In the Name of Love: Experts Choose Seductive Wines for Valentine’s Day
I blurted out the word “seductive” to my wife recently, though I was actually describing a wine we were sharing. The 2014 Pas de Deux ($65 at kukkulawine.com) from the Kukkula winery in Paso Robles’s Adelaida District is a 50-50 blend of syrah and grenache, a combination I love. This bottling was extra special, though, for its curves, its fleshiness and its voluptuousness. The age – 10 years – has a lot to do with it.
My wife, though momentarily disappointed that the remark wasn’t directed at her, acquiesced.
And when I followed up with winemaker Kevin Jussila, he agreed with me, too! Compared to when it was released seven years ago, the wine “feels more seductive, and rounder” now, he says, “with perhaps a stronger sense of its earthiness intertwined with the opulent fruit.”
Jussila says the vintage year plays a role here, too – adding that the 2014 vintage “was a harvest that created a riper feel to both varietals, so the fruit on both really stand out.” But to me, this wine – with its leather aromas and jammy flavors – is a delicious reminder of how aging a quality wine in bottle can elevate it and even give it sex appeal.
Or maybe I just have Valentine’s Day on the mind.
The team at Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards in Solvang are thinking about Cupid, too. They sent out an email last week spotlighting their Sweetheart’s Syrah ($36, though discounted to just $20 through Valentine’s Day at llwine.com), a wine they tout for “anyone who craves a rich, dark, gorgeous red with all the seductive power of its romantic Rhone heritage.”
There’s that word again.
So, with the year’s most romantic night right around the corner, I thought I’d reach out to a few friends who drink wine for a living to weigh in. I asked them – what do you think makes a wine sexy and alluring? And which wine would be the perfect pour between lovers on Valentine’s Day?
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara
“In the realm of romantic dinners, wine transcends its role as a mere libation – it orchestrates a shared moment, whisking each individual to poignant memories,” muses Raman Sood, Bacara’s new Director of Food and Beverage. “The ideal wine, with its aromatic allure and nuanced palate, becomes the enchanting companion, enhancing not only the culinary delight but also the bond with cherished company, etching everlasting memories on the canvas of a perfect Valentine’s evening.”
His Valentine’s pick off the Bacara wine list is the Story of Soil Gold Coast Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir ($55), which he eloquently touts as “a testament to winemaker Jessica Gasca’s devotion.” The wine “whispers notes of raspberry and delicate rose petals,” he continues, and “its character is defined by a sturdy backbone of structure and invigorating acidity.”
Bacara’s ocean view Angel Oak restaurant is offering a specially curated prix fixe dinner menu ($140) for Valentine’s night, complete with live music and surprises. Got kids? They’re making date night happen with a Ritz Kids Valentine’s Bash ($75) – dinner and a movie – for children ages 4 to 12, from 5-8 pm that night.
Check out bacararesort.com
Kimpton Canary Hotel
“It’s the story behind the label that makes a wine sexy to me,” admits Christine Tran, the Director of Food and Beverage at the Kimpton Canary’s Finch & Fork Restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara. “Every wine has a story to tell, whether it’s the producer, the winemaker, the vineyard, the soil, the vintage – each bottle is unique in itself. And to share those stories with a loved one is what makes moments like Valentine’s Day unforgettable.”
Found on the restaurant’s wine list, she calls Flying Goat Cellars’ Goat Bubbles Brut Cuvée ($25/glass) the “perfect bottle to pop for Valentine’s Day.” Made by Norm Yost, a sparkling wine pioneer in Santa Barbara County, with a destination tasting room in Lompoc, it’s produced in the traditional methode champenoise style. “These beautiful bubbles will take you to another world,” says Tran, “inspired by hints of lemon zest, white peaches, golden pears, and French brioche.”
Finch & Fork is featuring a three-course “Wild About You” prix fixe menu ($110) on Valentine’s Day, with dishes like Eggplant Parmesan and Striped Seabass, and Crispy Cinnamon Churros, Salted Chocolate Tart and Central Coast Olive Oil Cake for dessert.
