I think we all can agree that wine is romantic. That being said, I think it's important to understand and keep in mind that not all wines are as equally romantic or equally as social!

Consider this... Is a Frisky Zebra tetra pack wine as romantic as say a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne? No, I don't think so! How about a bottle Yellow Tale Shiraz Vs. a bottle of My Way Chardonnay by Megalomaniac? Wouldn't one of those create more discussion, or be more social than the other? Yes, the latter of course!

OK, now I brought all of this up because i think it's important to consider for Valentine's day. Valentines day is your chance show off your romantic prowess. Love it or hate it, Valentines is coming, and here at iYellow Wine Club we want you to be as best equipped as possible!

Ange and I have come up with 5 wine suggestions below for you to keep in mind when you hit the wine stores for V-day. We believe they are on the higher end of the romantic wine scale and will help elevate your wine drinking experience. And we've also included some "Serving Suggestions" for you to consider for Valentines that might add that extra special touch to the occasion.


5 Wines

Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Rose Brut (might as well get her a real ROSE with it too!)
Price: $29.95 & it's available at the winery or at the LCBO...worth every penny! Rose Sparkling is really hot these days and it's colour is so apt for Valentines. Fresh and brut for the guys, pink and cute for the girls.

Peller Estates Ice Cuvee - $29.50 - We served it at the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo, and we have it very frequently, including in this month's iYellow TV. Ontario has a great climate for Sparking since it's a cool climate growing region like Champaign. And this sparkler is unique. It has a nice dosage of Vidal icewine that adds flavour, but doesn't make it taste too sweet - so the wine still keeps it's freshness. Available at Vineyards Estate Wines stores and LCBOs.

Trius Red 2005 $19.95 - if you can find it. A luscious wine with nice ripe fruit flavours and well-balanced character. Don't forget that 2005 was one of Ontario's best vintages ever! This wine will keep you coming back for more and it's in a sexy black bottle that is sure to show some class. Tip: I saw a good dozen bottles or so at the Manulife Vintages store. Vineyards Estate Wines on Queens Quay and in Hazelton lanes do have it, but only the 1.5 Magnum bottles, which are cool, but might be too big for two people, it's more apt as a party wine.

Perez Cruz Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva. $14.95. Yes, it sounds like they have created a blend of Paris Hilton & Tom Cruise, but try to let that go. Available in the LCBO's Vintages, this wine is a full-bodied red that has more of a Shirazzy-jammy flavour to it. Rustic, charming and warming, it's perfect for a cozy night and also goes well with a nice steak dinner.

Peller Estates Cabernet-Franc Icewine
$40 half bottle (perfect size for up to about 6 people), $80 full bottle. Nice, sweet jammy icewine that's sooo yuummy. Get a little dark chocolate, or icewine chocolates and you'll have all you need for a special night.

Serving Suggestions

Fun with Strawberries
A tip a friend of mine shared with me a couple years ago I thought would be worth passing along. Get ahold of some fresh, beautiful strawberries and plop one of them into the flute before you pour your Champaign or Sparkling wine. With the strawberry at the bottom, pour the wine gently into the flute and watch the bubbles bring the strawberry top! You can drink the sparkling wine with it in, or feel free to take it out and eat it first, up to you.

Serving Champagne or Sparkling wine?
Be sure to pick up some flutes. Having proper stemware for certain wines, esp. sparkling really makes the experience that much better. You can find very reasonably priced flutes all over the place.

Do you have any Valentine wine suggestions?

If so, please post a comment below.