What makes a great gift for your loved one for Valentine’s Day? It’s a question that never gets old. Do you choose a heart-shaped box of chocolates to woo your partner? Or, an exuberant bouquet of flowers? Or better yet – an elegant bottle of red wine or even Champagne? According to a study by research analysts Cyberpulse, 59% of women would prefer to receive the gift of wine rather than chocolates from their Valentine. They didn’t ask men what they’d prefer. But, we’re pretty sure most guys would be delighted to receive a thoughtful bottle or two from their beau.
French wine is the most romantic Valentine’s gift – here’s why
Wine is hands down romantic – and has been since the dawn of time. Euripides, the great playwright of ancient Greece claimed, “Where there is no wine, there is no love”. The Roman poet Ovid said, “It warms the blood, adds luster to the eyes, and wine and love have ever been allies.” More recently, the women surveyed by Cyberpulse agreed that wine was “more adult and romantic than chocolates”. Red wine from French regions like Bordeaux or the Rhone Valley can be especially romantic. Just think of those gorgeous ruby red hues and delicious ripe fruity or chocolate-y aromas.
Wine is made to be shared
Another pearl of Valentine’s wisdom gleaned from Cyberpulse’s research is that “wine signifies sharing and spending time together.” When it comes to chocolates – are you ready to give up that last dark chocolate truffle? And pretty as they are, a bouquet of flowers is unlikely to bring you closer together. A bottle of good wine though is made to be opened and shared together with your partner. It’s the ideal Valentine’s gift…
Wine can make you seem more attractive
Research by the University of Glasgow in Scotland demonstrated that just one glass of wine is enough to make your partner seem 25% more attractive!
Pheromones play a part…
Curiously, there is also indication that certain wines can make you biologically more attractive than others. The aromas in some wines can mimic the pheromones released by humans. They may potentially affect our emotional responses and mood. Generally speaking, red wines that are earthy, spicy and musky like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Syrah tend to resemble male pheromones. On the other hand white wines made from Chardonnay or Riesling often have aromas which mimic female pheromones. Oh la la!
Made with passion
Another reason wine is the perfect Valentine’s gift is because of the passion and love that goes into making it, says Laurent Yung at somMailier wine club in the USA. “We carefully source wines for our French wine club from small, family-run producers who have dedicated their lives to winemaking. Often their families have been winemakers for generations. Making wine is a way of life for them rather than merely a job. Making wine in this small-scale, artisanal way is usually incredibly hard work and labor intensive. There’s a huge commitment to shepherd the wine from the vine right through to the bottling at the end of the process. We firmly believe that it is our producers’ love and incredible commitment to the art of winemaking which creates such delicious bottles of wine for our members to enjoy.”
Laurent says that the gift of wine that has been made with love by passionate winemakers adds an extra dimension to your Valentine’s gift. It turns a bottle into a story. Waiting to be unravelled and providing a special moment to be savoured… especially as all their bottles are accompanied by wine cards telling the stories behind the wines they select.
A wine called love
In the famous wine making area of Beaujolais they even make a wine called Saint-Amour. The name of this region literally translates as “St. Love”. It takes its name from a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and lost his life due to his passion and commitment to his new faith. Today Saint-Amour is one of Beaujolais’ ten crus or top wine-producing areas. And, thanks to its charming name the region actually sells around 25% of its wines during February alone!
Laurent says his favorite wine from the region is a light and fruity wine perfect for enjoying on Valentine’s Day: the Château de Saint Lager Brouilly. Laurent says this wine is ideal for pairing with romantic Valentine’s Day food like pasta with red sauce or a decadent box of chocolates. “It’s has a raspberry flavor and pleasant freshness. The beautiful ruby red color is complemented by seductive aromas of red berries and prunes, while on the palate there are inviting dark berry flavours and incredibly soft tannins. The overall effect is light with enticing fruit flavors and aromas which keep you coming back for more sip after sip.” Sounds irresistible!
Why wait for rare and special occasions? If you love someone, and you know they love champagne or wine, then make it the next bottle you share together.
If all this whetted your appetite to learn more about French wine check out SomMailier’s French wine club in the US. Every three months they send three or six bottles of boutique French wines direct to your door. Carefully selected by wine experts in France along with detailed information about each wine and food pairing ideas, what better way to discover authentic French wine. And as if that wasn’t enough, they also have a wine club gift option for that special wine lover in your life! Guaranteed to inspire cosy evenings cuddled up with a delicious bottle or two!
Get a special introductory offer of 10% on any product – just use the code TGLF2022 on the check out page…
