Which Wines Work to Woo this Valentine's Day?
One of the things that drew me to Duc was his interest in and passion for wine. Seeing as I am very much into food, this hobby of his was intriguing and certainly one that has guided me through that side of my food adventures. I am grateful for his guidance, and after much pestering, he's finally going to put that wine knowledge blatantly to use on Much Ado About Fooding by offering these tips on which bottles to choose for whichever dish you plan on cooking this Valentine's Day. I gave him five dishes I felt could be dinners during the romantic holiday (in the comforts of people's homes). He gave two options each under the parameters that the bottles be less than $30, a red and white would be the preferred variety though not always possible, and the wines could appeal to multiple people. Here are his recommendations!
As advocates for cooking at home, we have shaped this guide based on a home-cooked meal so these are wines you can find at nearby stores; we linked to their Total Wine listings just in case you wanted more information. The entrees I picked for him to recommend on were roasted chicken, steak, lamb, lobster risotto, and pan-seared salmon but you can think about other dishes that have similar flavor profiles that these could match up with as well!
IF YOU'RE MAKING ROASTED CHICKEN...
Vintage: 2010 (don't need to be vintage specific)
Appellation: Brouilly
Country/State: France
Region: Beaujolais-Villages
Type: Red
Varietal: Gamay
Retail Description: Fresh, Raspberry, Berry, Violets, Medium-bodied. Wine Advocate - Brouilly, Beaujolais, France-"The 2010 Domaine des Nazins brims with juicy ripe blueberry and elderberry, and finished with some of the list and elegance Duboeuf advertises for it. Hints of sage and black pepper add to the pungent, tart sense of pep in a reasonable sustained finish."
Duc's Reason: A fruity red adds a burst of berry acidity and complements chicken's delicate flavor. With just enough heft to match a well-seasoned chicken, a red from France's Beaujolais region offers succulent fruit and a hint of tartness with little mouth-puckering tannin. Serve the wine slightly chilled to keep it zippy and fresh.
Price: 18.99
Vintage: 2012
Country/State: California
Region: Napa Valley
Type: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Retail Description: Oak, Tropical, Vanilla, Full-bodied. Wine Enthusiast - Napa, CA- "What a lovely Chardonnay. It's dry, crisp in acidity and rich in pineapples, limes, peaches and green apples, but despite all that opulence, it has a tight, minerally elegance. Easy to like, and well worth the price."
Duc's Reason: A weighty white with hints of citrus and butter, it's rich enough to handle a roasted bird.
Price: 24.99
IF YOU'RE MAKING STEAK...
Vintage: 2009
Appellation: Pessac-Leognan
Country/State: France
Region: Bordeaux
Type: Red
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend (left bank of Garonne River = mostly Cabernet Sauvignon)
Retail Description: Elegant, Berry, Cedar, Medium-bodied. Wine Spectator - Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France- "Very racy, with a sanguine frame to the delicious core of red currant, damson plum and linzer torte notes. Long, with tar and juniper lingering through the finish."
Duc's Reason: Just well balanced enough for your rare steaks as well as medium-well steaks. Great structure and juiciness but still that signature French tannic finish to prepare your palate for the next bite. Good by itself, better with food. You don't have to be a wine expert to appreciate this wine. My personal favorite for a red. Perfect way to impress that date.
Price: 29.99
Vintage: none
Country/State: California
Region: Napa Valley
Type: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Retail Description: Elegant, Blackberry, Cassis, Cedar, Full-bodied. Napa Valley, CA- Showcasing the excellence of their Longwood Ranch Vineyard, this classic Napa Cab reflects the proud history of the de Coninck family of Bordeaux. Blackberry, cassis and spicy oak flavors lead to an elegant and long finish. Pair with steak, roasts and lamb.
Duc's Reason: For the heavier palates, this New World Cab is almost another dish. Thick, juicy, and heavy, it will leave you full. This is best with a heavier seasoned steak where you want pepper, thyme, and sage to be highlighted.
