Valentine’s Day: 5 Bottles That Go Beyond Malbec
Surprise your paramour with something different this year.
— -- If you’ve already gone the chocolate, red wine and roses route with your special someone in the past, why not try something unexpected to celebrate this Valentine’s Day? These amorous love potions are guaranteed to surprise and give you something to talk about—besides each other.
1. Baci Vivaci - Translated as “Lively Kisses,” Baci Vivaci ($13) is an Italian sparkling wine with notes of white blossom, peach and acacia. The dry, minerally finish makes it the perfect complement to cheese plates, raw fish, or other light, white meats. Or, perhaps just as prelude to your own lively smooches.
2. Maestro Dobel Tequila - If music be the food of love, then your Valentine will really get a kick out of the guitar case packaging for this unique tequila. Maestro Dobel ($50) is a combination of reposado, anejo and extra anejo tequilas that have been diamond filtered, aged in oak casks then blended and bottled in small batches. Sip slowly and turn up the Santana.
3. BarSol Perfecto Amor - Inspired by the “perfect marriage” of Peru’s national spirit, Pisco, with fresh grape juice, Perfecto Amor ($19) is a fortified wine that tastes of sweet almonds, macadamia nuts, raisins and dried apricots. Pour over ice and let the taste whisk you away on a South American holiday.
4. Hibiki 21 - If you really, really like your partner a lot and he or she is a connoisseur of whiskies, splurge on a bottle of Hibiki 21 ($250), considered one of the best Japanese whiskies in the world. Giving off notes of cooked fruit, blackberry, ripe banana, caramel, sandalwood and honeycomb, who needs a romantic dinner?
5. Campari - With its ruby red color, this Italian aperitivo is unexpectedly bitter, making it an acquired taste for many. But give in to Campari ($27) and its citrusy, herbaceous flavors and you’ll soon find it to be an elegant foil for soda (in an Americano), gin (in the Negroni), and even bourbon (The Boulevardier). All of these cocktails look perfectly romantic sipped from a Champagne coupe.