Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches. But what is the perfect gift to show how much you care? This year give bottles of sparkling Rosé, and dark chocolate filled red wine, instead of the traditional bunch of roses or box of chocolates. Here are selections to shower your sweetie with flavorful romance, all available throughout Hawaii Island.
Sparkling wine is always appropriate, but especially on Valentine’s Day. Show your devotion with the elegance of Brut Rosé Champagne, melding wild strawberry, tangerine and red cherry with a fruit-forward, but dry palate, like favorites from Veuve Clicquot ($75), Billecart-Salmon ($90) or Bollinger ($100). Domestic selections also deliver classic style, with a lively freshness and thousands of dancing bubbles, with a slightly more affordable price tag than Champagne. Look for impressive traditional method selections like JCB no 69 ($30), Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour ($39), Mumm Napa Brut Rosé ($25), and J Vineyards Brut Rosé ($45).
If divine chocolates make your true love melt, Cabernet Sauvignon selections from Caymus ($105), La Jota ($100), and Frank Family ($75) will please, melding dark chocolate with blackberry, cassis and woody herbs. If the layers of your romance weave together to become one, Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon ($45) is ideal. If your persistent passion is timeless, a bottle of spicy, smoky Relentless Syrah from Shafer Vineyards ($100) will thrill.
If thanks are in order, for your partner through thick and thin, consistency is best with varietally spot-on selections. Consider Barolo, the King of Italian wines, like Vietti Barolo Castiglione ($60), Old World Bordeaux like Clos Fourtet Saint Émilion ($199), or a savory, spicy Rhone blend, like M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf du Pape ($75) or E. Guigal Cote Rotie ($70).
A note of caution, of all the wines to chose this Valentine’s holiday, it’s best to save the luscious red cherry and roasted fig filled Prisoner ($45) for another occasion.
Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine, Hayley Hamilton Cogill, is a wine writer and speaker who travels the world chasing the grape while residing in Waimea. She and her husband, film critic, Gary Cogill, host “Cogill Wine &Film, A Perfect Pairing,” on reVolver Podcasts. For more pairing suggestions, follow Hayley on Instagram and Twitter @DallasUncorked