Almost anywhere you look this month, you see shades of red and pink. February is not only American Heart Month but also Valentine’s Day. When I think of romance, a lot of things come to mind, many of them French in nature. That’s one reason why I asked chef Christian Vivet, owner of Bleu Rendez-Vous French Bistro on Sanibel Island, to help me fill this month’s case of wine. He just so happens to love wine, too.
Christian focused on three areas of France, picking two bottles from each. One selection is a splurge while the other is an excellent value. Fora little fun, read his descriptions with a French accent.
Special to Grandeur
Christian Vivet
My picks are mostly based on the holiday theme of love with a couple of surprises thrown in. Together we present a range of options for your February celebrations, whether you are with the one or ones you love, or just love wine.
Christian's Picks:
Laurent Perrier Rosé ($70)
February, the month of love. I love bubbles. If I want to splurge with my love, I open a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rosé. It’s a bottle that has prestige attached to it. When I think of Champagne with prestige, I also think of bottles like Dom Perignon or Cristal; they have a certain je ne sais quoi of a good bottle of wine. Also, this is one of only a few Champagnes that comes to mind when I think of a rosé. I really can’t think of any others like this; it’s good.
Voirin-Jumel Brut Tradition ($35)
If I am looking for a more moderate bottle of Champagne, I open one from the Troyes region. Troyes is a tiny enclave in Champagne, just north of Paris. It’s where my mother’s side of the family is from, so I always enjoy finding wines from this area. This one is lovely, bubbly and perfect for an aperitif. It’s really easy to drink and even better is the price; it doesn’t break the bank. Voirin-Jumel is my go-to on a Sunday morning at home; as a matter of fact, it’s very pleasant any time of the day or week.
Margaux du Chateau Margaux ($110)
With our chateaubriand for two, I would open a beautiful bottle of Margaux du Chateau Margaux. This is the third label for the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Chateau in Bordeaux and a nice splurge on Valentine’s Day or any day really. It’s a highly allocated wine that you will only find in restaurants. I think there were only about 15 six-packs for the state of Florida, and I got some. It has all the characteristics of a big Chateau Margaux without the typically outrageous price. A big cabernet with a little merlot and cab franc, it has a robust aroma, heavy-duty for a French wine.
2010 Chateaula Cardonne, Médoc ($23)
For a more approachable option to a Margaux Bordeaux, I would select a Cru Bourgeois, an excellent alternative to a costly grand cru. The 2010 Chateau la Cardonne, Médoc is a perfect example of a great value wine to be poured at any occasion. The grapes used in this are grown adjacent to Margaux, on the left bank, so it’s still a cab-based blend, just not as prestigious. They are still releasing the 2010 vintage, so it already has eight years in bottle, making it an easy drinking, good wine.
le Closdu Châteaude Puligny-Montrachet ($30)
While having a nice dinner, I would certainly open a higher-end white Burgundy, however, I recently discovered le Clos du Château de Puligny-Montrachet, a baby Puligny-Montrachet and it is a fraction of the price of its big brother. Clos du Château is bourgeon blanc but made just a few yards outside of the Puligny-Montrachet appellation; same grapes and climate, but it’s just not in the appellation. You put them side by side, and you can’t tell the difference, except for the price. It’s a beautiful wine.
Puligny-Montrachet by Joseph Drouhin ($65)
Wines from Burgundy are lovely, and this is one of my favorites. This one is not a typical chardonnay from the region. It has a little oak but not a huge amount; oak is not really big in Burgundy. The wine is fruit forward, and the fruit is nice and bright. It is also a little bit creamy and so well made. I would serve with vol-au-vent, a seafood dish with lobster cream sauce. It has butter and cream but still has nice light acidity. Mmmm, that’s a good food and wine combination.
Gina's Picks:
The Sisters Pinot Gris ($16)
While Valentine’s Day is most often marketed toward lovers, it’s also more than appropriate to express love of friends and family. In come wines from The Sisters. The New Zealand brand was created with the idea of celebrating women. Cheers! The wine smells like delicious stone fruits. It’s floral, fruity, acidic, and with additional time spent on lees (residual yeast) while fermenting in tanks, it has more weight than you might suspect. You might also suspect a New Zealand winery to make a zippy sauvignon blanc and The Sisters does indeed.
Amado Sur ($15)
In a taller than standard, slender bottle the Amado Sur name is a riff on Spanish for “Southern Love.” It alludes to the affinity between malbec and the spectacular growing conditions for the grape in Mendoza. After a trip to Mendoza years ago, I did indeed fall in love with malbec and am always in search of a good one. Amado Sur is easy to find and has small amounts of bonarda and syrah added. The result is a wine that has flavors of dark berries, dusty leather and a hint of eucalyptus on the backside.
Flor Rosé Brut ($18)
A less expensive alternative to Champagne is prosecco, and this one has some star power behind it. Flor is made through a partnership with chef Mario Batali, restaurateur Joe Bastianich and his famous chef/author mother Lidia Bastianich. The label is elegant, eye-catching and highlighted by the deep pink wine that comes from the Veneto region of Italy. Made from 90-percent glera and 10-percent Pinot Nero grapes, its fizz is light and delicate. On the dry side, the fruit includes, apple, peach and strawberry; a lovely way to start Valentine’s Day.
Shooting Star Cabernet 2016 ($16)
There’s nothing like catching sight of a shooting star when snuggling with your significant other. It’s the name that initially drew me to this California wine, but the lush red fruit kept me sipping it through the burgers and into the chocolate dessert at a recent dinner. As the wine opens, the red fruit turns darker and includes boysenberry. Herbs and tannins start showing up, too. If your beloved prefers a sweet wine, Shooting Star also produces a Riesling.
Château Léoube Love ($20)
I hate to be so obvious but seriously, a wine named Love? The big question I had was would I feel that emotion, or anything close to it, once I opened the bottle. I do tend to love rosé from Côtes de Provence, where this hails from, so the odds were good. Love is a fresh and fruity blend of grenache and cinsault, highlighted by flavors of raspberry and strawberry. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Sunday brunch or a warm Southwest Florida afternoon regardless of the month.
Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon,Oakville ($150)
This label has no obvious display of love, no hidden hearts; the romance, for me, is in the bottle. The more it opens, the more I fall in love with this wine. It’s an intense but balanced Napa Valley cab with minerals, black fruit and lots of structure. I’m still saving a bottle of the 2014, but the winery has released the 2015. Decant this one, sip and savor it over good conversation. Just the way your relationships evolve over time, enjoy how this wine evolves over time in the glass.
*Prices listed can vary. Some of these wines can be found in local wine shops, others are limited production and may require shipment from the producers themselves.