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What gift for Valentine’s Day?
A question that every couple in love asks themselves on the eve of this romantic holiday. Of course, it is always nice to receive flowers and chocolate, but sometimes you want to surprise your beloved one with something original. And if she (or he) is interested in wines, you are lucky to have an enormous choice. Why not move away from the classics and please your partner with an unusual beverage, which will also be able to decorate a romantic evening. It will be especially interesting to combine it with “themed” products for this holiday.
Some general tips on choosing an alcoholic drink as a gift (for more information on what wine to choose as a gift, read in my article):
- To a wine enthusiast – some research is required. An unknown appellation, an expensive Burgundy Grand Cru or an exceptional Bordeaux vintage will definitely please him, but it is possible that you will need to ask a recommendation in a wine shop or to read somearticles on these topics.
- For a beginner – a premium cuvée of a famous appellation that he/she would like to discover.
- If the drink is intended for dinner, then it is advisable to choose a food-friendly wine – not tart or with a medium level of tannins, fruity, with a medium body and medium (+) acidity. If the dinner menu is not a secret, the choice can be narrowed down based on the expected dishes
I will dwell separately on the recommendations for drinks for a romantic dinner (read more in my article):
- Avoid too powerful or tart wines. A romantic dinner should consist of light snacks, and full-bodied, rich drinks will simply “erase” their delicate taste
- Fortified wines, and especially strong alcoholic drinks, should also not be put on the table. May be a small glass of a Vintage Port at the end of the dinner but not something like cognac or vodka for sure
- Wines with residual sugar are suitable if you prefer sweet drinks or if you have suitable dishes
- Sparkling wine (not necessarily champagne) will be an ideal option, since it has a light profile – maximum a medium body and medium alcohol level, plus the bubbles give them airiness and, of course, festivity.
A selection of wines for Valentine’s Day
Some drinks are really made for a romantic evening and the appropriate atmosphere.
By color:
- Pink is perhaps the most popular color for this holiday. There can be many variations here (from pale salmon to dark crimson): Provence rosés alone have a whole palette of shades
- Clairet is a unique Bordeaux name for a wine of dark pink (or light red) color. Technically, it is also a rosé, but with a longer period of maceration on the skins, but shorter than for red.
- Red – why not complement a bouquet of red roses, a symbol of love, with a drink of the same color? But it should not be powerful and tart
And some wines even have a label, which speaks for itself:
- Saint-Amour – in France, an entire appellation seems to have been created for Valentine’s Day (obviously, it is a joke). Saint-Amour is one of ten Cru of Beaujolais, with a soft style, a bright bouquet of red berries and floral shades. A great idea for a romantic evening, when you should think about each detail.
- The name of the cuvée or the chateau itself – the names of some wines seem to be made for Valentine’s Day. The most “speaking” examples are Château Puy d’Amour (Côtes de Bourg, Bordeaux), Château Amour (Médoc, Bordeaux), Champagne Deutz, especially its cuvée “Amour de Deutz”
- Label design – along with the name (which may not be clear in a foreign language), the label design can be appropriate. For example, the label of Château Calon-Ségur has a heart on it, which is more than appropriate for Valentine’s Day
Champagne for a romantic evening
A win-win option is champagne, especially rosé. And if you are looking for not just a champagne rosé, but a wine that you can talk about, here are some ideas:
- Laurent Perrier Rosé is a rare champagne rosé that is produced not by blending white and red base wines, but by short maceration (2-3 days). 100% Pinot Noir, grown on the most suitable terroir of Montagne de Reims, this champagne is distinguished by a rich berry bouquet and pronounced aroma. Such a sparkling wine can accompany a romantic dinner from appetizers to dessert and will go well with spicy dishes, even with berries (strawberries with champagne immediately come to mind)
- Veuve Cliquot Rosé – the famous Veuve Clicquot not only invented a device for riddling to remove dead yeast sediment from the drink. It was also her idea to create a whole category of French sparkling wine
- Bollinger Rosé – lovers of the sparkling wine style will certainly be curious to try this cuvée from Bollinger, which appeared only in 2009
- L’Amour de Deutz – this prestigious cuvée with a telling name also exists in rosé
An alternative to champagne
Champagne is not the only thing worthy of decorating a romantic evening. Besides it, there are:
- Crémant – French sparkling wine, which is produced using traditional method (like champagne) in eight regions – Bordeaux, Alsace, Burgundy, Die, Loire Valley, Limoux, Jura, Savoie
- Franciacorta – a worthy competitor to champagne from the north of Italy. It is produced from the same varieties (with the exception of Pinot Meunier, replaced by Pinot Blanc), using the same traditional method. In addition, Franciacorta has its own unique category Satèn, which is produced only from white varieties and has lower pressure in the bottle (5 atmospheres instead of six in champagne)
- Prosecco – the most famous sparkling wine in Italy exists mainly in white, in a monovarietal version from Glera grapes. But recently its rosé version has appeared, which is a blend of Glera/Pinot Noir
All these drinks are an original and more affordable sparkling alternative to champagne.
Romantic Dinner on Valentine’s Day
It is worth thinking about dishes for a romantic evening and about pairings with wines, so that the dinner is perfect.
It is impossible not to mention aphrodisiac products, which are always remembered when it comes to a romantic evening (and especially – Valentine’s Day). Here are some of the most famous examples, along with suitable pairings:
- Oysters – an absolute classic among aphrodisiacs, will go well with:
- Light white wines with high acidity and a citrusy profile (Bordeaux Entre-Deux-Mers, German Riesling from the Mosel region, Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough)
- Sparkling wines (Blanc de Blancs Champagne, Prosecco Brut, Crémant from the Loire Valley)
- Light rosé – a refined Provençal rosé will also go well with such delicate seafood as oysters
- Ginger – the perfumed ginger root (especially fresh, not dried) requires a wine with a soft, even oily texture or with a little sweetness. Gewürthstraminer from Alsace or German Riesling Spätlese
- Chocolate – Porto Ruby and LBV, Banyuls – these red fortified wines are made for dark chocolate. They are quite sweet, have similar cocoa notes, which chocolate will complement harmoniously. It is also possible to combine with dry red wine, provided that it is not too tart, juicy, soft in texture, and the chocolate is bitter, with a high cocoa content, and not sweet milk chocolate.
How to put together a menu if you would like to include at least one of these products, but you only have one bottle of wine? Let’s take, for example, Champagne from the classic Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier blend, then the main components of the sample menu might look like this:
- Oysters or shrimp in lemongrass and ginger sauce
- White fish with tender meat (dorado, sea bass) or scallops
- A light fruit dessert, for example, just a berry and fruit basket or fruit salad
Provencal rosé or rosé sparkling wine would also go well with this set.
To include a third ingredient – chocolate – in the menu, you can take a dry red based on Merlot, for example, Saint-Emilion:
- Premium beef tartare with oyster
- Duck or pigeon fillet with a rich sauce
- Chocolate fondant or pure dark chocolate
For sweet port the menu will need to be adjusted (but I highly recommend to keep it only for a suitable dessert):
- Foie gras (mi-cuit or pan-fried)
- Game meat (baked or grilled) with wild berry sauce
- Chocolate cake with cherries Forêt Noire
