How do you stay cool while attempting to fan the flames of romance? Alan recommends the soft embrace of a fine rosé wine.
If you’re looking for something a little bit special this Valentine’s, Champagne Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée Rosé (£47.15 The Whisky Exchange) is a connoisseurs choice of pink Champagne characterised by a careful blend of twenty-five vintages of reserve wines going back as far as 1985.
Made in the dry ‘extra-brut’ style with a dosage of less than 6g of sugar, it’s pure and sophisticated, with a beguiling copper-pink hue and fine, soft bubbles.
Only the first pressing of the selected grapes is used; primarily Pinot Noir which provides discreet flavours of fresh, red summer berries and then a small amount of Chardonnay bringing vivacious citric notes to the palate.
Pure Gold
If presentation is all important on Valentine’s, then Château de Berne “Or de Berne†2016 (£10.99 Waitrose) cannot fail to impress with its unusual and exquisitely crafted square bottle.
Add the ultra-delicate, moon gold colour of the wine and this Côtes de Provence rosé speaks of pleasure even before the cork is drawn.
Crisp, dry and generously fruited with strawberry scent, this palate demonstrates a irresistable complexity derived from the slow-ripened grapes of the Haut Var vineyards.
Juicy pink
Famous for it’s full flavoured and creamy textured wines, ‘The Ned’ range from New Zealand’s Marisco Vineyards is high up on the reliability scale.
Blush pink and confident, The Ned Rosé 2017 (£11.99 or £9.99 Mix Six Majestic) brings the Waihopai Valley style to our Valentine’s line-up.
The Ned effortlessly combines Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio varieties to give a juicy and satisfying rosé that is alive with red berry and tropical fruits wafted with a rose petal perfume .
Live the dream
Epitomising the classic getaway fantasy, Jeany and Stephen Cronk left London to become winemakers in Provence, founding Mirabeau wines and rapidly gaining a reputation for rosé-making excellence.
From the family stable of prestigeous pinks, Mirabeau La Folie Rosé NV (£12.99 RRP Waitrose) is a thoroughly modern fizz from the Luberon with fine mousse and a subtle hue.
Using the Charmat method of fermentation in steel tanks, the regional Syrah and Grenache grapes are blended to reveal a refreshing palate of strawberry and raspberry aromas enlivened with notes of gooseberry and grapefruit.
‘Good wine and love’ as they say in France, ‘make for happy days’.
We’ll drink to that!