Valentine's Gift Buying Guide
Gusbourne Sparkling Brut NV Wine Gift Set with two beautiful branded glasses
The annual day for the romantics among us is nearly here. We're well into the new year and while we've returned to regular routines, we are still looking for those moments that can brighten the week. Valentine's day can be one of those moments. February 14th falls on a Wednesday this year which means it can deliver a little joy to an easily forgotten, drab day.
Now you could book a table at a restaurant, but why not avoid the busyness and expense and have a special evening at home? You can create the ambience that you want with your preferred music and lighting. Make as much or as little fuss as you wish.
When it comes to Valentine's day, there is only really one thing that matters (or at least we think so here at Reserve...). It's not flowers or cards. It's the wine! Finding the perfect wine can make all the difference. If you're making an effort with the food, it is the extra ingredient that can really elevate the experience. It can also enhance even the most ordinary meal - have you ever tried Champagne with fish and chips? Or simple parpadelle in a nice ragu with a glass of sangiovese?
Now when choosing the wines with a partner in mind, the most important thing is knowing what they enjoy. After all, one of the most romantic things you can do is show someone that you listen to and understand them, right? That you've paid attention to what they like and don't like. However, if you're not sure and need a little guidance, we're here to lend a hand.
To help you select the right wine, we've chosen some of our favourite bottles that are sure to hit the spot.
Valentine's Wine Gifts
If you want to choose a special bottle to offer as a token of your love, we have a few ready-made options for you. These can be delivered to your door to save having to rush to the shops on the way home from work and we can add a printed gift message to any orders too - just fill in the box at the checkout.
You can also add a gift box to any of our wines. Take a look at our collection of gift packaging here.
1 Bottle Sancerre Gift in Wooden Box
A good idea is to keep it classic with tried and tested wines that offer sophistication and class whenever they're poured. Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre in France's Loire Valley absolutely ticks these boxes. It'll be an ideal match if you're serving up oysters, but is also perfect with creamy goat's cheese
Kate says: "A good Sancerre is still a real treat and this is an example that really hits the spot. There's no finer example of bone-dry Sauvignon Blanc and Emile Balland has captured the pure, crisp fruit and limestone minerality beautifully."
Bordeaux Fine Wine Gift
A serious treat for any red wine lover. Château Biac has become a rising star of Côtes de Bordeaux, a unique area with a diversity of terroir that allows the winemaker flexibility to create a wine from a rich pallette. Owner Gabriel Asseily relates his wine to music and calls this their Chamber Orchestra. It is a blend borne from the same plots as their first wine, Château Biac, but with a view to being drunk more readily. This is the perfect gift for a serious red wine lover, presented in a wooden gift box.
Kate says: "What a treat this is. We've since absolutely fallen for the lovely Lebanese family who owns this winery. Their wines are modern takes on that classic savoury style of Bordeaux and this is ready to enjoy now so make an excuse to invite friends over and treat yourself."
2 bottle Valentines Wine Gift
To make your Valentine's day extra special, we've chosen two of our favourite wines that will spark a bit of passion and romance with whoever you're sharing with. You'll find an elegant Rosé Cremant sparkling that's all bright red berries and crisp acidity from Loire Valley in France, and a seductive Italian red full of rich plummy, fig and vanilla spice from Puglia. It may sound cheesy, but these really do scream Valentine's Day.
These are just a few of our wine gift sets, so if you can't find the one you're looking for here, take a look at our full range.
Sparkling wines for Valentine's Day
Now Champagne is the obvious choice here, and rosé sparkling wine always gets a mention due to the colour. But it's not always what you want to drink. So here are our favourite alternatives:
Laborie, Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique 2018
Gorgeous Cap Classique that is worth the price and then some! Discovering quality sparkling wine from other countries almost feels like being invited into a secret club - you don't want to tell anyone so you can keep it all for yourself. South Africa has been home to some of our best recent finds, and wines like this are amazing value if you're looking for a richer, vintage fizz, without the top-end price tag. Traditional method, blanc de blanc from 100% Chardonnay made in the Western Cape of south Africa. The nose reveals aromas of green apple, citrus and toasted bread and hazelnut, while the palate is creamy round and textured leading to a long finish. 5 years lees ageing gives richness and texture.
