Ladilafé is a mœlleux wine from one of the vineyards which are re-establishing quality wine production in the Cirque de Cilaos on Réunion Island, the French département in the Indian Ocean. Therefore this wine is from the southernmost vineyards of France. Surprisingly - for a Mascarene island known for its vanilla production - the wine has little or no “vanilla” flavour, instead a clear and prominent apricot nose and taste, maybe slight melon. Lightly sweet, more a demi-sec, a refreshing swig and a lowish alcohol content at 12%.
I was very happy with Ladilafé as accompaniment to lightly-spiced Créole cuisine: firstly, a piquant but not hot Cari de poulet avec ses fruits (chicken in a cream sauce with rougail as a side dish). And the next night, fresh local trout from here in Hell-Bourg in the Cirque de Salazie; the fish was grilled whole and served on a bed of really fresh watercress with a creamy watercress sauce and the Réunion interpretation of ratatouille, using local tropical vegetables.
Great to support and enjoy a local wine rather than costly imports.