Flawless Valentines at Home

The good news about dining in begins with avoiding the almost obligatory minimum restaurant markup that doubles the highly taxed retail price of wine. Government has smashed those pesky beer garden fences but B.C. wine prices remain exactly where they were before the B.C. liquor review, which is among the highest in the world.

There are two ways to look at your savings. You can pocket the markup (usually equivalent to the price of the wine) or you take into account the savings and apply a portion of that to buying a higher quality wine for your sweetheart. Either way you win and you may discover the cooking-at-home part isn't all that tough as long as you keep the menu simple.

If you stick to comfort dishes with equally comforting wines and keep your menu to one or two courses plus dessert, you should be set for a fun night.

Today we offer some ideas on wine and possible food matches to point you in the right direction.

Pinot noir is at the top of the sensual wine list, given its rich, mouth-filling, supple textures and voluptuous fruit flavours. It's also food-friendly. Braised meats dishes or salmon or Ahi tuna sushi and sashimi are fairly easy to prepare or even more convenient from your favourite takeout restaurant.

Pinot noirs to look for should probably be the richer, softer, slightly riper New World style from the Okanagan, California, Chile, New Zealand and Australia. Some favourites include the Mission Hill Five Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, $19; Las Lomas Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile, $15; Yering Station Little Yering Pinot Noir Yarra Valley, Australia, $16; and The Peoples Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, $18.

I'm not a big fan of rosé in February but if there is one day made for sparkling rosé, it is likely Valentine's Day. The bonus with rosé bubble is the addition of black grapes to the blend, which tends to give a more full-bodied taste and that means the wine can be paired with a variety of foods including whole roasted chicken, lobster or crab and keeping it simple, you could easily serve a sparkling rosé with your favourite Asian takeout dish. A pair of flutes, a bottle Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé, $70; Segura Viudas Cava Brut Rosado, $15; and/or Gray Monk Odyssey Rosé Brut, $20, and you are on your way to a memorable night.

Another easy meal is hand-made stuffed pasta. Select some ravioli, agnolotti or tortellini from your favourite delicatessen along with your choice of romantic fillings such as ricotta cheese, mushrooms, lobster or butternut squash. Add your favourite aphrodisiac sauce, tomato, pesto or mushroom based and serve with a sumptuous Italian reds. My picks: Sette Ponti Crognolo 2010, Tuscany, Italy $35; Shardana 2007, Santadi, Sardinia, Italy, $35; Altesino Rosso Toscana 2010, Tuscany, Italy, $23; or Feudo Maccari Nero d'Avola 2011, Sicily, Italy, $20.

If beef is your thing, a pair of T-bone steaks or veal chops, and a Caesar salad will do the job and should you pair them with Argentine malbec, so much the better. Dense round, soft and fleshy malbec is the poster child for sensual wine, as it offers its tannins to be broken down by the proteins in the meat. From Argentina you can look for Pascal Toso Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $13.50; Renacer Punto Final Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $16; Susana Balbo Crios Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $17; Malbec The Show Mendoza, Argentina, $19; and Vina Cobos Felino Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.

Be sure to save room for dessert: strawberries and fresh cream, panna cotta, crème brûlée, cheesecake. All are easy to find at your go-to dessert outlet. The only rule is to make sure the wine is sweeter than the dessert or consider serving them separately. Some sweet picks to ponder include the Errazuriz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Valle Central, Chile, $16; (375ml), Gehringer Late-harvest Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $18 (375ml); Chateau Climens Sauternes 2006, Bordeaux France, $50, (375ml).

The rest, as they say, is up to you.

Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne N/V, Burgundy, France

Price $27 | Score 88/100

UPC: 3174470080187

This 80/20 mix of pinot noir and gamay has a pale raspberry colour with fresh floral, cherry, mineral, liquorice aromas flecked with nutty/toasty notes. The bubbles are light and the style is slightly sweeter with very fresh acidity and tobacco, cherry, strawberry and citrus/lees flavours that end with an attractive, sweet fruit finish.

Parker Station Pinot Noir 2012, Central Coast, California, United States

Price $20 | Score 88/100

UPC: 00718038556153

A sturdy round spicy, strawberry, rhubarb nose with bits of tobacco and light barnyard aromas invite you into the glass. The palate is supple with cocoa, tea, strawberry jam, liquorice, cedar and tobacco flavours. The style is easy-sipping; the value is solid.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark and Telephone Vineyard 2012, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States

Price $44 | Score 89/100

UPC: 00855622000316

The crossroads of Clark Avenue and Telephone Road in the Santa Maria Valley are home to this inviting warm, sweet fruited pinot with spicy, liquorice, smoky, black cherry savoury, aromas. The attack is similar with juicy, supple, black cherry, chocolate, liquorice, cinnamon, spicy, savoury flavours. Somewhat spicy and overblown, it is perfect for duck or chicken.

Paz de Finca Las Moras Malbec 2010, Pedernal Valley, San Juan, Argentina

Price $19 | Score 87/100

UPC: 007790240093780

A deep, dark, black colour signals a rich red. The attack is sweet and round with plummy blueberry fruit and dense sweet tannins with more sweet vanillin from the oak. Simple, hedonistic New World style. Best to tackle this with a piece of grilled lamb or steak.

Mazzei Badiola Sangiovese Merlot 2011, Tuscany, Italy

Price $20 | Score 88/100

UPC: 008016118241053

The palate is fresh and bright, leaning toward the red fruit, fragrant sangiovese style flecked with tobacco, leather and spice aromas. The attack is Italian dry, but round and soft on entry with black cherry, cassis, liquorice and coffee flavours. It is aged in American oak barrels that gives it an open, friendly style for early drinking. Pizza, sushi, grilled meats all work here.

Quails' Gate Late Harvest Totally Botrytis Affected Optima 2011, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Price $30 | Score 91/100

UPC: 778856311099

Bright floral, ginger, apricot nose with spicy, honey and citrus aromas. The palate is fresh, juicy and elegant, with well-balanced sweetness and acidity. Lychee, apricot, honey, ginger, spicy, lime, baked apple and lanolin flavours. Delicious stuff and consistently fine from year to year.