With Valentines Day approaching, wine is the one thing that you know will make your special someone smile from ear to ear! Whether it’s going to your favorite BYOB restaurant, cracking open a bottle at home with a romantic comedy, or making dinner, you will need a good bottle to pair with the evening. I love Valentines Day and even when I was single it was still a holiday I really enjoyed. Fast forward to today, and I know this Valentines Day I will be enjoying one (or more) of these bottles with a good movie and great company. Here are my top fourteen wines to enjoy on February 14th!

Sparkling- I love bubbles, and hopefully you do too. I recommend you enjoy any from this list with Bacon Fat Popcorn!

Champagne Henriot Rosé– This tiny family-owned Champagne house is one you can get excited about. If you’re looking for a special wine that will wow your Valentine with sophisticated aromas, then this is it! It’s clean, elegant, and full of red fruit with a pleasant finish. $75

Domaine Amirault Les Quarterons Crémant de LoireCrémant is the perfect style of sparkling wine for those that love Champagne but not necessarily Champagne prices. I drink crémant all the time, and always have a bottle or two around. This one is made of Chenin Blanc with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. The nose is yeasty and also expresses fresh apple aromas. On the palate, it’s well balanced and lovely. This wine is a steal, and will pair perfectly with shellfish, cheese, and bacon popcorn of course! $17

Champagne Delamotte Rosé- This is another excellent rosé that is also from the fifth-oldest Champagne house in France! Made using the traditional ‘saignée’ method (obtaining color and complexity from the skins through maceration before and during fermentation), this fine Champagne is full of red fruit, and nice acidity. I think this wine will win your heart as well as your Valentines! $109

Luc Belaire Rare Rosé- Can you tell I love rosé? This one is a delicious and delicate blend of three of France’s famed rose grapes: Syrah, Cinsault, and Grenache. It has strawberry and black currant flavors with elegant acidity. This wine is recognized around the world and is absolutely exquisite, full of fruit, and makes the perfect gift to give someone you love. $29 

Whites- White wine too, makes an elegant gift to give to someone you love. My next few are playful and easily pair with seafood!

2016 La Crema Chardonnay A delicious wine from the Russian River Valley that will surely impress. It has vibrant flavors and bright acidity due to the cooling ocean fog in the area. This wine is fun and fruit forward with citrus zest and white flower notes that follow through and leave you with a toasty elegant finish. $30

2017 L’Ecole No 41 Semillon- You will fall in love with this wine from the Columbia Valley! It’s flinty with notes of honeycomb, tropical fruit, and figs. It’s a great expression of the grape itself and can even benefit from some aging. My suggestion is to buy two, one to enjoy on Valentines Day this year, and one to open next year. I think your someone special will be overjoyed to start a new tradition! $17

2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay This white comes from a unique corner of California wine country. It expresses notes of yellow apple, lemon, and minerality. There is attractive oak on the finish followed by complexity and notes of bread. Overall this is a lovely wine to enjoy with someone you love. $20

Reds- Who doesn’t love a great red wine for Valentines Day? Warm him or her up with one of these bottles and Italian takeout! 

2016 Siduri Pinot Noir-  This wine has amazing concentration and opens up after an hour or two. It has notes of black fruit, menthol, and tobacco with smooth tannins and a balanced finish. This wine can easily age but is certainly drinkable now and would go well with meat sauces, pasta, eggplant parmesan, and more! $35

2015 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Boasting with dark fruit aromas and notes of oak, blackberries, and currants. There are notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, and cedar followed by a full-bodied and a seductive mouthfeel. Overall this is a delicious wine that would pair perfectly with steak, veal, and hearty tomato dishes! $45

2016 The Chocolate Block- This South African wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Viognier. The nose is perfumed with dark and complex red fruit and cardamom. On the palate, it’s textured with nice acidity and cocoa white pepper. $31.99

2017 Angulo Innocenti Malbec- This Malbec shows the beautiful expression of the La Consulta areas cool climate. This area is known for Malbec and this wine shows nice notes of violet and intense purple fruit. This wine is meant to enjoy now and is smooth, earthy, and full-bodied making it perfect to pair with a variety of cuisines. $18.99

 

2015 Quinta Do Ataide, Symington Family Estates– This Portuguese red blend is really quite nice! Nestled among ancient olive groves, this Douro Valley wine is full bodied and full of spice, red berries, and oak. It’s a complex wine with a lot to offer and an attractive finish. The label is beautiful, making it a great gift for your Valentine! $15

 

Sweet Wine- If you’re into sweeter wines like I am, you’ll love getting or gifting these for VDay! 

Fonseca Porto Bin 27-  This wine shows rich blackberry and cassis aromas which are alluring. It’s perfect for an evening of romance because it’s velvety and luscious, with seductive flavors and a full body. Pair this wine with some dark chocolate topped with smoked sea salt! $17 

Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti DOCG This one is more of a dessert wine category wise, but I enjoy it with spicy shrimp and Indian spice flavors. It’s a fragrant wine full of flowers, peaches, and apricots. It has pleasantly fine bubbles with a creamy mouthfeel and a delicious finish. $13

 

Happy Valentines Day! Please pair responsibly!