quicksearch
According to history buffs, Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery.
So, why the celebration and why the inevitable link to love?
The strongest story thread leads to a third-century Roman named Valentinus or Valentine and Emperor Claudius II who, after analysing the performance of his troops in battle, decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families and subsequently outlawed marriage for young men.
Valentine opposed the decree and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret until he was discovered and ordered put to death by Claudius.
Others say the celebration stems from Valentine sending the first "valentine greeting" himself, from prison, to his jailer's daughter, who had frequently visited during his confinement.
Whatever the truth, the current celebration between and among the sexes on Feb. 14, now known as Valentine's Day, remains a popular pastime. The pressure is on to express your love and seemingly the sky is the limit when it comes to treating your Valentine.
This month, I scoured B.C. liquor stores for some appropriate Valentine's gifts. As luck would have it, this column will appear on Valentine's Day, so if you need reminding, today's the day. Fortunately, there is still time for you procrastinators to get out and select something for your sweetheart.
While I seldom pay colour or packaging any extra heed, on Valentine's Day, both are key ingredients to improving the over-all gift package. As it turns out, each of today's picks tastes as good as they look in the glass or bottle.
We begin with a very attractive (to the eye and the palate) Freixenet Brut de Noirs Cava from Spain. The salmon colour entices as does the candied cherry peach aromas and the creamy, raspberry floral characters. The mousse is round and soft on entry, giving it an easy-drinking handle, but it's dry and balanced with additional creamy, raspberry, citrus and nutty flavours. It's perfect for assorted tapas or even Peking duck or pork dishes. Very fine value here.
It's hard to argue against a four-pack of mini-champagne bottles dressed in red that you can sip from black straws. The Baby Piper Heidsieck Brut x 4 Pack has the toasty, leesy, nutty champagne nose with a dollop of peach and cherry fruit aromas. It is another round, forward-style bubble with baked apple and citrus flavours. It's a fun pack of sippers that can lead to just about anything.
Next up are two extraordinary champagne picks and since I seldom use the word extraordinary when it comes to wine, let me explain. The quality is high, the flavour profile is extremely consumer friendly and the packaging is outstanding.
The Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Premier Cru Reserve Particuliere N/V champagne has an enticing toasted nut and yeasty nose with sub-themes of baked apple, quince and citrus all wrapped up in a fresh green-apple overcoat -- almost as if it was mimicking its attractive green and yellow tin cylinder packaging. It's fresh, lively and dry on the palate with more citrus peel, nut, toast and creamy citrus/green apple flavours. You can serve it as a stand-alone aperitif or with pan-fried scallops.
The red version, Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose N/V, has a similar fresh, toasted-nut aroma that mingles with some obvious raspberry, nutty, creamy overtones. The hue is coppery salmon. Look for refined small bubbles that sport excellent acidity and a creamy smooth finish. The flavours follow the nose, mixing baked apple and citrus with a touch of cherry/licorice fruit in the finish. Fine elegance and balance. A classy rose in a romantic package at a very reasonable price.
From champagne to fruit wine, you will be knock out by Southbrook Winery N/V Framboise from Ontario. It's made with fresh raspberries and fermented for a short time and then fortified to preserve its pure fruit flavours. Look for a super intense raspberry and mint nose. On the palate, it's smooth with fresh raspberry and minty, jammy, spicy notes. It is moderately sweet but with excellent acidity and balance. Fresh, intense and well-made. It's a perfect match with dark chocolate or gelato and fruit, but its use is limited only by your imagination.
The finale is a liqueur mix of passion fruit, cranberry, a hint of peach and French cognac that settles out at 14.9 per cent alcohol. Alize Red Passion has the all-important passionate pink colour with gobs of passion fruit, peach and marmalade highlights on the nose. Round and viscous on the palate with plenty of orange peel, cherry/cranberry, vanilla coconut flavours that finish sweet with strong orange undercurrent.
You can mix and match this in many ways, but one that might hit the spot is Alize Red Passion Royale: 2 oz. Alize Red Passion and 3 oz. Champagne. Simply pour champagne into a flute and add Alize Red Passion.
Weekend Wine Tasting: Valentine's Day Special
Wine Freixenet Brut de Noirs Cava N/V,
Price $12.45
UPC 088601002005
Score 15/20
Remarks Creamy, citrus, nutty flavours. Perfect for assorted tapas or even
Wine Baby Piper Heidsieck Brut N/V,
Price $45.67 (4x187 mL)
UPC 3018333000465
Score 15/20
Remarks Round nutty toasty baked apple and citrus flavours.
Wine Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Premier Cru Réserve Particulière N/V,
Price $48.63
UPC 3282946006835
Score 17/20
Remarks Nutty, toasty, creamy citrus flavours and a whack of green apple.
Wine Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé N/V,
Price $55.62
UPC 3282946011808
Score 17.5/20
Remarks Baked apple, citrus flavours with a touch of cherry/licorice.
Wine Southbrook Winery N/V
Price $16.25 (375mL)
UPC 6216055000
Score 16/20
Remarks Fresh raspberries.
Wine Alizé Red Passion
Price $29.85
UPC 084692201143
Score 16/20
Remarks Passion fruit, cranberry, peach and cognac.
