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Three lovely libations for Valentine’s Day

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ferrari-perle-millesimato-magnum-1185804-s238Valentine’s Day is great for the restaurant business.

Beg. borrow or steal a reservation, wait at the bar and finally descend on your table and hope your romantic evening out won’t be sidetracked by an overpressed wait staff and kitchen.

Why not spend a romantic evening at home?

Find a great card and a thoughtful gift for your sweetheart. Set a lovely table and light the candles. Put on wonderful music. And let the magic begin.

Here are three lovely libations to spark romance:
Build a wood fire and put a bottle of bubbly on ice. Ferrari Perle 2008 is celebratory, with that yeasty pop race car drivers and accomplished hosts expect from this superb producer of sparkling wines from Trento in northern Italy.  It’s creamy, with crisp apple and subtle notes of almond. (SRP: $38)

pinotnoir-B3-2_largeOn to dinner! Loveblock Pinot Noir is a gorgeous red with purple hues from a small vineyard in New Zealand appropriately named Someone’s Darling and brought to us by Terlato Wines. It’s complex, so open the bottle early and let it breathe. Expect perfumed violet, intense dark fruit, and an herbaceous oaky waft layered with savory mushroom and sweet strawberry notes. I suggest pouring this pleasing potable with duck. (SRP: $37)

Select_BottleIt’s a romantic evening. Back to the fireplace. Put another log on the fire, dear, and Indulge in Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky, with the exquisite peaty notes of Scotland and “the beautiful hollow by the broad bay,” the literal translation of the label. (SRP: $44.99)

Hopefully, you already have set out nice glasses and comfy pillows.

Expect a long, dry finish with spice. Add a heartfelt hug from your sweetheart.

 

A red and a white to uncork for the holidays

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Our annual feast-a-thon is upon us, that sumptuous seasonal slice that dawns on Thanksgiving and waddles off into the sunset on New Year’s Day.

mkmbrown2There is no better way to usher in the holidays than with food-friendly wines. On my recommended list are a red and a white from Terlato Wines, the four-generation winemakers who have amassed a global portfolio of more than 70 brands in more than a dozen countries. Terlato provided wines for us to sample, including these two standouts from California in the $20-plus range.

Markham Merlot, born and raised in the Napa Valley, fills the glass with a jammy pop of dark ruby color scented with vanilla and dark chocolate, with lively notes of cherry. Its pillow-soft, laid-back tannins make it a great pout for entertaining small, intimate groups enjoying roasted veggies and sausages fragrant with herbs.

hanna-sauvignon-blanc-russian-river-valley-usa-10206617HANNA Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River Valley is a match for crisp, fresh salads or a counterpoint to spicy dishes. It’s a bright yellow tinged with grass green, a zippy sip of pleasantly acid nectarine and peach with notes of hay and ginger.

Cheers to the holidays!

 

 

 

 

Like a red, red…wine

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Red wine and romance: a time-honored pairing.

13498So, on Valentine’s Day, let us consider the aptly named Loveblock Pinot Noir 2012, which hails from a small vineyard in New Zealand, aptly named Someone’s Darling. It’s imported by Terlato Wines, who forwarded me a bottle to taste.

I often think of Pinot Noir in a classic pairing, pinot and pork. But it’s also a successful match with salmon, especially served on a velvety bed of mashed potatoes.

With Loveblock, expect lots of fruit: berries and cherries, tempered with herbal tones of sage and white pepper. It’s exceptionally food friendly, with a sleek, silken texture–and more ardor than found in many pinots. The tannic finish shows this wine is a serious suitor.

Expect to pay about $30 for Loveblock Pinot Noir. If you haven’t already, consider making pinots a staple in your own personal wine bar.

 

 

The Federalist Zinfandel

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Alexander Hamilton was never president. But he was a splendid U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, an accomplishment forever memorialized with his portrait on the $10 bill.

The-Federalist-Zinfandel1You don’t have to wait for Presidents Day or any other national holiday to enjoy Dry Creek Federalist Zinfandel 2011 from Terlato Wines, which has Hamilton on the label.

The folks at Terlato sent us a bottle to try for ourselves. Rooted in American soil, Federalist Zinfandel hales from California’s Russian River Valley, a microclimate bathed in afternoon sun, dried in cool night air and refreshed with morning fog.

Hamilton took a big bite out of life, from his birth in the Caribbean, to his rise in the American Revolution and his stunning achievement establishing a monetary system in a fledgling nation.

Like a big Zin, Hamilton was a man of bold flavors. He had a notorious affair, which he publicly confessed after being blackmailed. He died in a duel, shot by Aaron Burr, the would-be president who Hamilton helped to foil.

Back to the wine. We tested it with filet mignon, a classic pairing for a hearty red. The Fed was a great match, with lush notes of plum, bright cherry and tones of licorice and cinnamon. Expect a smooth, round mouthfeel that tastes expensive. Expect to pay about $24 a bottle.