Wine has its own language of love. Do you remember those days when you romanticised a dinner with a partner, with the Eiffel tower in the background and a bottle of wine at hand? You could still relive those days of enchantment, maybe not in front of the Eiffel, but in the comfort of your personal surroundings. If white wine is the perfect aperitif, red wine sets the right mood and champagne is the zenith of a lovely Valentine’s Day. Here are a few tips by Sonal Holland, Master of Wine, to make this Valentine's Day a truly memorable one.
A vineyard experience: Mumbai city is wonderful with its small, indelicate charms, but for this love fest, escape outside the city and explore vineyards where you could experience wine-making. Appreciate the delicacy of the beverage, seeing it blossom into the delicacy it is. Nashik, a few hours from Mumbai, the heart of India’s wine country, is filled with India’s best-known wineries, such as Sula Vineyards, Grover Zampa Vineyards, Vallonne Vineyards, and York Winery.
It’s the perfect opportunity to explore because Nasik is in the middle of its harvest season. Take this chance to escape and spend the day revitalising your affections with that special someone. If you want to extend your experience, you can even check-in at the sumptuous Tuscan-inspired villas named The Source or at the boutique wine getaway attached to an Asian restaurant, at Vallonne Vineyards.
Enrol for a wine course: Taking a course together encourages growing together, and gives you an opportunity to share your love of wine. The London-based The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the world’s foremost wine educator, runs wine education courses through its trusted partners in India. Not only do you get to learn about the beautiful delicacy, but also you get to do it with your special someone. We assure you, you’ll have a newfound respect for wine after this experience.
Gift her a set of crystal wine glasses: The best way to enjoy wine is in a delicate artisanal wine glass, with a slender stem to hold it with. Crystal glasses are wonderful and delicate to hold and enhance your wine-drinking experience. This time, the glow you bring her could be from a glimmering wine glass.
A home-cooked, wine-paired meal: Why go elsewhere, when you could amp up the romance at your own home? Go all out with a homemade three-course candlelit dinner, with Frank Sinatra in the background and your love in front. You could work your own menu, or maybe try a cheese fondue and a glass of refreshing Austrian Riesling or a crisp Chablis accompanied by butter-seared scallops with a creamy Chardonnay and sweet baby carrots lightly char-grilled with red wine vinegar, served with a spicy Grenache, followed by a roast chicken paired with a soft Pinot Noir. It’s always the effort that counts, so make it count.
A wine-movie marathon: This year, take it easy with being splayed on the couch, with your deep talk and favourite wines (straight from the bottle) and the cheesiest romantic comedies ever. Watch films like A Good Year with the ever-beautiful Marion Cotillard or a Walk In The Clouds, set in California’s Napa Valley. Have a fun fest, with laughs and tears and all manner of emotion swirling, as you enter another year of togetherness and love.
In the end, that is what love is about - being together in happiness and sadness. Don't forget to raise a toast to that special relationship!