See the options at finchandforkrestaurant.com
San Ysidro Ranch
“The ideal wine for a romantic meal serves as the final puzzle piece that complements the flavors of the food, enhances the atmosphere, and resonates with your companion,” insists Tristan Pitre, the Wine Collections and Restaurants Manager at the San Ysidro Ranch. “Wine holds sentimental value; recall the beverage from your first date, wedding night, or that special vacation in Paris, and seek out those bottles for a nostalgic sip down memory lane.”
Picked from the resort’s award-winning underground cellar, Pitre chooses bubbles from Matthias Pippig, the man behind the cultish Sanguis label whose “recent foray into sparkling wines produced in the Columbia Gorge have been some of the most compelling wines I have tasted in the past year.” A bottling named Still Waters, which is available in the marketplace through allocation (at themissoulaflood.com) – “achieves a delightful dryness, coupled with richness and texture, rendering it a versatile companion for a wide array of dishes.”
The Ranch’s Stonehouse Restaurant is presenting a four-course dining experience on Valentine’s night ($260, plus $150 for wine pairings), with entrée options like Truffle Honey-Glazed Duck Breast and Petite Center-Cut Filet Mignon, flambéed tableside. If you don’t want to leave after dessert, the Romance at the Ranch Package ($5,000) sets you up with accommodations, a four-course candlelit dinner and several romantic extras; couples also get to pick an activity, like horseback riding or couples’ massage.
Go to www.sanysidroranch.com
El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel
“The attraction of a wine all starts at its color,” suggests Wayne Duprey, the Food & Beverage Director at Santa Barbara’s El Encanto, but “the aromas and the acidity is what makes it really sexy. Aromas are seductive, and when people are dialed in, they smell a lot more than fruit and alcohol. [And] acidity in wine sets off your saliva glands and can really get you feeling all warm inside.”
Duprey touts Dreamcôte’s 2022 Carbonic “Whole Berry” Pinot Noir ($34) as a “perfect” Valentine’s Day wine. The handwork of winemaker Brit Zotovich; “the color is just right,” he says. “This is a skin-contact pinot noir where you can almost taste the leaves and stems, making it a gorgeous food pairing for almost anything. It has seductive aromas and that teasing acidity that I’m always looking for.”
On February 14, the hotel’s main eatery, The Dining Room, offers a six-course Tasting Menu with items like Filet Mignon, served with a Medjool date parsnip purée, and California Abalone. That night only, there’s also a prix fixe, plant-based Vegan Menu. And on the days surrounding Valentine’s Day, from February 9-17, the culinary team is offering a three-course, prix fixe Romance Week Menu with various limited-time offerings. Pricing for all these meal experiences is $225 and includes bubbles on arrival.
Visit belmond.com/elencanto
The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection
There are bubbles on the mind of Rasmus Marquart, the Beverage Manager at Mattei’s; the luxe, recently-reimagined Auberge resort in Los Olivos. “A well-made sparkling wine gives layers to explore and dream away to somewhere magical,” he says, and it “will be memorable when shared at the right place, with the right person, at the right time. At the same time, looking at the bubbles slowly rising in the glass is tremendously sexy and seductive.”
Marquart features several regional bubblies on the Mattei’s list, and he specifically recommends the 2015 Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills Blanc de Blancs ($65) and the 2017 Pence Sta. Rita Hills Blanc de Blancs ($72), both chardonnay-based sparklers, for romantic sipping.
Set in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, Mattei’s has a special prix fixe Valentine’s night menu ($125, plus $65 for wine pairings) in addition to its regular offerings; the Tavern’s nightly dinner selections include faves like Duck Confit, Pork Chop & Beans and wood-fired Wagyu Bone-in Tomahawk. Beyond V-Day, look for their monthly wine experiences; on February 27th and 28th, several events will feature Staglin Vineyard from Napa Valley.
More info at matteistavern.com
Cheers!
