Whether you are looking for a wine to impress your partner or just something good but moderately priced to enjoy together, your best bet this Valentine’s Day is a bottle of bubbly. Sparkling wine is ideal for special occasions and of course bubbly will make any occasion special. I’ve got some worthy suggestions to enliven your time together and I don’t mean just as a prelude to the evening but to enhance the enjoyment of your meal.
Any reason to drink Champagne is welcome and a classic like Nicolas Feuillatte’s Brut ($37) – 40% pinot noir, 40% pinot meunier, 20% chardonnay – with its refreshing notes of toasty apple and pear and a luscious structure is always a good choice. It might seem a bit cliché to recommend rosé but the Champagne Rosé ($49) – 60%pinot noir, 30% pinot meunier, 10% chardonnay – with its salmon-pink color, tangy red fruits and creamy texture is undeniable.
If you are looking for something sweet, the new “Sweet Sparklings” line from the Italian producer Caposaldo (known for its frizzante “Moscato”) is a good option. With three alternatives – each bottle is a different color, blend and level of sweetness but all are just $16 – these are sure to please the eye, palate and wallet.
- Sweet Moscato (blue bottle) is 100% moscato bianco with succulent pear, peach and treademark spice aromas and flavors.
- Sweet Pink Moscato (pink bottle) is 55% merlot, 45% moscato bianco emphasizes berries, with flowery and herbal notes.
- Sweet Red Sparkling (red bottle) is a lightly sweet blend of 55% malvasia nera, 45% merlot is quite aromatic offering strong plum and red berry aromas and flavors.
If you want dry and modest price, try a Cava from Paul Cheneau. Owned by Giró Ribot, one of Spain’s preeminent family-owned Cava producers. I recently tasted five of the line that are worth your consideration. Like other Cava they feature indigenous Spanish grapes and are made using the traditional bottle fermented method. What distinguishes Paul Cheneau from other Cava is its French influence. A French winemaker created the brand and the wines do seem to reflect more of the elegance and balance generally expected of French sparklers.
The first three are 45% macabeo, 40% xarello and 15% parellada. For Valentine’s Day, the Lady of Spain Brut ($13) has to be your first choice, if for no other reason than its dramatic packaging showing a painting of a woman in a red dress on a yellow background. It is bottle aged at least 12 months and is fresh and fruity, with nice apple and citrus, yet well structured with a soft, fresh finish. If you can’t find that, though, don’t hesitate to pick up the Brut ($14), also bottle aged at least a year or the Brut Reserva ($16), bottle aged 24 months. The Brut is crisp and toasty with citrus fruit. The Brut Reserva is more elegant with succulent and vibrant apple, yet a smooth mouthfeel.
There also are two other good fizzy alternatives. The Brut Rosé ($15) is a blend of 85% trepat and 15% pinot noir. It is bottle aged up to two years and delivers nice red cherry in a lush but lively frame. For something a bit sweet, the Demi Sec ($15) – 45% Macabeo, 40% Xarello, 10% Chardonnay, 5% Parellada – is bottle aged two years and shows toasty notes and lively peach fruit.