What to Drink for Valentine's Day

Posted by Holly Berrigan on February 04, 2021

Valentine’s day is coming up and whether you love it or hate it it’s definitely a great time to pair some lovely natural wines! I have a lot of opinions on what I like to drink for this holiday and pair it with based on my mood, but we decided it would be more fun to ask some of our friends what they’ll be pouring and why so you can get some inspiration for the “big” day!

Celebration Sparkling

You really can’t go wrong with bubbles on Valentines Day! Several of our friends agreed and here are some of their choices:

Stan from Forage is drinking:

Cremant “Nature” - Bannwarth

"I usually drink bubbly, this year probably the 2017 Cremant "Nature" from Bannwarth in Alsace. Great wine to pair with winter fare, heartier dishes, roots vegetables, and also a great alternative to the obvious Champagne. It has a little kiss of sweet lime zest to it, but acidity and minerality for days...I love acid....

Don't get me wrong, Champagne is delicious, but I also love exploring new Cremants/Pet' Nats made by small natural wine producers. Natural Champagne is also twice the price of other delicious alternatives." - Stan

Kate Vourvoulis from Good Luck Wine Shop & Vin de California is drinking:

kate-vourvoulis-good-luck-wine-shop

Photo by Sorrell Scrutton

Scar of the Sea Rose of Pinot Noir - Topoterro Vineyard SLO

"Mikey and Gina are some of our favorite winemakers and humans and they make incredibly sophisticated and approachable wines. These bubbles are great for anyone; appealing to those who want refinement but also those who are looking for playfulness. The fruit comes from Topotero Vineyard in SLO which is a biodynamically farmed family vineyard by our other friends Ben & Courtney Taylor. The whole of the product is made with care and love by those we care for and love." - Kate

Extra fun fact: Good Luck is owned by Kate & Adam Vourvoulis, located within their winery Vin de California in Pasadena CA. They also make Pinot Noir from these grapes, set to release early Spring!

Alyssa from Eater is drinking:

Les Beaux Regards Millemise 2016 - Bereche et Fils

"My fiance, Kyle, and I will be popping open a bottle of Bereche et Fils Les Beaux Regards Millemise 2016 for Valentine's day. Kyle gifted me this bottle for Christmas, which we intended to drink on our anniversary, January 2nd. It ended up never being opened because we just couldn't bear to drink two days in a row after seriously overindulging on New Year's Eve. A bottle this nice (probably the most expensive champagne I've owned) deserves a special occasion and/or makes any occasion special, so Valentine's Day seemed like the next best option. Typically we don't celebrate V-day, but we'll cook something delicious and hopefully, champagne will make the night feel extravagant after almost a full year of holidays spent at home." - Alyssa

Apéritif Fun

It doesn't have to be wine ALL the time and there are some great vermouth based drinks that we love to consider in this category to mix it up and add a little pizazz and garnish to your day.

Nic from MYSA is drinking:

nic-jansson-mysa-natural-wine

MUZ - Partida Creus

"Because Valentine's Day deserves that extra special something, and nothing says "special" to me like a little Vermouth-based cocktail as an apertif! We love it with loads of ice, a splash (no more!) of carbonated water, and maybe a citrusy garnish. Serve and enjoy your evening with your special someone!" - Nic

Romantic Reds

Cooking or getting a nice meal delivered at home this year? Definitely the time to bust open a red wine you've been saving!

Andy from Cream is drinking:

andy-pates-cream-wine . amorro-

Amorro Tinto - Bodega Vinificate

"This Valentine's Day, more than ever, my heart is longing for travel and a return to hauntingly romantic Andalusia, Spain. I’m in love with Bodega Vinificate’s aptly named Amorro Tinto. The brainchild of Miguel Gomez of Alba Viticultores, the San Lucar Palomino Pet Nat rebel. Vinificate Amorro Tinto is made from 100% Tintilla, a rare ancient Andalusian variety, brought back from the brink of extinction and organically grown on the legendary albariza (chalk) soils of Pago Balbaina in Jerez.

"Grapes are spontaneously fermented whole-cluster, aged in clay amphorae and fiberglass flew tanks and bottled unfiltered and unfined with no added SO2. The wine is explosively fragrant, super berry fresh and crushable weight with zippy energy and umami chalky mineral length. A chillable red in the best ways possible. Makes me want jetpack to Restorante El Campero in Barbate and have it with every cut of tuna, Flamenco club hop in Jerez, sleep on the beach in San Lucar and take a river boat to Seville for dinner and dancing. Amorro!" - Andy

Whitney from whitandwine is drinking:

Nouveau Pinot Noir - SCRIBE

"Why: Recent breakup? Pinot Noir. Netflix and chill Zoom date? Pinot Noir. Are you your own soulmate? Pinot Noir!!! In my book, you really can't go wrong with Scribe Winery. Their 2020 Nouveau is an awesome introduction for the uninitiated. When served with a slight chill, the fruit truly pops! It’s the perfect wine to say “will you be my Glou, Glou”. - Whit

Rosé > Roses

Yes, I know that was cheesy, but come on this is Valentine's Day and the whole thing is cheesy! Plus, you know that all of us in the natural wine community are definitely looking for some wine over flowers.

Holly from MYSA is drinking:

holly-berrigan-mysa-natural-wine you-are-my-sunshine-old-westminster

You are My Sunshine - Old Westminster

"Not only is this label adorable and perfect for Valentine's Day but it also is a low ABV piquette, verjus blend that is perfect for spending time with friends. It's almost like a candy heart itself and a fun, non-serious way to celebrate!" - Holly

Unexpected Orange

Orange is still pretty new, but a great pick year round! If you're wanting to be adventurous this Valentine's day, orange is definitely the way to go!

Nikita from BLANK is drinking:

Vino Naranja - Cacique Maravilla

"This is one of my all-time favorite wines. Whenever it shows up in my wine club box, I feel truly seen. I love that it is slightly refreshing, not too sweet, and pairs well with almost any kind of ethnic food - I cook a lot of spicy things at home, and I don't have to overthink it when pairing this one. I'm not big on Valentine's day, and this year I'll be celebrating with my pup, but maybe I'll crack open a bottle of this one and celebrate." - Nikita

One more note from Stan!

"Another fun alternative would be an Orange wine from MYSA! Spin the wheel and try something unique & original! The aromatics - generally speaking - are accentuated and make for a sexy wine with more texture & mouthfeel. The experience over a meal seeing the wine warm up & evolve and change with each bite of food is something fun to share as well". - Stan

Conclusion

Whether you're single or in a couple, it's YOUR day and you can drink whatever you want! If you're going for a certain vibe then hopefully we helped you narrow down some options, but just drink whatever fits with your mood! Doing a romantic dinner? Nice red, white or orange! Fun time with friends? Piquette or Apertif! Celebrating something special? Bubbles or aged wine!

Enjoy your day and if you drink something from us make sure you tag us on Instagram!

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