Wine in the VI: Banfi's Rosa Regale
This wonderful wine, crafted from 100% Brachetto grapes, is grown exclusively at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme located in the Piedmont region of Italy. Piedmonte literally means foot of the mountains. This northern Italian region, known mostly for truffles and big red wines, has had an increase in the popularity of their sweeter wines such as Moscato and Brachetto.
Rosa Regale has amazing aromas of rose petal and raspberries. Although perfect for chocolate you can also pair it with salty cheeses and it is a surprising compliment to Latin and spicy Asian dishes.
St. Croix has many artisans in residence and we are so excited to have just met a chocolatier! The company is called Sweetface and they make organic chocolates here on island! You can reach them at www.sweetface.com. Carambola Spa is featuring a Chocolate Pamper Package that includes Sweetface chocolate and a glass of Rosa Regale. Talk about a perfect day!
You can also find Rosa Regale at Kendrick's restaurant in Christiansted - a great place to relax and meet friends. They have a beautiful room for desserts and after dinner drinks.
The Banfi family of wineries has been making wine since 1919. They are known mostly for their wines from the Tuscan region and are one of the top producers of Brunello di Montalcino. Brunello is a 'big boy' wine that is made from Sangiovese grapes. There is much research being done on this particular wine as the Sangiovese grape has hundreds of clones that had been unlabeled for years. Serious about food and wine, Castello Banfi has a restaurant that you can visit. The restaurant has a Wine Spectator award and a Michelin star. The Rosa Regale was created specifically to enrich the dessert program at the restaurant. Banfi also produces their own olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Visit www.castellobanfi.com.