Price: 27.99
IF YOU'RE MAKING LAMB...
Vintage: 2010
Appellation: Gigondas
Country/State: France
Region: Rhone
Type: Red
Varietal: Rhone Blend (mainly Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre and like 18 other minor grapes)
Retail Description: Intense, Cherry, Blackberry, Spice, Full-bodied. Int'l Wine Cellar - Gigondas, Rhone, France- "Pungent dark fruits and herbs on the fragrant nose. The palate offers deep black and blue fruit and vanilla flavors complicated by licorice and black tea, with a smoky quality emerging with air. Finishes tangy and long."
Duc's Reason: Lamb is very red wine friendly. The popular choice is a French wine from the Rhone region (mainly Syrah). I prefer Rhone blends from the Gigondas region (inside Rhone) because they use a little more Grenache in their blends which gives it a more silky finish for the tenderness of lamb.
Price: 24.99
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Rioja
Type: Red
Varietal: Tempranillo
Retail Description: Intense, Cherry, Mocha, Spice, Full-bodied. Wine Advocate - Rioja, Spain - "The nose is well-defined with notes of dark chocolate, dark berry fruits, a touch of mint and singed leather. The palate is medium-bodied with lively red berries intermixed with orange peel and white pepper on the entry." Pair with BBQ & Smoked Meats.
Duc's Reason: The lesser known pairing buddy to lamb. Everyone goes with a Syrah/Grenache or Cab for lamb but a Rioja will give you something to talk about. A little bit on the spicier side with more of that pepper sting on the palate. This is meant for the more heavily seasoned lamb dishes but on the flip side, it has much more ripe red berries than a Rhone wine. I'd get this one to break trends.
Price: 19.99
IF YOU'RE MAKING LOBSTER RISOTTO...
Vintage: none
Appellation: Sancerre
Country/State: France
Region: Loire
Type: White
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Retail Description: Crisp, Citrus, Mineral, Medium-bodied. Sancerre, Loire Valley, France- Made from old vines, which intensifies the flavor, this estate bottled wine is a fine expression of Sauvignon Blanc. Refreshingly zesty, with crisp notes of citrus and minerals, dry and complex. Enjoy with Goat Cheese Like Cheever.
Duc's Reason: Loire Valley is my favorite region for white wines. Bright citrus and subtle mineral notes heighten the inherent sweetness of lobster. Will cleanse the palate on each sip while getting it to salivate for the next bite. The crisp profile will cut through the creaminess of risotto and won't overwhelm the taste buds so they could still pick out the lobster flavors in the edible mess in your mouth.
Price: 19.99
Vintage: none
Country/State: France
Region: Alsace
Type: White
Varietal: Gewurztraminer
Retail Description: Elegant, Tropical, Rose, Citrus, Full-bodied. Alsace, France- Bursting with aromas of rose petal, tropical fruits and exotic litchi, yet dry and lush on the palate. Founded in 1425, the Albrecht family winery has hand-crafted this opulent spicy white for your enjoyment with Asian cuisine, sausage, and turkey.
Duc's Reason: My other favorite region for whites. I personally consider this the hidden gem of France because they have both German and French influences in their culture and wine-making. This pairing is more on friendlier side as it is fruitier and more feminine. This wine will cater more to the lobster than the risotto. Another choice could be a New World Chardonnay but I feel it would be too buttery and oakey; you'd feel sluggish afterwards.
Price: 19.99
Vintage: none
Appellation: Prosecco
Country/State: Italy
Region: Veneto
Type: Sparkling Wine Varietal
Retail Description: Elegant, Apricot, Mineral, Medium-bodied. Valdadige, Italy- Nice and delicate sweetness, with hints of white fruit. There is elegance and finesse in the nose, paired with persistence in the mouth. The pleasant acidity is compensated by a nice sweetness. Reason: For the brunch lovers, someone people do prefer sparkling wine with their lobster risotto. This is a perfect one is it isn't too acidic/dry (Brut) nor sweet (semi-sec/demi-sec). The sparkling characteristics will break up the creamy risotto and enhance the lobster meat a little bit.