Kate Says "This is a delightful fizz that showcases the quality and finesse of South African sparkling wines. It is fresh, but rich and indulgent with a lot of complexity from the long lees ageing. A perfect choice for any celebration or occasion."
Flint Vineyard, Charmat Rose 2022
One of our standout wines of last year, this is packed with pure pleasure. A sprightly English Sparkling rosé bursting with summer pudding fruit. But it’s not just all fruit: there is a slight praline nuttiness and a caramelisation in the background, which gives the wine some complexity. On the palate it is soft and round and still full of red fruits. It is both easy drinking yet structured and serious enough to make a fine apéritif. Sassy, summery and fun.
Kate Says "This wine is really fun with sherbety summer berries that are pure, ripe and fresh. There's a real skill in making a wine this precise and clean while keeping all the aromatics and flavours that give it life."
Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2020
It's definitely worth celebrating our home-grown English fizz too, and this from Gusbourne is our best-selling wine for a reason. It is made from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which spends a minimum of thirty six months on lees and three months on cork before released. It has a delicate mousse and aromas of pear, mandarin and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is dominated by citrus and orchard fruit, with ripe lemon juice, orange and pear, alongside stone fruits and hints of ginger. The wine displays notes of freshly baked bread and apple tarte tatin, with a long length and lively freshness on the finish. It just shouts decadence and sophistication and is surprisingly good with chicken wings.
A perfect fizz to enjoy on a special occasion.
Red Wines for Valentine's Day
When it comes to red wine, texture is all important. You're looking for a wine that is rich and velvety. If it feels luxurious and deep with flavour, it's the right kind of wine for the mood. I look to southern Italian wines for examples of this, or French. Places where there is an implied romance throughout their winemaking. Below are few favourite suggestions.
Amie Rouge Carignan 2022
A well-rounded and elegant red wine produced in the Languedoc, south of France. Made from 100% Carignan, from vines that are over 30-years-old, it's only 12.5% but boy does it have some serious flavour. Absolutely bursting with blackberry, blackcurrants, red fruits, a beautiful jammy feel throughout, and an elegant, soft finish.
Try with Italian-style sausage and lentils
Chateau Picoron, Le Bon Nobel 2015
Le Bon Nobel is a delicious, modern red wine from the Bordeaux region of France, made from a single plot of Merlot. It has a rich and complex aroma with notes of blackberry, plum, hazelnut and cedar oak. The taste is smooth and balanced, with a long and satisfying finish. This opens up nicely with a bit of aeration so decanting is recommended. It pairs well with roast beef.
Kate Says: "This is a very eye-catching wine from a dynamic winery. It uses only a single-plot of Merlot grapes from to create a generously flavoured wine that has mellowed with time into something rather delicious. Ideal for sharing over dinner
Cantine Sampietrana, Settebraccia 2019
A real showstopper. This is a powerful and beguiling blend of Negroamaro and Susumaniello. It immediately entices with an aroma of jams, vanilla, and spices. It has an elegant, warm, soft and round texture with intense fruit verging on slightly sweet and ending with luscious tannins.
To be paired with aged cheeses, grilled meats, lamb, game and spicy dishes
White Wines for Valentine's Day
White wines for Valentine's are all about classic finesse. Chardonnay from Burgundy, Sancerre, Soave all have that class. You can also look to richer wines with more body that have a fuller, voluptuous mouthfeel and flavours that last long in the mouth. Here are some wines that will deliver that sophistication to your evening:
Pieropan, Soave Classico 2022
A fresh and expressive Soave, it has classic aromas of white flowers, almond blossoms and a touch of citrus. Rounded, ripe fruit is perfectly balanced by a fresh, clean acidity. Long and fragrant, it has a note of fine, almond pastry on the finish. If you've been bold enough to prepare some clams, this is a great match.
