Wine and Romance


• By Allen Dale "Ole" Olson   |   Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 1:55 pm   |     |   Print   |   Permalink

In ten days it will be Valentine’s Day, another opportunity to do something special with or for someone special. Think wine!

You would expect me to say something like that in a column like this. No, I have nothing against any of the other gifts that make the rounds on this interesting holiday, but like most wine wonks, I do try for something a little bit out of the ordinary for our wine glasses on Valentine’s Day.

Because that’s not easy for me (after all, I use a couple bottles of wine a day and attend trade and professional tastings several times a month), I keep it simple. I go for the tried and true, the classic, the reliable wines that have never let me down.

For me, I start with a pink Champagne. It needn’t be vintage; a straightforward Moet&Chandon will do. It can be a bit pricey, so if you prefer, you won’t go wrong with a Brut Rose from Gruet (New Mexico) or a Gloria Ferrer (California via Spain) at less than half the price. But a pink sparkler guarantees a wonderful start.

I search high and low, starting a month or two ahead, for a St-Amour. While this grand cru from Beaujolais is a delicious, fruity, easy-to-drink red wine, it’s name is everything. Serve it slightly cool to bring out its sensuous silkiness. Alas, not many wholesalers offer it, preferring the better known cru Beaujolais such as Moulin-aux-Vents or Fleurie,  but do try to find it because part of the romance comes from the very name.

At least two glasses are recommended. Researchers have pointed out that two glasses of wine cause a member of the opposite sex to become 25% more attractive. Add to that research a St-Amour and you can’t miss.

There is always chocolate on Valentine’s Day. That’s good because chocolate is wonderful. That’s bad, because most chocolates do no favors for wine. I no longer work hard at matching dark or light or milk chocolates with specific wines; I have found that a well made chocolate and a well made classic sweet wine will get along  just fine. When I can find one, I get a Banyuls, a chocolate-colored   Muscat from the last French town before the Spanish border along the Mediterranean coast. Or a wondrous, albeit expensive, Hungarian Tokaji. Failing either, however, you can always fall back on Port.

You’ve got a week to search out those St-Amours and those Banyuls. Good luck not only with the search but also with the results!

Leave a Comment




« please enter the sum of six and 9