Wine or Roses for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day. While flowers are never a bad option, wine and
wine-related gifts can be even more romantic and put a real exclamation
point on your affection.

The challenge is finding the right bottle of wine for that special
person in your life. With that in mind, here is my list of romantic
favorites that should please your Valentine. (And, just because it's
"pink" doesn't mean white Zinfandel is the answer!)

White Can Be Right

To choose the right wine for a romantic gift you need to know
something about the tastes of your mate. For those who favor white
wine, consider a nice Chardonnay or even Sauvignon Blanc.

The Chardonnay is a more complex wine with hints of butter and
oak. Great Chardonnays are very drinkable but also seem a bit heavy for
more social wine drinkers. That said, Chardonnays are a great pick for
the more seasoned white wine lover.

My tastes take me right to the top of the list and the Far Niente Chardonnay.
Probably $45 to $60 at your local wine store, Napa's Far Niente crafts
a very smooth yet complex Chardonnay. From the initial taste to the
finish on the palate, the buttery nature of this exceptional Chardonnay
is very noticeable but not overwhelming.

The great characteristic of the Far Niente Chardonnay is its
subtleties. While the buttery overtones are clear, they are not
intrusive. And, the hint of oak is distinct but not overwhelming like
so many of today's less complex Chardonnays.

In addition, you get a great label and bottle that tells a story. One
of the hallmarks of my wine gifting is including a brief description of
the vineyard from which it came. Now, I'm not suggesting touting the Wine Spectator
or Parker score of a particular wine (that's a bit snobbish for me)
but, rather, a bit of history of the winery or the winemaking process
of the gift. Most of the time, it's as easy as finding a winery's web site.