Your friends at the AWS Pittsburgh Chapter are here to help! If you take a quick trip through wine.com, you’ll find plenty of
inspiration for the upcoming holiday. The 14th of February is special, particularly for wine lovers.
More than any other day, it’s an opportunity to share our love for
wine with our Valentine: a sort of ménage à trois, but we’ll get back to that
later.
Finding the right wine is important to start your dinner in the right
direction. You want to show off your love and your enthusiasm, but not too
much, and not too directly. Subtly and romantically is the way to go. We’ve
found five wines to communicate your
burning passion without playing with fire (too much).
To prevent the embarrassment your over-excitement could cause,
we’ve also identified the five
wines that you probable shouldn’t pick up for that night.
The Five Wines to Try
Terra Valentine
Marriage Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California
Well, the name of the producer ‘Terra Valentine’, as much as the
name of the wine ‘Marriage Spring’ will speak for themselves and reveal your
subtle ingenuity for matching wine with the moment. This is a proprietary red
blend. Expect a fruity yet fairly powerful red wine.
Reckless Love, Alexander Valley, California
As
the producer puts it, “We made this bottle as a tribute to the brave few who
rush into blind love and shameless nights. We hand crafted this velvety
California blend to pair perfectly with wild nights and ignoring your parents’
advice.”
Because
your Love is reckless, and your parent’s aren’t watching, this wine will work.
Folie
a Deux Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California
“Folie a Deux” is French for “a madness shared by two”.
Because you’re crazy about each other, a wine with a French accent from Sonoma
County will do the trick. We think that Pinot Noir is ideal for a
romantic night, because it is fruity and not too tannic, keeping your feelings
(and stomach) in the right mood.
Naked Winery Oh!
Orgasmic Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington
Ok, your message won’t be delivered subtly with this wine. But
it’s a positive one. One that takes two to get to, a lot of love, and a lot of
sharing.
Expect
a very sweet and powerfully aromatic white wine with this late harvest
Riesling. Producer says “Sweet almost to the point of being an ice-wine!” There
are notes of candied pear and apples. The Oh! Orgasmic range has other
varietals to vary your pleasures like Sangiovese, Zinfandel or Pinot Blanc.
Je t’aime Brut
Rose, Limoux, France
Because no sentence is more beautiful than “Je t’aime”,
French for “I Love You”. The language of wine, and the language of love,
united.
The Five Wines to Avoid
Menage a Trois
Midnight Red Blend, California
A ménage à trois in French is a domestic arrangement in which
three people have romantic relations with each other. If you have a message to send
to your loved one, like you’ve invited a guest to join the fun after
dinner around midnight on V-day, this is your perfect wine. But you may
want to reconsider your message, or keep it for another day.
R Wine Bitch Grenache, Spain
Do
we need to elaborate? Whether you’re a man or a woman, stay away from this wine
on Valentine’s Day! As good (and fun) as it might be, not for the 14th of
February… Please!
Naked
Winery Penetration Cabernet Sauvignon,
Columbia Valley, Washington
Here again, this is too far off the romantic road for the
occasion. Yes you love each other, and there are certain things that you like
to share. But don’t put it on the table just yet! Save it for another day
perhaps, or very early in the morning on the 15th.
The
producer describes this wine as follows: “Penetration is a woody wine with
depth. Open up, relax and get Penetrated tonight.”
Mouton Noir Love
Drunk, Willamette Valley, Oregon
The purpose of sharing wine on Valentine’s Day is not getting
drunk. It’s not putting your senses to sleep, but waking them up, teasing them
with sensations, smells and flavors from food and wine.
So
although the Pink color seems appropriate, Love Drunk Rosé wine… Nope!
Ovum Wines ‘Ne Me
Quitte Pas’, Rogue Valley, Oregon
“Ne me quitte pas” is song by Belgian Jacques Brel about
longing for a love to please “don’t leave me”. If your relation is at a stage
that even on Valentine’s Day you feel like begging her or him not to
leave, don’t bring this bottle out.
Don’t
break things apart with this Oregon Gewürztraminer. Keep them together with
your passion.
Pick
one of the recommended wines above and show off how
fond of her or him you are. Enjoy the company of love on this most romantic holiday.
Join us for Wines of Love and Romance on Wednesday, February 12 at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Community Center. 
