CARPE TRAVEL WINE 101:
GET TO KNOW THE GRAPES
GETTING TO KNOW
ST. CROIX WINE
St. Croix (pronounced “Saint-Croy”) is a French-American hybrid that produces medium-bodied red wines with flavors of dark berries and black current and aromas of wild-picked forest fruits, peppery spice and herbs. It has crisp acidity alongside good tannic structure which makes it a good stand-alone wine that is more robust than others.
WHERE TO FIND THE ST. CROIX GRAPE
This cold-hardy grape is found in the Midwest regions of the United States – Minnesota – as well as in the northern portion of the country – New York, Vermont, Connecticut.
ST. CROIX Food Pairings
With aromas of berries and distinct flavors of tart peach and apricot glaze, this wine pairs beautifully with NY strip steak, peppercorn sauce, prime rib and pork belly. This rich currant colored wine is low in tannins with a medium body and the bold texture will leave you wanting more.
French-American Hybrids are the crossing of the European Vitis vinifera species with one or more Native American Vitis species. Early on, many of these grapes were grafted – aka spliced together – in France. The goal was to combine the superior traits of both vines to produce grapes with excellent wine quality that have a higher resistance to diseases and pests.
Research began on grafting Vitis vinifera species to American rootstock in the 1860’s to combat the phylloxera epidemic that nearly decimated wine regions around the world. Research continues today at the University of Minnesota and Cornell University in New York due to the rise in climate change.
ST. CROIX WINE RECOMMENDATIONS
Looking for recommendations on St. Croix wines? Here are a few we suggest.
St. Croix 2020
Rolling Hills Estate Winery
St. Croix 2019
Rolling Hills Estate Winery
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Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.