Yes, chocolates and flowers are great (yawn) for Valentine’s Day, but if your lovely lady or handsome man is a wine drinker, these suggestions may actually garner additional points in the “I love you” or “OK, fine, you have good taste so I’ll give it another try” category. No official tasting notes are included in this post – just some ideas if your Valentine would like something…
***sweet…Ditch the chocolate turtles and pop for a late harvest Riesling. Recently, I had the 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Late Harvest Riesling and it was perfectly sweet with our light dessert. www.ste-michelle.com
***warm…You could get your Valentine a beautiful sweater, but maybe their preference is to be enfolded in a luxurious Cline Cellars 2010 Cashmere, a blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache. Start the fire. Now. ~ www.clinecellars.com
***organic…For the Valentine wanting to do right by the environment, perhaps a bottle of wine from a sustainable, biodynamic, organic winery – and there are many of them in the world, thank goodness. I love wines from Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, California. On of my favorites is the 2007 Benziger Rose Ranch Merlot. Of course, the name is perfect for Valentine’s Day, isn’t it? www.benziger.com
***made locally…So many of us live in areas where there are wineries with a unique style. One of my friends who lives in Virginia (my home state) loves the Flying Fox Vineyard 2008 Cabernet Franc. Flying Fox Vineyard is in Afton Mountain and this wine is a classic example of Virginia’s Cabernet Franc. www.FlyingFoxVineyard.com
***surprising…You could do some mighty fine flamenco dancing for your significant one and/or bring your 2008 Navarra Red Guitar for a big surprise. A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha could lead to some vivacious music later on~ www.redguitarwines.com
***floral…No flowers in a vase, please. Your Valentine may want something with lovely aromas that can be sipped! Try the McKinley Springs 2009 Viognier Horse Heaven Hills and after the bottle is finished, she’ll give you the same reaction as if you had just presented her with dozens of roses! www.mckinleysprings.com
***expensive…Just go with an expensive French Champagne – how about your choice of Dom Perignon Champagne? I’ll let you decide how much to spend~
***on a budget…Something wallet friendly but absolutely awesome if your special someone likes a crisp, grapefruity Sauvignon Blanc is the 2010 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. You can’t go wrong with this choice~ www.kimcrawfordwines.co.nz
***from another country…It’s all about Croatia right now, so instead of buying a plane ticket there, treat your Valentine to one of their unusual and delicious wines. For recommendations much better than I could ever give right now, check out http://winesofcroatia.wordpress.com for insights about that beautiful country and wine selections (maybe one day I’ll get there!) But I’m thinking I may enjoy “The Saint”, Saint’s Hill 2008 Dingač!
***that sparkles…Maybe it will be too soon to give the jewels, so how about a sparkling wine instead? I love the 2008 Taltarni Brut Tache, a sparkling wine with a touch of pink thanks to a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon added to the end of the fermentation process. This has the lightness of a white wine with the body of a red…bling, shming – give your Valentine this sparkler! www.taltarni.com
***that I would want:)… My favorite wine is a Chardonnay from the Burgundy region of France. Not too long ago I loved the 2000 Domaine Caillot les Folatiers Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru – magnifique! So I’m hoping for another fantastic vintage…we’ll see! www.chemindesvins.com
Cheers to a wonderful weekend with the perfect wine and a special someone~ Cindy
Lynn