Wine in the VI
Our Caribbean climate makes us an ideal location to drink Rieslings year round. They're great with spicy foods, shellfish and many of our locally caught fishes as well as being an excellent Buck Island boat offering. Rieslings, simply put, pair well with our islands.
A new wine to island, Polka Dot Riesling from Pfalz Germany, features a brilliant white-gold color with lime and citrus aromas, soft pear flavor with floral notes. A crisp acidity, finishing with a nice level of sweetness, makes this an excellent food wine.
Riesling, a hearty and fragrant grape, is the best known of Germany's varietals. It grows especially well in the southwest Pfalz region of the country--pronounced "faults" and translated means palace which is a nod to royalty that often visited in the middle ages. Pfalz is Germany's warmest and largest wine producing region. Riesling ripens late on the vine and can produce highly acidic wines to sweet dessert wines depending on when harvested. Although Germany is king when it comes to production, it is important to recognize that Alsace France, Austria and the Finger Lakes region of New York are excellent Riesling producers as well.
This varietal has been on the rise for the past several years, adored by chefs for it's food-friendly character. This is a great wine to fall back on when unsure of a food pairing. Not sure how to pair Mexican or Thai food? Try a Riesling. The Polka Dot is found locally at many venues. Enjoy.
