S.W. and Rich Hermansen
Guest Writers
wine@lbknews.com
The French Open dominates the tennis world this time of year. The draw of this fabled grand slam event has players from across the globe competing for the title. The seeded
players, those rated in advance as the top contenders, do not compete against other seeded players in the first round of matches. The three top seeded players come from countries and regions that produce distinctive wines.
Novak Djokovic from Serbia has the top seed in the 2024 tournament. He has a much more widely known image than Serbian wine. His Serbian wine venture, Novak Djokovic Winery in Serbia, has released wines made from the French Chardonnay and Syrah grape varieties. Nonetheless, Serbia does produce highly regarded wines from native grapes. The 2022 Vinarija Ivanović No 3/4 Tamjanika ($14) has a golden color, spicy aromas on the nose, and tastes of crisp apples and lemon zest. Its dry acidity (ABV 14% !) enlivens pork, bird, and fish dishes. The complexity of the wine serves as a reminder of the complex political and ethnic history the Balkan region.
Jannik Sinner from the South Tyrol region of Italy has the second seed in the draw. He won the immediately prior Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, and defeated in the semifinals the then and now top ranked player by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Novak Djokovic.
Sinner is recovering from a hip injury that has slowed his pursuit of Djokovic in the battle for the number one tennis player in the world. The 22 year old Sinner was born and grew up in