Duc's Reason: For the brunch lovers, some people do prefer sparkling wine with their lobster risotto. This is a perfect one as it isn't too acidic/dry (Brut) nor sweet (semi-sec/demi-sec). The sparkling characteristics will break up creamy risotto and enhance the lobster meat.
Price: 15.99
IF YOU'RE MAKING PAN-SEARED SALMON...
Vintage: none
Appellation: Sancerre
Country/State: France
Region: Loire
Type: Rose/Blush
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Retail Description: Elegant, Strawberry, Vanilla, Light-bodied. Sancerre, Loire, France- This dry rose from the Pinot Noir grape offers delightful flavors of cherries and strawberries with touches of vanilla in a smooth, elegant style. The perfect match with your favorite salad or fish dish.
Duc's Reason: Pairing a Rose with salmon is a no-brainer. The acute acidity balances out the fattiness of the salmon (and most likely heavy sauce). Whether you smoke, poach or grill, a Rose will always taste good because it mimics the strengths of both red and white wines. The Rose will shine through rich, oily layers of flavors in each bite.
Price: 19.99
Vintage: none
Appellation: Sancerre
Country/State: France
Region: Loire Type: White Wine Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc Description: Crisp, Citrus, Mineral, Medium-bodied. Sancerre, Loire Valley, France- Made from old vines, which intensifies the flavor, this estate bottled wine is a fine expression of Sauvignon Blanc. Refreshingly zesty, with crisp notes of citrus and minerals, dry and complex. Enjoy with Goat Cheese Like Cheever.
Duc's Reason: Loire Valley is my favorite region for white wines. I'm sure you could see how much I like the Sancerre area by now. It's this, a fully-oaked California Chard, or a heavy White Burgundy (Chard). I would personally go with a Sancerre since we're not trying to numb the taste buds by overwhelming them.
Price: 21.99
Vintage: none
Appellation: Marsannay
Country/State: France
Region: Burgundy
Type: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Retail Description: Elegant, Black Cherry, Plum, Medium-bodied. Marsannay, Burgundy, France- This rich, deeply colored Pinot Noir from the northern reaches of Burgundy is filled iwth aromas of violets and black cherries. The elegant tannins and supple fruit notes balance each other through a lingering finish accented by notes of plum and cherry.
Duc's Reason: Pinot Noir is THE choice of wine for salmon. However you prepare the fish, Pinot Noir's silky, subtle tannin structure and strawberry and raspberry fruit characteristics will play along with the dish. Its earthy undertone will also intensify any pepper crust or smoking you do to the salmon.
Price: 29.99
Vintage: 2010
Country/State: Oregon
Region: Willamette Valley
Type: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Retail Description: Elegant, Raspberry, Cherry, Full-Bodied. Willamette Valley, OR- Aromas of ripe cherry and plum. Flavors of pomegranate and black raspberry linger on the mid-palate. Pairs beautifully with salmon, all white fish, meat and duck.
Duc's Reason: For the New World drinkers, this provides a more layered fruit flavor profile but still keeps that earthy undertone. I prefer red Burgundies over New World Pinot Noirs but this Willamette gets pretty close to Burgundian wines. Good choice if your salmon dish is on the brighter side of flavors using ingredients like lemon zest, cilantro, etc.
Price: 29.99
What a comprehensive list from Duc! If you are having multiple courses for your dinner and therefore multiple pours, please make sure to drink responsibly and not put yourself or anyone else in danger. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated and be aware of both your dinner date's and your alcohol tolerance.
These are perfect suggestions for the home-cooked Valentine's Day dinner but if you're more inclined to go out, here is a list of places near us that are doing specials.
Tags:
Eatery
Tips and Techniques
0 comments