Although Valentine’s Day was a week ago, you can still celebrate with your significant other with today’s romantic reds. Our first treat is a tasty bubbly with lots of class and taste, and it’s affordable. The Segura Viudas Rosado Brut Cava ($16.99) lives up to its name, Rosado, which means rosé.
Its bouquet is bursting with strawberry and a hint of cherry. I love the creamy texture in the mouth, along with its ripe strawberry flavour, minerality, crispness, and dry finish.
Serve in tall flute glasses so the beads of bubbles can dazzle you. The Segura Viudas Rosado is versatile with a variety of tapas and main courses. Artichoke dip, cheese, olives, prosciutto, prawns. Yum!
To add even more sparkle and a touch of class, put a fresh strawberry in the glass before you pour in the vino.
If you are looking for a real red with a deep ruby colour and good body, I have recently discovered the Capitao 2011 Rayeo Reserva. It’s a real gem for $13.99!
One of the new style of Portuguese reds, the Rayeo tastes like a blend of an old fashioned red with a fruitier New World style. That’s a result of Syrah mixed with two of Portugal’s varieties that most of us have never heard of before!
Aged in French oak, it has dark fruits, leather, black pepper, and cocoa on the nose. Expect a tasty smooth red with cherries and a hint of chocolate on the lingering finish. It was superb with a Portuguese stew I made with chorizo, clams, and chicken broth along with a splash of the wine.
Another big surprise was the recent introduction of the Monasterio 2005 Gran Reserva to government stores. Where else can you find a ten-year-old wine for $19.99, but on Spanish shelves? And what’s amazing is that the Monasterio is still ruby red, indicating it can still improve with more age.
I’ve been a huge fan for its little brother, the Monasterio 2006 Reserva ($14.99). Both wines are a blend of Spain’s famous Tempranillo grapes, blended with the Garnacha and Carinena. The difference is that the 2005 is made from older, 40 to 50 year vines from more premium sites and receives more aging in French and American oak and in the bottle.
I am seduced by the rich deep scents of dark fruits, cloves, and forest floor, the needles and the earth. In the mouth you will savour the elegant rich plum, dried cherries, leather and salami. There are layers of bouquet and flavour here to enjoy with a rack of lamb or Manchego cheese.
The Valentine cards are now gathering dust, but the romantic reds live on!
Eric Hanson is retired teacher and wine educator.