Dom. Vigneau-Chevrot, Vouvray Sec Selection 2022
Here's a wine to go for if you want to impress a wine connoisseur. This is our wine buyer's pick for Valentines. A sublime and elegant Chenin Blanc from Vouvray in France's Loire Valley. This is dry with classic ripe apple fruit. It is soft yet tangy and there’s tension between its weight and density and the crisp, acidic frame that carries it through to a lengthy finish. Try this with slightly creamy fish dishes.
Kate Says: "There’s nowhere like Vouvray to make Chenin Blanc truly shine in this way. If you love French Chardonnay give this a try. It is wonderful with poached salmon."
Rioja Vega Tempranillo Blanco 2022
If you're looking for something that is fresh but also has come complexity and richness, you should give this a try. Expressive and intense aromas of tropical fruits and honey, with a subtle smokiness. It shows hints of oak from the barrel ageing process, giving it some weight which is well-integrated, managing round stone fruit with crisp acidity on an unctuous palate. It ends with with a long persistent finish and an elegant hint of minerality. Try this with a seafood paella.
Rosé wines for Valentine's Day
On an occasion so full of red hearts and pink flowers, rosé is never far away and it can be a fun or sophisticated choice. Whether you like it softer and sweet or with a bit of Cote D'Azur glam, there's a rosé for you.
Fresita Strawberry Sparkling Wine
On the sweeter end, we have a very fruity sparkling wine. Fresita is a unique combination of the best premium Chilean sparkling wine infused with carefully selected handpicked fresh strawberries from Patagonia, which delivers a vibrant, natural, elegant and balanced taste. Think of it as a strawberry bellini. It's full of sweet strawberry fruit and has a fresh sparkling wine finish.
A great wine to have with fresh fruit-filled desserts.
Chateau L'Escarelle Les deux Anges Rose 2022
A stylishly presented Provence rosé. Subtle and elegant with wild strawberry and citrus fruit on the nose. The palate is clean and fresh with beautiful smoothness and pink grapefruit and cranberry notes. This is the fashionable dry style of rosé that has been taking our summers by storm, and it is just as delightful in February.
Born 503 Rose 2020
This stylish Spanish Rose form Barcelona brand Born was one of the best we tried last year. It is very aromatic with good intensity and complexity delivering aromas of cherry, watermelon and raspberry with hints of apricot and tropical notes against a background of orange and elderberry blossom. The palate has good concentration and fresh acidity with an elegant texture carrying the fruit flavours to a refreshing and spicy finish. This is a serious wine that is great fun to enjoy and very food friendly. A rosé for adventurers.
Spirit Gifts for Valentine's Day
Not everyone is a wine drinker of course, so you may be more interested in these fabulous spirit gift packs to treat your special someone.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Gift Pack inc. 2 Glasses
An exquisite sipping rum, made almost entirely from sugar cane honey. A blend of 80% pot still rum and 20% light rums aged for 12 years. Full of fruity and sweet flavours such as banana and toffee and accompanied here by a beautiful glasses, making it an ideal gift for anyone serious about rum.
Isle of Raasay Gin Gift Pack inc. 2 x G&T glasses
This Isle of Raasay Gin Gift Pack includes a bottle of their zesty Isle of Raasay Gin and two branded gin glasses packaged in a branded gift box – a gift to be shared and enjoyed together.
The gin is handcrafted using ten carefully chosen botanicals including juniper, sweet orange peel and lemon peel.
Fresh and aromatic, with juniper, sweet orange, candied lemon and hints of rhubarb. The palate is dry with bursts of juniper, richer rhubarb and citrus notes before all the flavours harmonise together for a refreshing finish with a lasting aftertaste that encapsulates Raasay’s style and character.
I hope we've been able to inspire your Valentine's evenings with our suggestions and tips. You can find more suggestions in our Valentine's collection or if you would like some bespoke advice, just reach out to us by emailing hello@reservewines.co.uk or jump on the live chat.
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