Interview: Service Innovations Inc. Patrick Burke, represenative for outstanding wine portfolio

May 9, 12:45 PMWine ExaminerLeslie Cramer

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(above)-  Far Niente Winery

Patrick Burke-- representing Service Innovations Inc. and around  forty or so wines-- summed up

The Taste of St. Croix pretty well, calling it 'the best food and wine show' he's ever attended.  He says it's really well balanced between wine and food, and well balanced bewteen external events besides just the one culminating event. 

Burke noted the patronage here and how well attended the events were.  The event is sold out as soon as tickets go on sale, and the general knowledge of the local wine-drinking public is undeniable.  He states again that it (The Taste of St. Croix) is the best event of its kind in the entire Caribbean.

Burke's portfolio of wines is extensive, he does alot of training with the distributorships carrying their wines.  He says the Caribbean is an extention of the U.S. and that tourists/vacationers and the like want to see their favorite labels when they travel, and the Virgin Islands is a great fit in that respect, that most of the labels found in the states can be found down here, too.

Price-driven wines are a sign of the times now, too, with Argentina and Chile being strong up-and-comers in the wine world, that they have made great progress with the Malbec grape.  The quality of the wines coming out of South America as well as their price points make these wines not just attractive but competitive as well.  Considering the times in which we're living, people these days just aren't as comfortable with plunking down a few hundred dollars for a bottle of wine.

Some of Burke's wines available in the Caribbean are Duckhorn, Silver Oak, Far Niente, and some smaller wineries like Robert Sitski, producing strictly biodynamic wines.  Raymond Wines (from the Beringer Family) from Napa Valley, Francis Ford Copolla wines, and Kline wines also do well for the company down here, too.