Which Wines For a Valentine's Day Homemade Dinner?
It's the perfect time to pull out all the stops, but only if you know what you're doing! Don't panic, we will help you to find the best wines to match from starter to dessert with our special menu for lovers!
Valentine's Day Selection
Oysters and Brut Champagne to Get Off to a Good Start
The evening is young, the atmosphere is seductive and elegant. For a successful romantic dinner, there is no need to complicate your life. It's best to opt for a selection of simple but refined dishes, made from a variety of good fresh products. You want to impress, of course, but be careful not to make the selected dishes too heavy!
For a refined starter to match the magic of Valentine's Day, kick off this sumptuous meal with some fresh oysters. This mollusc evokes special occasions and would seem to be a friend of choice for romantic dinners. Aphrodisiac? Oysters are indeed said to have some rather impressive aphrodisiac properties! Thanks to their high concentration of zinc, oysters stimulate desire.
To accompany these molluscs in all elegance and finesse, don't hesitate and opt for a Champagne. Not only does Champagne symbolise special occasions and celebrations, this prestigious wine is also a great way to start your romantic dinner. The fine bubbles of Champagne break up the sometimes slimy side of the oyster and stimulate the taste buds, preparing them for the rest of the dinner.
There are as many different types of Champagne to choose from as there are different types of oysters, but the rule of pairing is simple: fresh palate, iodised dish. So skip the sweet champagnes and opt for a Brut or Extra Brut Champagne. A Blanc de Blancs Champagne is an excellent choice: let the roundness of the Chardonnay work to give free rein to the subtle aromas of the oysters, especially if they are eaten neat. You'll be surprised to find hazelnuts and porcini mushrooms in the melt-in-the-mouth texture. Rosé Champagnes are another possible match: with their charming colour, they will add body and a touch of glamour to your tête-à-tête. And you don't have to break the bank to do it!
Starter: Salmon Gravlax and Sancerre
With the idea of continuing with refined and elegant seafood products, salmon gravlax answers the call. Originating in Scandinavia, this Nordic speciality in which the raw fish is seasoned and marinated with dill is light, fine, and above all...delicious!
There's no doubt that a salmon gravlax starter belongs alongside scented candles for a romantic dinner. To accompany your salmon gravlax starter, opt for a fresh, mineral white wine. The minerality of the wine balances the fat and the marinade of the fish. A Sancerre white is a delicious option.
Main Course: Black Truffle Risotto and Cahors
For the main course, it is now the products of the earth that are invited to the table. To stay in the spirit of a refined, elegant, yet simple dish, try a truffle risotto. Like oysters or salmon gravlax, truffle-flavoured dishes inspire special occasions and seduction. It has to be said that truffles are a rare ingredient with an inimitable taste!
Once again, the Champagne opened as a starter can be used to extend the meal with this Italian culinary staple, for a passionate match.
The Sancerre for the salmon gravlax isn't finished yet? No problem, it's all taken care of! Sancerre goes very well with truffle-flavoured dishes, and continuing to enjoy it with the risotto will in no way disturb your taste buds, which have been so pampered since the start of this dinner.
A Saint-Estèphe, with its fine tannins and notes of black fruit and spices, will also be an ideal companion to enhance this truffle risotto and reinforce its gourmet elegance.
Cheese platter and Juliénas
Is your romantic evening still as exciting as ever? Are you floating on cloud nine? Bring on the cheese!
Not finished with the red wine for the main course? Rest assured, many cheeses appreciate the presence of tannins and go perfectly with red wines. There's no doubt that the Cahors or Saint-Estèphe you opened to accompany the truffle risotto will do the cheeses proud. Once again, your soul mate will be amazed at the extent to which you know how to combine ‘passion’ and ‘transition’!
To accompany this platter, there are several options depending on your choice of dairy products. Each cheese has its own personality! Different pairings can be suggested depending on whether the cheese is made from goat's, cow's or sheep's milk, or is soft, hard or blue-veined.
So why not opt for a Juliénas? This Beaujolais cru, with its lively, ripe red fruit and spiced aromas, goes wonderfully well with mild, bloomy rind cheeses such as well-ripened Brie or Camembert. The finesse of Juliénas also enhances the creamy texture of tommes and subtly accompanies slightly ashy goat's cheeses. An elegant and surprising option that is sure to charm your better half.
Blue cheese
Do you have a nice selection of blue-veined cheeses on your cheeseboard and want to show them off to their best advantage? With these cheeses with their well-known mushrooms, a demi-sec or sweet wine will provide a superb balance between sweetness and saltiness.
Dessert: Tiramisu and Alsace Grand Cru
Finish the meal in style with a tiramisu! This romantic dinner is slowly drawing to a close and you've brought out the masterpiece of your making, capable of bringing more than one person to their knees! To ensure that your mission doesn't fail (that is, to end on a sweet, fragrant, but not overpowering note) the choice of wine is crucial! The delicate texture of the dessert, with its aromas of cocoa and coffee, calls for a sweet, charming and sensual wine.
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