Romantic Wines For Valentines … Ohh la la!

Valentine’s Day is an unusual holiday. You have the haters who think it is too commercial; the folks who aren’t currently in love and feel left out (been there, done that); and then you have people like me, who want to celebrate it in an ooey gooey, starry-eyed way. (Yes, I am newly engaged).

If, like me, you want to celebrate love, read on. It is time to prepare.

When I think Valentine’s Day wines, I think festive sparklers, wines that go well with chocolate, and/or wines that have some sort of illustrative name. So here are some recommendations for you:

Sparkling Wines: We recently held a blind tasting of bubbly wines and found a few winners that span price points. For less costly yet still delightful bubbles, go with the Gruet Sparkling Wine from New Mexico ($14.99). If you want to make more of a statement with a classic Champagne, consider the Roederer Brut ($46.99), a wine tribe fave.

Interestingly, there are some aptly named bubblies: the Querido Rose Frizzante (“Querido” means beloved in Spanish). This wine, which retails for $16.99, blends Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes and would work well as an aperitif or with seafood and other light dishes. Another to consider is Vampire Vineyards’ Je T’ Aime Brut Rose Sparkling Wine. I am a little hesitant about this one because the producers seem big on vampires, but it’s a pretty bottle and it gets decent reviews online.

Wines that go well with chocolate: Bring your Valentine some nice chocolate and a good bottle of wine and you should be prepped and ready for romance. When pairing wine with chocolate you need to consider the chocolate. If you choose a dark chocolate, go with a big, bold red wine (Zinfandel, Malbec, Syrah or Grenache). The intensity of the wine will match the intensity of the chocolate and make for a great taste experience. If you are planning to pair with a milk chocolate then consider a sweeter or softer wine. That way the wine doesn’t taste too acidic compared to the milk chocolate. A Merlot, a tawny port or other dessert wines such as a Tokaji or Muscat would do the trick. For more pairing information check out this link.

And finally, my favorite category, wines with illustrative names: I have not tried all these wines yet and can only vouch for the first two. Maybe it is time for a trip to the wine store so that between now and Valentine’s Day I’ll only drink love-related wines. Might be a good hint to Big Red that the Big Day is upon us. 😉

Here is My Wine Tribe’s Top Five Valentine’s Day-themed wines:
– Fidelitas: This Washington winery focuses on Cabernet Sauvignons. Their wines are beautiful and while not cheap ($30-$60), they are worth every penny.
– Interlude by Waters Winery: A lovely Washington red blend retailing for $30.
– Primero Beso/Ultimo Beso: These are new wines, just launched by Scott Harvey Wines, the folks who brought you Menage a Trios, which is a different kind of Valentine’s Day altogether. But we digress. Primero Beso (“First Kiss” in Spanish) is their white blend ($18); Ultimo Beso (“Last Kiss”) their red ($20).
– Mi Amore: This Italian producer creates both a red and white blend. Their wines tend to be a bit sweet, and so are their prices, $11 each.
– Naked Wines, from Snoqualmie Winery, are for those who just want to cut to the chase. The “naked” actually refers to the organic grapes the winemakers use, but we can keep that litle detail to ourselves.

Have any other romantic wine suggestions? Let us know. Meantime, cheers to love!