meal is whatever wine you like! The truth is every person's palate varies, so what works for some may not work for all. That being said, here are some useful things to keep in mind when paring food and wine:

•  Acidity : Wine is acidic and some wines are more acidic than others. This is a good thing because acid enhances and lengthens the flavor of your dishes.

•  Texture and Body : Just as a simple pasta dish with light oil and garlic will be much lighter than the same pasta with a heavy alfredo sauce a Pinot Noir will be lighter than a Cabernet Sauvignon. So why does texture matter? Imagine a wonderfully prepared light and flaky piece of sole accompanied with a big bold Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. In this case the cabernet's rich flavor and body would completely overpower the crispness of the fish.

Here are some of our favorite wines with some general food parings...

Beringer Napa Valley Merlot
A fine Napa Valley Merlot that displays lush, full bodied flavors of cherry, plum and mint complimented by sweet vanilla & spicy oak nuances from barrel aging. This wine has the ability to compliment heavy dishes from lamb to steak but its body is supple enough to enjoy with duck, chicken, or even a slightly heavier seafood.

Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Chardonnay
This is a truly great Napa Valley chardonnay that is barrel fermented with both cultured yeasts and wild yeasts for layers of complexity. Gentle stirring during aging in French oak barrels integrated and enhanced the vivid fruit expression of chardonnay grapes grown in the cool, southern regions of Napa Valley. The French oak barrels make this chardonnay a mouthful, so we recommend a heavier seafood such as salmon and lobster and if desired, you could also pair this with lighter game such as duck or even sirloin steak.

Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
This is very nice California cabernet for under $10. Beringers Founders' Estate Cabernet is aged in small oak barrels, it has rich berry and spicy oak flavors with a smooth balanced finish. This cabernet is more fruit forward so it would pair well with steak or even a nice grilled chicken & herb salad. While it is slightly heavier bodied, it is the fruit that wins outs and makes is very compatable with many dishes.