February 1, 2022 – Prediction: there’s going to be a flood of pink wine for Valentine’s Day—and likely every day this year. That could be a good thing. If the weather continues unseasonably warm, a rosé or two of diverse hue will be the thing to do. Might be a good time to stock up for this stretch of high and dry that seems loathe to wave goodbye.
Feeling nostalgic for the good old days of the love between a boy and his dog and his horse? Comanche Cellars has you covered with some excellent reds under the Dog & Pony label, which will delight any horse and/or dog lover. A favorite is the Grenache, so lush with strawberry and baking spice. The Merlot has long been a favorite for its willowy structure and smooth licorice and blackberry jam. These are wines to love. And although they are normally closed on Mondays, they will be open on Valentine’s Day for your sipping and purchasing pleasure.
Two of the most delicious wines we’ve had in the past year are the 2020 CRU Unoaked Chardonnay (Monterey), and the 2020 CRU Albarino (Edna Valley), which just won Gold medals at the SF Chronicle. The former is just delightful all by its winsome self as you prepare a feast perhaps worthy of one of CRU’s excellent pinot noirs. The peachy lime duet played out in the Albarino is just captivating. One sip and you’ll be hooked.
Maegan Kohn of Dawn’s Dream has a few suggestions for you, beginning with their soft pink gem, the 2021 Rosé. She asks, “Who needs roses when you can have rosé?? It is also our top selling and most-award winning wine, so you can’t go wrong with this delicious vintage.”
She thinks the Dawns’ Dream 2018 Alyssa Pinot Noir is well-suited to a candlelit dinner for two. Her favorite dish with this wine is braised short ribs with mushroom risotto. By far the deepest and darkest red in their portfolio, with a velvety, creamy texture, lots of spice, and a big finish, is the 2019 Syrah. Roast leg of lamb, perhaps?
Diora’s 2019 La Splendeur du Roi Chardonnay, which I wrote about in September (Diora) in this newsletter, is one lovely package for under $20, and just scored a Double Gold at the SF Chronicle competition. Its counterpart, the 2019 La Petite Grace, $25, scored Gold, and would make a nice gift for a couple of romantics. Both are from the San Bernabe Vineyard.
Hahn offers $10 ground shipping on three bottles or more: order by February 14. For bubbles, their delightful 2016 Blanc de Noir Brut would be perfect for a romantic brunch, while their creamy dreamy 2018 Lucienne Chardonnay would warm up a cozy picnic. The 2018 Winery Selection Merlot, filled with dreamy sweet cherry and mocha, for a candlelit dinner à deux. Hahn has a luscious looking recipe for everyone’s fave, pot de crème, on their website: Hahn Pot-de-Crème. It’s one of many beautiful dishes you can whip up to pair with their excellent array of food-friendly wines by Winemaker/GM, Paul Clifton. Check out their Recipe section: it’s a great resource!!
Don’t forget the new Hahn Arroyo Seco Series. The tropically endowed 2019 Arroyo Seco Chardonnay and spicy strawberry peppery 2019 GSM are both excellent values at $20 and $25, respectively.
Catch a couple of sweet deals at Kori, from February 1—14, featuring a bottle of 2019 Kori Rosé and a 2018 Blanc de Blancs, both from the Santa Lucia Highlands, for just $60. Visit their tasting room for a wine and chocolate tasting Valentine’s Weekend, February 12-14.
Lepe Cellars has your passion for pink covered. Miguel will be releasing his new 2021 Sangiovese Rosé for Valentine’s Day, and if you purchase 2 bottles, you get a free box of Lula’s chocolate truffles.
Jason Auxier recommends the Morgan 2019 Double L Chardonnay as the ideal wine for Valentine’s Day. He says the wine is tasting outstanding right now and pairs well with so many dishes. Think about BFD — breakfast for dinner — and make some crab Benedicts with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Add a little wasabi to a Meyer lemon Hollandaise. You might want a bottle of their Sauvignon Blanc to tackle that.
Odonata winemaker/proprietor Denis Hoey says, ““Why buy a dozen roses when you can buy a dozen bottles of rosé?!” He’s talking about the 2020 Pinot Noir Rosé, Silacci vineyard, Monterey County, which he’s offering at 50% off by the case. At $25 retail, this means you pay just $12.50/bottle for a very nice little wine that Hoey describes as “perfect little rosé” that delivers piles of ripe strawberries and has a really elegant mouthfeel. The Silacci Vineyard, which Denis farms is just up the road from the winery. It’s 1.5 acres of Pinot Noir, usually used for producing red wine, but consider the situation of 2020. “It’s the first rosé we made from this fruit and are continuing to do so.” Sounds like a smokin’ deal.
Scheid Vineyards has another great Valentine’s deal, $1 shipping on a dozen bottles of its mouthwatering and refreshing 2020 Estate Pinot Noir Rosé, which is perfect for February 14th or any day of the year. The offer is good throughout February.
Maker Wine Company, has a couple of super cool Valentine’s Day gift pack of premium wine in cans, including one with chocolate, that features two each of their Sparkling Rosé (Bodkin, North Coast), Pinot Noir (Handley Cellars, Anderson Valley) and Merlot (Smith Deveraux, Napa Valley), plus a decadent Compartes California Berries Chocolate Bar and GoVino dishwasher-safe glass, all in a really cool box. MakerWineVday There’s also a Rosé Bouquet Pack that urges you to forget the flowers and buy a gift you can drink. Each pack includes three of each of their 90-point-rated Rosé of Grenache (Nicole Walsh) and Sparkling Rosé. MakerRosePack Maker also just rolled out a Dry Sparkling Riesling, redolent of lime, pear and pineapple, made by Nicole Walsh of Ser. Seriously, this is good wine in cans!
Ridge has a 10% offer plus free shipping on their 2019 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel, their go-to indulgence wine for celebrating Valentine’s Day. From 1890s-era vines located in a cool enclave of Sonoma Valley, this rich, layered wine maintains excellent natural acidity and is exceptionally versatile with food. It explodes with bright red plum, blueberries and tangerine and the ultra silky tannins will massage your palate. Use code SHIPPAGANI, and order by February 7th for delivery by Valentine’s Day!
Windy Oaks has a new price on an ultra special wine, Spencer’s 2019 Clone 943 Pinot Noir from Escolle Vineyard, of which only 50 cases were produced. For Valentine’s Day weekend, this single vineyard, single clone SLH sourced wine is offered at a 10% discount, for $49. Winemaker Spencer Schultze says the tiny berries and small clusters made for very good extraction, with bright flavors and an almost pink hue, with nice layering and complexity. What’s not to love about pinkish Pinot Noir?
Claire Marlin of Wrath tells us that they were invited to feature their wines at a James Beard dinner a few years ago, where their Wrath Swan/828 Pinot Noir was paired with Braised Beef Short Ribs with Creole Mustard.
“Braised Beef Short Ribs are super easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time so when the evening begins, all the cooking is mostly done. Add creole mustard to spice up the recipe and evening. This rich, meaty dish will win over many hearts and our Wrath Swan/828 Pinot Noir is rich and full flavored enough to compliment the dish.”
Here’s to a memorable pairing of whatever wine and food you choose to celebrate this day of love, romance and friendship. Happy Valentine’s, Galentine’s and Palentine’s Day!
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
