Valentine's Day Wishes. It's just not that complicated.

It's almost Valentine's Day. I don't know about you, but I have always had a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. I find it a ridiculously contrived holiday. Part of me hates this, but part of me just adores it! So cheesy. So silly and over the top. I confess that Valentine's Day has not normally gone all that well for me with a couple of rare exceptions. But I think it was my own fault for not being REALLY REALLY clear about what I would love. This year, since there is no one in particular to tell, I figured I'd just tell EVERYONE! Heh. Maybe I'll actually get some of it this time! Ok. I'm a bit of a paradox when it comes to what I like. Most of the time I am rather unconventional in my tastes. But on Valentine's Day, I'm all about the traditions. Really, I'm a simple woman at heart. I swear!



I'd love to wake up to a box of Hot Chocolatier chocolates,





a bottle of Larmandier-Bernier Terre-de-Vertus,




and some confection from La Pelrla.


Yeah, I did. I put knickers on my blog. And?

Once that's all be put to its best uses, I confess that a dozen red roses would be FABULOUS! Hell, I'd settle for tulips! (I actually prefer them anyway.)

Dinner would be just lovely too. A little pan seared foie gras with crostini topped with evoo and toasted pistachios. Ok, who needs dinner. Just the foies gras and some more champagne!

Dessert is an absolute necessity. And because no one can (well, I can't anyway) have enough chocolate...

This chocolate chestnut cake covered in Nutella makes me swoon. This ought to be fabulous with champagne too! How convenient!



SWOON.

Now, here's the part I like best... I'd like to do all this from the comfort of one of these chairs in Turks and Caicos:


That about covers it. See. Simple.

Happy Valentine's Day from Wine Ophelia

Cheers!

Because it's what we do... My Picks for Valentine's Day:

People, I'm thinkin' PINK!

Are you seeing a theme with me? If you aren't, you should... I LOVE ROSE! I drink it all year long in its various forms and I love them all! Still, sparkling, so many different regions and grape varieties to choose from! It is one of the most versatile wines out there in my opinion. And for Valentine's Day, it's a no brainer!

Here are some of my favorites:

Rendardat-Fache Cerdon de Bugey - a Louis/Dressner Selection - Sparkling, lightly sweet, light alcohol. This is pure bliss in a glass. Made from gamay and poulsard in the ancestral method. Incredible fizzy mousse, delicate aromas and flavors of raspberries. Gorgeous dark pink color. Looks incredible in the glass and on the table, like a present. GOES DOWN EEEEEEASYYYYYY...Buy more than one bottle. (you will thank me for that advice.) Just buy a case. You'll drink it.


Strohmeier Schilcher Sekt - a Monika Caha Selection- If there is a polar opposite to Bugey Cerdon, this is it. The mousse is the only connection. SUPER fizzy mousse. I love it! But this baby is BONE DRY. Beautiful pale pink color, aromas and flavors of tart strawberries. Made from the grape blauer wildbacher from the Styria region of Austria. I can't say it much better than Nico from Williams Corner Wine so I'm quoting:

"Because (in the words of Gary V) this wine is bringing the thunder!

So here’s the deal: Drink it with someone special[your Valentine!!] while enjoying something delicious (roast duck maybe.) Be sure to save one glass to drink the next day for breakfast or lunch (if you can wait that long…).

This is a no sulphur, no dosage, methode ancestrale sparkling rosé. It tastes better than most rosé champagne out there on the market that cost three times as much! For me, this is one of the truest and purest manifestations of natural wine. It is unadulterated, yet clean. Alive, refreshing, deeply fruited, taut, balanced. I could go on and on." (didn't want a huge indent sorry.)


Domaines Piron Gamay Rose - A beautiful, delicate expression of Gamay from Beaujolais. This one is SUPER pale, subtle but complex. Gorgeous fruit. Very light. Don't serve it too cold or the fruit will withhold itself from you; and you don't want that, now do you? Served close to cave temp in the mid 50s somewhere and it's sublime.















And probably my second favorite after the Bugey: J. Mourat Rose - Fiefs Vendeens - A gorgeous blend of Pinot Noir, Negrette and Cabernet Franc. Extremely complex and absolutely delicious. Photo credit to Hardy Wallace, taken at Dynamic Dish in ATL! YUM!


Lastly, one I haven't tasted in awhile but used to like qutie a bit is Rose di Regaleali a Sicilian deep, dark pink, fairly intense flavors. Find it if you can.

Have a favorite rose? SHARE IT HERE!