What to Drink for Valentine's Day: 2022 Edition

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!

The most obvious, but also one of the best choices is to go for some bubbles to celebrate you partner, being single, your friends, your dog, it's your day so you choose!

Mary Daire, owner, Dare Bottleshop & Provisions is drinking:

Ben and I will be sipping Cinino Metodo Ancestrale by La Segreta - a fun pét-nat with love by our friends Eileen and Lorenzo. This wine is like liquid pink lightning! It's a lightly sparkling rosé pét-nat from Umbria full of fresh rose petals and soft, bright red-berry fruit. Delicate, creamy bubbles play alongside its energetic acidity for a beautiful contrast!

My choice pairing would be with the following crostini-snack: anchovy fillets layered on top of really good salted butter on thinly sliced, crusty country bread.

Aris Soultanos of Knit Wine is drinking:

melanthia sparkling natural wine papras bros

Simply because my wife likes aromatic and not too dry bubbles, I would probably go with the Papras Bio Wines - Melanthia white (a blanc de noir pet nat from the locally adapted and aromatic "Black Muscat of Tyrnavos"). I have heard people likening it to a more natural Moscato D' Asti (it is natural and certified organic), since the 2020 vintage has 27gr/l RS.

Demi Elder, writer and scholar at the Roots Fund is drinking:

As cliché as it may be, I’m eyeing some Champagne at the moment for Valentine’s Day. B Stuvesant Champagne to be exact. Most likely, I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day at home to avoid the pandemic that’s roaring around New York, breakout cases included. So some in-home activities sound like a good idea. I’m a major foodie and I just got a sous vide, and I’m cooking up a storm so we’ll probably start the evening with a meal made at home. Right now, I’m considering a sea bass + succotash recipe for the night and the bright fun of Champagne should go beautifully with it. I’m dying to try this black-owned, Brooklynite-owned Champagne.

For Pairing: Don’t be afraid of being cheesy! Bubbles simply feel celebratory. And if the bubbles fit, they fit. Like the Champagne will fit that meaty sea bass. If you want other bubbles, I’m a sucker for a dry Lambrusco. I love to show up to gatherings with it, as a lot of folks outside of the industry have never encountered a bubbly red. The soft mousse of a fruity red sparkling wine says romance to me, so I’d break that out for V-Day as well!

Nic Jansson of MYSA is drinking:

So, I like sparkling wine, but it's typically not my go-to, but for some reason I've been SUPER into them for the last 6 months or so. For something like Valentine's day, how could you go wrong? I really dig Vivanterre's Pet Nat as a great option for V-Day. Keep it classy with blini’s and all the accoutrements - paddlefish caviar, creme fraiche, chives, and anything else that strikes your fancy!

Toni Zablocki of Zev Rovine Selections is drinking:

Grégory Guillaume "L'Épicurean" VDF Rouge will be finding its way to my glass this Valentine's Day. Leaning into this age of chasing dopamine and self-contentment, a bottle of perfumed, vivacious-yet-unfussy grenache from one of my favorite winemakers promises to captivate my attention and remind me of many other cherished, ephemeral pleasures. It also speaks to my preferred variety of romance: honest, softhearted, impish, and evocative.

A vin de soif such as this pairs delightfully with any of the following: meditative baths, humbly prepared feasts, the sonic texture of playing old records, La Nouvelle Vague, spontaneous dancing, and intimate conversations between lovers and friends.

Seung Hee Lee, Founder of @Koreanfusion and co-author of Everyday Korean is drinking:

Seung Hee Lee - The Korean Fusion - Everyday Korean FREDERIC SAVART 'BULLE DE ROSE' BRUT ROSE CHAMPAGNE NV

BUBBLES! Most definitely champagne. Rose for that matter. I have always adored Frederic Savart Bulle de Rose for special occasions for its unique Savart scents of star fruit, red currants, and other delicious red fruits encased in generous mousse. It screams romance!!! That said, I also Tarlant Zero Brut Rose as a daily go-to, it's a bit more approachable but sassy - kinda like my sense of humor! Really great with fried chicken, creme fraiche, and caviar.

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!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out the answers we had from our 2021 contributors below!

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

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

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