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.

Rolling Hills Estate Winery
Photo provided by Rolling Hills Estate Winery, Champlain Valley of New York

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.

What are french-American hybrids?

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

Coming Soon…

Sip In More Wine 101…