Whether you spend Valentine’s Day with your spouse, partner, family or good friends, it’s a wonderful time to enjoy red wine and chocolates. Or white wine, rosé or sparkling wine.  Certainly, some people prefer to celebrate love every day – and why not? Regardless of your choice, here is our list of 15 recommendations for Valentines Day Wines. They are from Washington, Oregon, Spain, South Africa, Italy, France and Chile. Prices range from $15-$95. Read on for details.

Valentines Day Wines

Above all, we recommend these 15 Valentines Day wines (in alphabetical order). Some are delicious wines with sexy names appropriate for the holiday, while others are simply luscious. Some of them are special occasion wines at a high price point. Meanwhile, others are excellent value wines that are special. Unfortunately, some of these vintages are no longer available. On the other hand, you should be able to find recent releases instead.

Valentines Day Wines: Anna de Codorníu Sparking Wine Cava Brut Rosé (Spain, $15)

This sparkling Rosé is Spain’s #1 cava, and a lovely balance between acidity and sweetness. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this refreshing cava opens with intense aromas of strawberries, cherries and red berries, followed by fine and persistent bubbles. Moreover, we really enjoyed this sparkler as an apéritif. And what a great price! Codorníu is the oldest wine-and- cava producing company in Spain. Eighteen generations of winegrowers date back to the 16^th century.

Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Reserva 2013 (Spain, $15)

Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Reserva 2013 is elegant, classic and complex. It drinks well above its price point and is an amazing value. This stellar red wine is a blend of Tempranillo (90%), Garnacha (8%) and Mazuelo (2%). Each grape was harvested and crafted separately, one of Montecillo’s defining characteristics. As a result, harmonious layers of toasty cherry and plum flavors are laced with notes of spices and minerals. Montecillo is one of the pioneering wineries in the D.O.C. Rioja, with 152 years of winemaking traditions.

Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon Franschhoek 2016  (South Africa, $69)

Oh my, Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon is a gorgeous wine for a special occasion. This Cabernet is plush, smooth and impressive. Let’s just call it magnificent. Dark berries, cherries and crème de cassis aromas are mirrored on the palate, along with flavors of red licorice and fennel. The Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. The winery, established in 1776, features labels with chairs that pay tribute to the achievements of the 18th century craftsmen “in creating beauty from natural sources, just like the pursuit of fine winemaking.”

Cantine Ermes Epicentro Nero d’Avola Riserva Sicilia DOC 2016 and Quattro Quarti Grillo 2019 (Italy, $18)

First, Cantine Ermes Epicentro Nero d’Avola Riserva Sicilia DOC 2016 is one of the best Nero d’Avolas we’ve tasted. On the nose, you’ll find aromatics of cherry, prune and cocoa with hints of minerality. In addition, the aromas are mirrored on the palate. Next, Cantine Ermes Quattro Quarti Grillo 2019 is a vibrant wine. It’s a refreshing mosaic of the Grillo grape from four different territories of Sicily. Aromatics of white fruit, peaches, almonds, sea salt and orange peel lead into flavors of grapefruit, limes, lemons, peaches and minerality.

Chateau Climens Asphodele 2018 (France, $45)

Chateau Climens Asphodele 2018 is from the Climens Vineyard and 100% Semillon. This dry wine is fresh, textured and seductive. Clay and limestone soil, plus eight months in stainless steel tanks, bring a beautiful salinity and minerality to each glass. Aromas and flavors of tangerine and lime merge into richness and vibrancy. Chateau Climens recommends aerating to experience its full expressiveness. We adore this wine, and buy it whenever we can find it.

Devison Vintners East of the Sun Rosé 2019 (Washington, $24)

Devision Vintners Rosé is a jaw dropper. This Provence-style rosé blends 78% Mourvèdre with 22% Grenache. Aromatics of tropical fruits, stone fruits, rhubarb, strawberries and figs lead into delicious flavors of apricots and cherries. This wine brings texture, as well as minerality, salinity, complexity and snappy acidity. The name comes from the colors of the setting sun. And we think this is sunset in a bottle.

