Wine to Love
There are countless delicious Washington wines to share with your loved one this Valentine’s Day. I have the joyful challenge of selecting the perfect ones to share with you this holiday. Talking with wine industry friends, I found some tasty options that, while not traditional, work so well with this holiday.
When thinking about sharing special bottles with your love, many of us think bubbles first. Traditional sparkling wines are made with Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay which give the distinct champagne-style flavor. For a light romantic dinner, I recommend a wine made by our friends at Panther Creek Cellars – their 2019 Chardonnay-Pinot Noir White Blend. This wine has the great depth of flavors of a sparkling wine without bubbles. This would pair great with my Dungeness Crab Soufflé Roulade.
In Woodinville, just a couple doors down from Darby Winery, is the Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery tasting room. Goose Ridge was recently featured in the new Washington Wine + Food cookbook from Julien Perry. Their friends at Heritage Restaurant | Bar developed a quick and tasty recipe to pair with the Goose Ridge 2016 Syrah. The recipe is Spicy Clams with Chorizo and let me tell you – this is a quick and simple recipe and the pairing is mouthwatering! If you want to impress your sweetheart, grab a bottle or two of the Syrah and this cookbook and have a quiet evening in this Valentine’s Day.
Does your love extend to our greater community? How about giving back while enjoying great Washington wine in a Glassybaby drinker while noshing on gourmet chocolates? Tinte Cellars mission is “Great Wine for the Greater Good” and they give a percentage of every sale to charity. Their gift package includes 2 Glassybaby drinkers (red & white), chocolate, a bottle of Syrah, and a bottle of Viognier. This is the perfect gift for Valentine’s day, and you can feel even better knowing part of the purchase supports great causes.
I received another sample after my deadline so it didn’t appear in the article but I must share this delicious wine with you. This wine may not have a catchy Valentine’s Day inspired name or logo but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of love in it. The 2015 Lauren Ashton Cellars Proprietor’s Cuvée is full of delicious wine. Seeing as it’s the “Proprietor’s” cuvée that means it’s a wine they take pride and love in the blend.
This dark luscious wine is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cab Franc, 17% Malbec, and 8% Petite Verdot. This wine is full and complex and I really get black cherries with silky round tannins. This pairs deliciously with my Casual Valentine Menu of Beef Wellington Sandwiches.
Washington produces so many great wines to share with your Valentine’s Day love. You can’t go wrong with any of the ones I have shared here or any of your favorites, as long as you share them with the one you love. “Where there is no wine there is no love.” ~ Euripides
