If you’re looking for love advice, I am definitely not the person to come to for Valentine’s Day. However if you would like to add some spark to your Valentines day meal, then I’m your girl. Because if there’s one thing I know, it’s wine! And nothing adds spark to a great meal more than wine.
Since we are talking about adding sparkle to a meal, let’s start with a sparkling wine
You can’t go wrong with Prosecco, the Italian favourite. The majority of these wines are priced under $20 and it’s a super cost efficient way to enjoy a delicious sparkling wine. Crisp, light and tasty all on its own, it’s also a great pairing with shellfish, vegetables, sushi and cured meats. Prosecco is a great way to enjoy a sparkling wine without blowing the budget.
Instead of roses, try rose wine!
Rose wines have become so popular over the past few years, and with good reason. They are reasonably priced and delicious to drink. As a matter of fact, it’s made a huge surge in ‘day drinking’. There is no better wine to have with lunch or brunch.
My friends and I found this delicious rose wine, made from Shiraz (Syrah) grapes. Arrogant Frog is a wine packed with flavor, and priced under $15. It is a little heavier on the alcohol side than many rose wines, coming in at 13%. But it’s so delicious, and food friendly as well.
Normally when I make ribs, I marinate for several hours and then slow cook them for a few hours, before finishing them on the grill. Everyone knows I am a huge fan of the Food Network and Bobby Flay and Michael Symon hosted a show called BBQ Brawl. Susie Bulloch was the underdog and ended up coming in 2nd place. She has a website called Hey Grill, Hey! I love it, she is a barbecue Queen1 And this is where I got the recipe for the dry rub. It’s Suzie’s Dry Rub recipe and you’ll find it here. I still slow cooked them and finished them off on the grill with sauce, and they were soooo good!
Have I made you hungry for ribs on Valentine’s Day? Here’s your wine!
7 Deadly Zins is a delicious full-bodied wine that is so food friendly. I love the ‘peppery’ flavor of a Zinfandel and this one really highlights that. If the $28 – $30 price tag is a bit more than you wanted to spend, here’s another option.
It’s been a while since I’ve had this, so I had to use a stock photo. But this blend of Merlot, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah is so rich and decadent, it’s sinful. And this one is priced under $18 in most places. Juicy ribs deserve a juicy wine, and this fits the bill.
That’s it for me this week. Enjoy the Super Bowl tomorrow and Valentine’s Day on Monday. Till next week, Cheers
Darlene
Wine-It’s Just My Opinion 