The Date Night Issue
Dearest subscribers,
Is there anything more romantic than a flute of something bubbly? A greater aphrodisiac than Muscadet and oysters?
If your weekend plans have you staying in with someone special, here are a few tips for choosing a perfect date night wine.
What makes a great date night wine?
One that has a good story
Whether it’s one of your first dates or you’ve lost count, impress your date with a memorable anecdote about the wine.
A wine that has a sexy food pairing
Especially one that encourages you to eat with your hands - charcuterie, tapas, oysters. Heck, even pizza will work!
Something fun and unexpected
Try something new. A sparkling red wine, an unfamiliar grape variety. Discover something new, together.
One you think your date will like
Simple right? Tell your date you selected the wine because you know they love the grape variety, because you’ll never forget your trip to Spain, or because the attractive label made you think of them.
Maison Jaffelin Saint-Romain Blanc
Origin: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Classification: Saint-Romain AOC
Vintage: 2016
Grape(s): Chardonnay
Style: Dry, aromatic, rich
Price: $44.95
Alc./vol: 13%
A terroir-driven, domaine-bottled wine made from hand-harvested grapes, this bottle of Maison Jaffelin Saint-Romain Blanc is thick with aroma and has a soft, round, plush mouthfeel.
Honey, beeswax, lemon cordial, hazelnut skins, chamomile, golden raisins, bruised yellow pear- the weight and depth of these aromas belies their ability to leap from the glass.
The palate is bone dry with a wonderful acid structure which is much needed to cut through the dense aromas found on the nose and delver a perfectly balanced wine.
I’ve been reading The Sommelier’s Altas of Taste, in it, the author, and one of my idols in the industry, Rajat Parr, says of the appellation Saint-Romain, ‘once written off, producers there are now making some interesting wines.’ Surely this is a prime example. I was delighted to find this wine at the LCBO a few weeks ago and even more delighted when sharing this story with my date, as I poured the wine.
Serve with honey, walnut, and goat cheese crostini.
Stéphane Aviron Moulin-à-Vent
Origin: Beaujolais, France
Classification: Moulin-à-Vent AOC
Vintage: 2018
Grape(s): Gamay
Style: Dry, medium-bodied, earthy
Price: $24.95
Alc./vol: 14%
Bring the French Bistro home with this noble and rather serious Cru Beaujolais.
There are 10 Crus of Beaujolais and Moulin-à-Vent is known as the most prestigious among them. If the wine in your bottle of Beaujolais came from one of these Crus the name will appear prominently on the bottle. Look for:
Brouilly
Chénas
Chiroubles
Cote de Brouilly
Fleurie
Juliénas
Morgon
Moulin à Vent
Régnié
Saint Amour
As an aside, I highly recommend you put a note in your calendar to pick up a bottle of Saint Amour for Valentine’s Day.
This is a biodynamic, vegan friendly wine made from old vines. Stéphane Aviron’s approach to winemaking focuses on sustainable viticulture and old-world techniques. Sometimes referred to as Burgundy Light, Cru Beaujolais’ are known for sharing some of the best qualities of fine Burgundies - at a fraction of the price!
Notes of black cherry, wild blueberries and current move through to turned earth and black tea. This is a serious, elegant wine. And yet, just like a neighbourhood bistro, it’s unpretentious and totally approachable.
Best served with bistro classics like beef bourguignon, steak frites, coq au vin.
Domaine Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Origin: Loire Valley, France
Classification: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC
Vintage: 2018
Grape(s): Melon de Bourgogne
Style: Dry, clean, mineral
Price: $16.95
Alc./vol: 12%
There is simply no better pairing for a plate of freshly shucked oysters than a bottle of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The mostly neutral profile of the wine, with saline and mineral notes, is a perfect accompaniment to oysters and their brine.
This Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine is also hand-harvested from old vines. It is vinified sur lie which means the juice of the grapes spent time in contact with the skins during fermentation.
This wine is delicate, fresh, and mineral with notes of citrus. So, make a little mignonette and start shucking, it’s date night, baby!
If oysters aren’t your thing, this would be an equally terrific pairing for cheese fondue.
Ferrer Bobet Priorat
Origin: Priorat, Spain
Vintage: 2016
Grape(s): Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Style: Dry, full-bodied, fruity
Price: $66.00
Alc./vol: 14%
The vineyards of Ferrer Bobet observe completely organic viticulture practices which forbid the use of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. The grapes for these wines are sourced from estate vineyards and are hand-picked and hand sorted before bottling.
This is a big wine brimming with flavour and aroma but it’s not overly done-up with excessive alcohol or oak treatment. In fact, this is an entirely natural wine that has not been cold-stabilized or filtered - meaning, it is likely to throw a bit of (completely harmless) deposit and is best served decanted.
This wine is a gentle giant, smooth with perfectly round tannins. Notes of plum, blackberries and raspberry move through to weightier aromas and flavours of violet, cedar, tobacco flower and dried herbs.
Serve with the Al Green Essentials playlist and Spanish tapas like Spanish Chorizo and Manchego, croquetas de jamón, Spanish meatballs, flank steak with goat cheese on crostini.
Three By Wade Rosé
Origin: Napa Valley, California, USA
Vintage: 2018
Grape(s): Zinfandel
Style: Dry, medium-bodied, fruity
Price: $26.95
Alc./vol: 13.5%
Forget the roses in favour of this lovely bottle of Three By Wade Rosé, which, as an aside, is one of the few black owned wines sold at the LCBO.
Fresh and lively with mint and a slightly confected aroma of hard strawberry candy on the nose. Plum, strawberry, rosewater and minerals roudout the palate. This is a dry wine with mouthwatering acidity that makes you pucker up!
A perfect wine to start your evening. Pair with a charcuterie board and serve in some elegant stemware.
Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta
Origin: Lombardy, Italy
Classification: Franciacorta DOCG
Vintage: NV
Grape(s): Chardonnay, Pinot Nero
Style: Dry, fruity, effervescent
Price: $50.00
Alc./vol: 12.5%
This lovely Franciacorta made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Nero (Noir) displays a lovely pale salmon colour in the glass with rather extravagant bubbles when first poured.
Strawberry, rose petal, a touch of stewed apple and just a hint of brioche. This wine is from Contadi Castaldi who have produced a fun collection of modern wines. This particular bottle is available through Terroni’s wine agency, Cavinona, or at their retail location, Spaccio.
This wine makes an ideal aperitif to a night of romance and would be an ideal palate cleanser between a cheese and first course.
I love hearing from you. If you’ve tried these wines or if you have a question or comment about this issue, please, share your thoughts in the comments box below.
