Food-Friendly Reds For Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is for lovers — lovers of wine, that is. Traditionally, the red wines that will snuggle up best to what's on you and your partner's plates come from the Old World: the vineyards of Europe.
There is a danger in over-simplifying the differences between wines from Europe and those from newer wine-producing areas, of course, but the historical background is that, for a variety of reasons, Europeans have grown up on wines that are lean, savory with lots of acidity.
Although there are exceptions on both sides, wines from Europe's former colonies tend to be riper and more fruit-forward — still table wines, but made less to stimulate our desire to eat something than as something pleasurable to sip on by themselves. Europeans drink bitters; everyone else grew up on Coke.
That doesn't mean that every European red is food-perfect. Some challenge us by being so lean and bitter that they can detract from food rather than complement it. But here are 15 from various countries in Europe — mainly France, Italy, and Spain — that you might fall in love with.
Vignerons de Saumur Saumur Reserve 2014 ($13)
This wine has enjoyable tart cherry flavors with green, stemmy notes.
Château Lamartine Prestige Cahors 2012 ($15)
A lean, disciplined wine with flavors of slightly unripe blackberries. Tangy with lots of bitters and good acidity.
M. Chapoutier Bila Haut Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2014 ($15)
Smooth flavors of dark cherries and black raspberries with an underlay of savory herbs — very nice, an excellent food wine.
Aphros Vinho Verde Vinhão Tinto 2012 ($16)
We don't get many red vinho verde wines in this country (yes, the region does produce reds, and also rosés,, but more white), and this one from the indigenous vinhão grape is light, tart, and spicy with almost strawberry flavors.
Boroli Quattro Fratelli Barbera d’Asti 2013 ($16)
Very satisfying with dark cherry flavors with some cream up front changing to a lean, tightly wound finish.
Cepa 21 Hito Ribera del Duero 2014 ($16)
Fresher and more novo than most tempranillo wines, with fresh ripe cherry flavors and good acidity.
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2011 ($17)
"Champigny" is a quality, not geographic, indication, and the flavors here are of almost a grape-soda fruitiness with some gaminess and with lean acidity.
Domaine de l’Enchantoir Le Pied à L’Etrier Saumur - Puy Notre Dame 2013 ($17)
The Saumur Puy Notre appellation is new, since 2009, but the grape is the Loire standby red, cabernet franc, and this one is a very nice and complex representative of the region with medium cherry flavors, some gaminess, and some savory notes.
La Emperatriz Rioja Crianza 2010 ($17)
This is your grilled-meat Rioja — lean, but with tart, yet juicy raspberry notes. Very satisfying.
Marchesi di Gresy Martinenga Langhe 2014 ($22)
This nebbiolo is a little gamey with tangy, minerally, metallic flavors — at once tight and lean, yet also somewhat generous.
Marchesi di Gresy Monte Aribaldo Dolcetto d’Alba 2012 ($22)
Spritzy and lively red and purple fruitiness with a lean, spicy, peppery, bitters finish.
Crocus L’Atelier Malbec de Cahors 2012 ($23)
Paul Hobbs learned about malbec in Argentina, so it isn't surprising that he's followed that thread back to France. Great structure, but not very complex or generous — dark berry flavors with sharp herbal flavors.
Parparoussis Oenofilos Achaia Red Wine ($25)
A blend of cabernet sauvignon and native mavrodaphne, the wine has rounded cherry flavors, some savory dried wood notes, and good balance — a very good selection.
Marchesi di Gresy Barbera d’Asti 2013 ($27)
Not a complex wine, but a pleasurable one — tart red cherries with a hint of creaminess and a tangy finish.
Avignonesi Grifi 2011 ($61)
Brown butter and barrel notes to go with dark fruits, great tannins, and savory finish — very good.