Valentines Day Wines: Hard Row to Hoe Nauti Buoy® 2020 (Washington, $22)

We did not expect to like this Riesling-Gewurztraminer blend, Hard Row to Hoe Nauti Buoy®. But we sure did. On one hand, it was a pleasant surprise because these two grapes are not our favorites. On the other hand, we enjoy all of Hard Row’s wines, so it’s not a surprise at all. Nauti Buoy is 90% Riesling and 10% Gewurtz — dry, fresh, complex and balanced, with fruit scents and flavors, backed by beautiful minerality.

Hard Row to Hoe Seduction 2017 (Washington, $42)

This photo is titled “Rowing in Seduction.” Look closely and you will see that the oar on the glass is dipping into Hard Row to Hoe Seduction 2017 — a brooding, lush, seductive blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (44%), Cab Franc (44%) and Petite Sirah (12%). Each varietal was fermented separately and blended right before bottling. Oh we love this wine! Pair it with chocolate truffles for Valentines Day.

HUE Chardonnay 2021 and Rosé 2021 (Washington, $12)

HUE Wines released these two 2021 vintages just in time for Valentines Day, noting the colors of white and pink convey love as much as red. This is important because HUE explores the concept of color through wine. The crisp Rosé blends Merlot (40%) with 30% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which is fermented and finished in stainless steel. Think red berries, a spring breeze, or hot afternoons on the deck. Meanwhile, the Chardonnay is unoaked, which we prefer. It’s lively, clean, fresh and full of citrus, pear and stone fruit flavors.

L’Ecole Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard 2015 (Washington, $73)

L’Ecole Perigee 2015 is a standout wine! First, Perigee exemplifies Seven Hills vineyard’s characteristic cedar and black plum structured elegance. Therefore, the distinct grapes bring aromas of blueberries, barrel spice, and herbal notes, with layered flavors of cassis, dark chocolate, cherries, plums and graphite. Second, pair it with a hearty stew or a steak on a cool evening. Moreover, the 2018 vintage is also available and costs $56.

Utopia Estate Reserve Pinot Noir Paradise 2016  (Oregon, $65)

This is a gorgeous Pinot Noir. This stellar wine opens with a pretty perfumed nose, followed by flavors of cherry, cola, cranberry, herbs and cassis, layered with spices. This also shows an underlying minerality coupled with Utopia‘s trademark silky texture. This wine was excellent when we initially tasted it in 2020. Subsequently, a year later, we visited the winery and brought a bit of Paradise home for our cellar.

Va Piano Cabernet Sauvignon Rosebud Vineyard 2015 (Washington, $95)

Va Piano Cabernet Sauvignon Rosebud 2015 is a perfect wine to celebrate Valentines Day. Known as Rosebud, it is a classic Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one sexy wine for a special occasion – smooth, stunning, velvety and complex, with layers of texture and simply divine. Certainly, this Cabernet has the wow factor! The 2018 is also outstanding. A core of dark fruit flavors are laced with minerality.

Valentines Day Wines: Viña San Pedro Cabo de Hornos 2017 (Chile, $57)

Cabo de Hornos 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Viña San Pedro’s flagship wine is rich, balanced and full-bodied, bursting with black fruit flavors. The winery was founded in 1865 on the volcanic soils at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. We paired this Cab Sauv with juicy burgers, however Cabos de Hornos is so flavorful and sophisticated, it would also taste yummy in a glass by the fireplace on a cold night. This Cab Sauv would also be magnificent with barbecued steak in the summer.

Summary: Valentines Day Wines

In conclusion, we recommend these 15 bottles of Valentines Day Wines on Feb. 14, or whenever you feel like celebrating love and/or friendship. Similarly, you can enjoy these wines any day of the year. Most importantly, many of these wines have more recent vintages available.

These 15 bottles are from Washington, Oregon, Spain, South Africa, Italy, France and Chile. Prices range from $15-$95. In the same vein, some of them are special-occasion wines because of their high quality and subsequently, high price point. Likewise, others are special good-value wines.

Therefore, we hope you will give some of these Valentines Day wines a taste.

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Cheers, and Happy Valentines Day!
Margot and Dave