Hart Agency's Best Wines for Celebrating Valentine's Day Weekend
Feb 11, 2021
Every Valentine's Day, we think about WINE! Perfectly paired with dinner or dessert, it will get you in the mood for romance and we've got plenty of recommendations. Listed by varietal with their ideal food pairings, this lineup will make your shopping trip easy.
JOSH CELLARS PROSECCO
Josh Cellars' portfolio has been one of our staples, and their 2019 partnership with the Pozzi family has had us excited about this Italian sparkling wine since the beginning. Just the right amount of elegant effervesce, Josh Prosecco is light but flavorful. Green apple, pear, and citrus are prominent, with a subtle sweetness to round it out. One of the best things we've ever paired with prosecco is this chicken pot pie. Seriously. The saltiness, umami, and flakey pie crust are an amazing combination with this wine. So dim the lights, cozy up on the couch with a romantic movie, and move dinner to the davenport!
Also delicious with a prosciutto and burrata bruschetta on a slice of charred Italian bread - you can be on theme with Italian night. Make homemade pasta and cannolis for a sweet evening of cooking.
TRIBUTE SAUVIGNON BLANC
Earning 92 Points with both Wine Enthusiast and The Tasting Panel Magazine for their 2019 vintage, Tribute Sauvignon Blanc has all the flavor, balance, and structure you're looking for in a white wine. Tropical citrus of pineapple and grapefruit are complimented by minerality, and the barrel aging rounds out the finish nicely. This will cut through the spice of an Asian dish, or compliment seafood. This Valentine's Day, we picture an intimate indoor picnic with the best sushi in town delivered to your door and a few bottles of Tribute Sauvignon Blanc.
MER SOLEIR SILVER CHARDONNAY
For those who enjoy the complexity of Chardonnay without the buttery finish, try out Mer Soleir Silver Chardonnay. Fermented and aged in concrete and stainless steel tanks, the result is a bright crisp minerality with citrus and unripe stone fruit. A wine like this is amazing with fatty foods such as salmon or other flakey white fish. Another option is something light and flavorful, such as turkey burgers with grilled veggies and a garlic aioli. How romantic would it be to recreate this meal together in the kitchen then enjoy the night together? Remember those dishes can wait for the morning!
FLEURS de PRAIRIE ROSE
French for "Wildflowers", we're loving the vibe that this beautiful bottle gives us, along with the juice inside. Delicate and bright, you'll find fresh strawberries, floral notes, citrus, and herbs balance with an invigorating acidity which brings complexity and structure. Sourced from vineyards in the South of France, the terroir provides ideal growing conditions which result in ripe juicy grapes and a fantastic wine to serve with lighter dishes and desserts such as chicken, fish, grilled veggies, berries, shortbread, or a fruit tart. If you're yearning for a more rich flavor profile in your food, choose soft cheeses or strawberry cheesecake.
LOVE NOIR PINOT NOIR
This elegant bottle says it all right on the label. Can we be any more overt? Known as a light grape, this Pinot Noir still manages to deliver a decadence like no other. Jammy fruit, cherry, and espresso balance nicely, with a soft lingering finish of vanilla. Pair with a salty lemon citrus dish (such as a Lemon Chicken Piccata or Risotto), and you'll notice the flavors enhance for a fuller mouthfeel. Explore the "darker side of wine" with the edgy version of this classic California wine. For dessert, make your own chocolate covered strawberries for a passionate way to begin the ending of your night. Wink wink.
CUPCAKE RED VELVET
Cupcake Red Velvet earned a Gold Metal and 90 Point rating with Sommelier Challenge International, and carries all the rich flavors and sweetness of your favorite crimson cake. You'll pick up the same tasting notes that you would find with the real confectionary treat: cherry, blackberry, chocolate, vanilla, and toasted oak. With 12g/L of residual sugar, this is definitely a bottle for those with a sweet tooth. Blended with Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, we recommend something like a BBQ bacon cheddar cheeseburger. Sweet, tangy, gamey, and rich.
A fun way to end the night is with a dark chocolate fondue or with rich chocolate cupcakes.
LAYER CAKE SHIRAZ
Known for "richly layered wines", they are comprised of grapes from the regions they thrive in. Layer Cake Shiraz hails from South Australia, they use wines from the McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley to achieve this layered taste. Blackberry, dark cherry, and rich chocolate flavors linger with a long finish of warm oak spice. Don't be deceived by the name, however. Unlike cake, this wine can be categorized as "off dry" with bold flavors and a medium acidity which brings a nice harmony to the wine. Incredibly versatile with food, this can be enjoyed with steak, venison, duck, lamb, BBQ chicken, and hard cheeses. The rule for dessert is, you want to wine to be sweeter than the food, so stick with a dark chocolate for this robust wine.
MENAGE A TROIS SILK AND MIDNIGHT
Ménage à Trois was created from blending three grape varietals into one "provocative" blend. Honoring that threesome, they decided on a name that would capture the sensual taste and experimental origin. Ménage à Trois Silk is a soft red blend comprised of 66% Pinot Noir, 18% Malbec, and 16% Petite Sirah. A self proclaimed seductive and soft wine, it was created with silk in mind. Bright red and dark fruits (such as cherry and raspberry), meet sweet spice from French and American oak to create a full bodied wine with a smooth mouthfeel. Sunday Valentine's dinner can be simple with a red wine pot roast and flourless chocolate mug cake. For something completely daring, NYC'ers can head over to Eataly to pick up their popular squid ink pasta. Add roasted red peppers for a beautiful eye catching black and red dish.
THE CALLING ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
We're ending strong with The Calling Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. If you're looking for a little bit of a splurge on this special occasion, you won't be going overboard because this bottle is priced at only $37.00. Aged in French Oak for 18 months, you'll find rounded out tannins while keeping a full rich palate. Blackberry, dark chocolate, black pepper, and oak spice are detected in this concentration of flavors. Enjoy with filet mignon and grilled veggies. For dessert go for a chocolate raspberry tarte cake.
There are so many ways to celebrate Valentine's Day this year. In addition to what we've already listed, we've got a ton more:
- Being on a Sunday, you can enjoy the whole weekend with a dreamy weekend away in a rustic cabin or B&B.
- Visit a park, go for a hike in the snow, and bring an extra blanket to cuddle on the park bench with a snack and a thermos.
- Speaking of snow, real snow bunnies will love hitting the slopes upstate or skating hand in hand at Bryant Park or Central Park.
- Have a spa night with a bubble bath and bubbly champagne, cucumber masks, and lastly take turns with giving each other back and foot massages.
- For a change of scenery, book a hotel for the night, order room service, stay in your robes all night.
- Take a virtual class, whether it's painting, learning about wine, art, or your favorite topic.
- Many museums and theatres are doing virtual events. Check them out!
That's all for now! Let us know your favorites, and how you're celebrating this Valentine's Day weekend.
Look out for these wines and many more at our upcoming promotional events. We will be showcasing them live all weekend on our social media pages. Stop in for a bottle and tell them Hart sent you!
Cheers for now,
The Hart Team
