Best Wines For Valentine's
Randa’s Valentine’s Wine Picks
Valentine’s day is a special day - whether dining out or just having a cozy meal at home. The food alone just doesn’t make a meal rise to incredible heights, but the wine often does even without food. Here are some recommended wines and food pairings for your romantic night or weekend.
Santa Margherita Brut Rosé
Bubbles are your best friend on Valentine’s day. This Rosé bubbly from the renowned Pinot Grigio house in Italy is new to me and it’s on the mark for February 14th. The strawberry and cranberry flavors and high acid make this a great way to start your evening.
Pol Roger Brut Reserve
Pol Roger is touted to have the coldest cellar in Champagne for storing their bubbles. These are not any old bubbles but refreshing to the max! While this is lower with residual sugar making it a solid brut (dry), it is still very rich with fruit and simply put - smashing! That first sip is what does it for me but I can’t stop there that’s for sure.
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut-Leiu
Loire Valley’s finest white hails as my top choice for a wine on the first Valentine’s day of this decade. Made from Chenin Blanc grapes, Huet’s Le Haut-Lieu sec (dry) is utterly scrumptious with explosive flavors of ripe apple, candied lemon and bosc pear with a strong river of minerals flowing through it. Pair this with scallops, salmon/sole or even roast chicken. Or just sip as the sun goes down.
Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
If you must dole out some big bucks this Valentine’s day, and I suggest you do, then the Williams Selyem Pinot Noir from Sonoma is a treat better than Glacier Chocolate. (OK, a close race here) It has power while being seductive at the same time and a spicy thread that makes you think of your second and third sips to come before the first is done. It’s that good and worth the $80 hit. A must for grilled salmon!
Le Pich Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The Le Pich Napa Valley Cab was recommended to me by Dave at Parkhill’s Warehouse, and I always trust is opinion. He was right and this $50 Napa Cab is like a pinball machine going off at full tilt. It is lush, rich, dense with black fruit flavors and the perfect harmonious mix of spicy oak. Hard core carnivores like me always prefer a Cab with my medium rare snake river farms filet. Go hard core this V-day!