A Wine Lover's Destination

One of the true delights of a visit to St. Maarten/St. Martin is the ability to visit a little piece of Europe often much closer to home. The Dutch and French influences on St. Maarten/St. Martin are demonstrated in architecture, language and culture. Another result of that influence attracting discerning visitors time and again is the availability of — and appreciation of — an amazing range of wines from around the world, often at excellent prices.

In fact, St. Maarten/St. Martin is a vinophile’s funhouse.

Whether you have a well-developed palate for wine and are a serious collector, or you’re a mild enthusiast always looking to expand your knowledge, you’ll find St. Maarten/St. Martin offers you ample opportunities to appreciate the lure of the grape. Moreover you’ll have your choice of how to enjoy the wines of St. Maarten/St. Martin: in a restaurant under the advice and supervision of a talented sommelier, paired with the island’s famous cuisine; or purchased with equal sage advice at one of St. Maarten/St. Martin’s quality shops for a private affair here or at home.

"St. Maarten is famous for its tourism," said Stephane Emorine, sommelier at Le Cottage in Grand Case. "There is nothing much here to sell, so here we have nice service and very good food and wines."

Like many of the great sommeliers on St. Maarten/St. Martin, Emorine has a vintage background himself — he worked at the 3-star Michelin Lucas Carton restaurant in Paris. The elegant sophistication of the dining scene on St. Maarten/St. Martin attracts equal parts savvy diners and talented world-class staff. Emorine credits the wine experts at many island restaurants with being able to take a wine enthusiast of any amount of experience through a wine list.

And those wine lists can be impressive here. Even with the expert staff at island restaurants, St. Maarten/St. Martin would not have become known for wine were it not for the variety and quality of product available. St. Maarten/St. Martin has become a showcase market for high quality wines whose producers want sophisticated international exposure. Combined with its European heritage — and continuing strong links to Europe — the result is a small island with a good selection of wines.

"Three star restaurants in France have the same wines as restaurants here," said Nicholas Fournie, owner of the well-known wine shop, Vinisimmo. Fournie explained that fine wines are certainly to be had elsewhere. But the market is so large in places like the United States, for example, that supply simply can not meet demand. The smaller but sophisticated demand of St. Maarten/St. Martin is easier to meet. "To be the official wine of a restaurant is very, very important," Fournie said, accentuating the reputation of St. Maarten/St. Martin for fine wines.

Despite its size, St. Maarten/St. Martin has five major importers of wine and dozens of other establishments that order for themselves on a regular basis. The result is diversity and selection. "There are many professionals here," said Fournie. "One shop can’t supply everything. So, three shops though could represent the best of the world."

Stephane Emorine offered advice on selecting wines. First, he suggested seeking the assistance of a sommelier. Secondly, remember both that neither the most expensive nor the oldest wine is necessarily the best. "It depends on what is served," Emorine said. But a good sommelier can alter traditional pairings and when peoples’ palates reach a certain point, rules that many hold sacred (such as white wine with fish and red wine with meat) can be dropped as well. "There are rules but your own taste is more important," Emorine said.

Although the stellar dining on St. Maarten/St. Martin is sure to call for excellent wine as well, don’t forget the same quality of product is available in the island’s many shops. Good wine is key to any successful picnic or elegant private affair, and the skilled staff in island shops will assist you in making the best decision to suit your tastes. Because of market influences including the island’s true duty-free status, a discerning eye will find greater value than in most parts of the world in addition to traditionally hard-to-find options.

Of course, wine also makes an excellent gift. You’ll find few gifts more representative of the treasure you found on St. Maarten/St. Martin than a sample of the fine wines available here. Insiders know for sage advice they can stop in Vinisimmo in Marigot and ask to consult with Sylvan Pereira. Friendly and knowledgeable, the ace sommelier at the store has become trusted friend to many an island chef for his expert guidance. He’s equally adept at helping visitors find the perfect gift to take home.

"There’s not all that much to bring back as a present from here," said Fournie. "You want to bring something and it usually ends up being wine!"

You'll just have to ditch the diet and enjoy more than three meals a day while in St. Maarten/St. Martin. Check out our Dining Guide to plan ahead and get the full details and contact information for reservations for the islands great restaurants!

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