Even if you just occasionally enjoy a glass of wine, odds are, you will open a bottle on Valentine’s Day.
Whether you are dining out or making an intimate meal for your loved one at home, the right wine can complement the meal, enhance the mood, and show your level of sophistication.
As such, we have put together a list of mouth-watering wines that will be perfect for Valentine's Day and are readily available from retailers around the country. Also, whether you have spent all your money on flowers or are saving to splash out on a fancy meal, these bottles won't cost you a fortune. Here are our best wine picks for Valentine’s Day this year.
Luc Belaire Bleu
Launched in South Africa last year, Luc Belaire Bleu is a spectacular sapphire colour inspired by the beautiful blue waters of the Côte d’Azur in Belaire’s country of birth, France. With stunning aromas of fresh berries and tropical fruits, it is balanced with an elegant freshness and roundness, which makes this cuvée truly special. This exciting blue bubbly makes a compelling statement when enjoyed by the glass and is ideal for dramatic cocktails.
Belaire Bleu is expected to splash onto the scene in much the same way as the company’s first release, Belaire Rosé. It is crafted by fifth and sixth-generation father-and-son winemakers at Belaire’s 120-year-old Maison and combines ancestral winemaking traditions with a bold new look worthy of the brand’s trendsetting consumers and boundary-breaking celebrity fans. Chief executive officer of Sovereign Brands, Brett Berish, said Belaire Bleu is the ultimate addition to an already outstanding family of wines and their wider portfolio at Sovereign Brands.
Luc Belaire Bleu is available at retail outlets at around R450 to R500.
The Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
February is a time of first love. For wine cognoscenti, that passion belongs to Delheim Estate and its Cabernet Sauvignon, whose 2018 vintage has just been released.
According to winemaker Roelof Lotriet, the 2018 vintage was a recovery year for the vines. They were emerging from years of debilitating drought. Ideal conditions during the vineyard growth phase meant the bottled results were exceptional. It has already claimed Gold at Veritas 2021 and was awarded 91 points by Master of Wine Tim Atkin. The wine shows classic Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics on the nose. There are the lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, and blackcurrant, which follow through on the palate with an inflow of ripe red berries and fine tannins. Its finish is long and silky.
The Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 sells for R250 and is available online from www.delheim.com with free delivery on all orders over R1 200. The wine may also be found on wine lists of leading restaurants and wine shops around the country.
The Tangram White Blend 2018
The Tangram White Blend 2018 has recently been awarded as one of the world’s twelve top-scoring wines at the 2021’s Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters hosted by The Drinks Business. With 200 Sauvignon Blancs from around the world, tasted blind, Durbanville Hills’ cool climate excellence shares the Top twelve recognition along with the very best Sauvignon Blancs produced in France, Chile, New Zealand, and the USA.
The wine is a blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon, matured for ten months in French oak and is made for long-term cellaring. The wine is brilliant lime green in colour with aromas of fresh citrus, orange blossom, summer berries, and a mixed bowl of fresh fruit, combining effortlessly with hints of lime and minerality. Rich and creamy with concentrated complexity, sweet wood spice, tropical fruit and hints of melon, and minerality, the ending is lingering and fresh.
The Tangram White Blend 2018 is available from www.durbanvillehills.co.za and www.vinoteque.co.za retailing for R235 a bottle.