If you are looking for a tasty way to toast the one you love this Valentine’s Day look no further than one of these delicious options guaranteed to ensure your celebration is filled with romance. (A few selections were sent for editorial consideration.)
Valentine’s Day is all about pink and red, roses and Rosé, and luckily there are both still and sparkling wine options that will pair perfectly.
When celebrating a special occasion, as any Valentine’s Day should be, classic Champagne is the only option and Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose is an ideal selection as the signature sparkler from the Grand Cru village of Chouilly, outside of Epernay, Champagne, is filled with juicy raspberry, wild strawberry and red cherry flavors melded with toasted almond and brioche notes. $55, available at Total Wine and More.
If looking outside Champagne for a sparkler to enjoy there are hundreds of quality options, just remember to look for a selection crafted in the traditional method. Soter Rose Brut Sparkling Wine is one of my favorite sparklers from the Willamette Valley. Owner/Winemaker Tony Soter crafts his very small production, strawberry, tangerine and citrus filled, traditional method, sparkling wine from sustainably Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit. Lively and luscious, and available now in small quantities via their website for $65.
Taittinger Champagne’s California estate, Domaine Carneros, delivers elegance and refinement with their Brut Rosé, Cuvee de la Pompadour, is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, melding softness, richness and finesse with texture and depth creating layers of ripe tangerine, cranberry, cherry and wild roses. $38, available at select Goody-Goody locations.
Vilarnau Cava Rosé blends 90%Trepat with 10%Pinot Noir, highlighting one of Spain’s classic sparkling wine varieties with one of the finest from France, though all created in the Penedes region of Spain. Vibrant and lively with strawberry and raspberry aromas mixed with toasted brioche, citrus and soft herbs. $18 available here.
From sustainably grown, Willamette Valley, Oregon fruit Stoller Family Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir filled with juicy layers of watermelon and tangerine with subtle herbal and berry notes. A perfect wine to drink all year, as it is light enough to pair with summer fare, while being clean and crisp enough to mellow hearty meals, like a rich Valentine’s Day dinner. $20, available a
Aromatic, elevated and elegant, Chateau D’Esclans Rock Angel Rosé blends Grenache with Rolle (Rhone’s Vermentino) for a floral wine filled with orange blossom, mint and sage, ripe strawberry and cherry. A great wine with seafood and pasta, or to serve with charcuterie and cheese.
Domaine Ott Les Domaniers Cotes de Provence Rose is a classic Provence Rose wine blending Cinsaut, Grenache and Syrah together for an aromatic wine with red berry, ruby red grapefruit, soft herbs, wild lavender and spice. Domaine Ott is one of the premier wineries of the region, both for its beauty, but the elegance and grace of their wines. With vineyards located right by the Mediterranean, the wines also take on a touch of salty brininess from the Sea. $26, available at Off the Vine.
For the spirits lovers, a few romantic cocktail creations sure to please.
Cupid’s Cup
1 part ST-GERMAIN Elderflower Liqueur
2 parts Vodka
¾ part Fresh Lemon
¼ part Simple Syrup
1 part Muddled Strawberry
Top with MARTINI & ROSSI Sparkling Rosé
Preparation: Shake and strain over ice in a cocktail glass. Top with Sparkling Rosé. Garnish with a strawberry.
Aromatic gin and bubbles join together for a perfect marriage, enhanced with rose infused Hendricks Gin.
The Raspberry Rose Royal
1 part Hendrick’s Gin
1/5 part sugar syrup
1 fresh raspberry
Top up with champagne.
Preparation: Combine raspberry, sugar and gin in cocktail shaker and shake briskly. After just three strong shakes, finely strain into base of flute before.
Clean and refreshing, Reyka Vodka is crafted from Icelandic water. Their cranberry aperitif is the ideal starter for any occasion.
Reyka Cranberry Apéritif
2 parts Reyka Vodka
1 part Aperol
1 part Lillet Blanc
10 muddled cranberries
Top with Hard Cider
Peychaud’s bitter
Preparation: Pour in a collins glass and garnish with lemon peel.
Melding scotch whisky with honey, herbs and spices, Drambuie, is an old world classic that continues to redefine itself with modern takes on traditional cocktails.
Cupid’s Bow
2 parts Lillet
1 part Drambuie
10 drops Ardbeg Scotch
10 drops rosewater
Lemon twist
Preparation: Build first four ingredients in a rocks glass and give a quick stir with large ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Kiss Me Cocktails
1.5 parts Courvoisier® VSOP
1.0 parts Lemon simple syrup
.50 parts DeKuyper® Strawberry
Preparation: Shake all and strain over fresh ice in a tall glass. Top with Champagne and stir. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and or a Lemon Twist.
