Pour your heart out
Resist the temptation of a bunch of flown-in blooms and an expensive restaurant, and put the savings towards a special bottle of pink wine to savour at home on Valentine’s Day, writes Christine Austin.
FOR anyone who has been sharing a pot of breakfast marmalade with the same person for several years, Valentine’s Day is always a challenge. Is it worth bothering? I once knew a very happily married couple who used to exchange the same two cards every year. “Why not buy new ones?” I asked. The answer was simple: “These cards say exactly what we want them to say, so why buy more?” This may have been Yorkshire frugality showing through, but it demonstrates that it isn’t really necessary to spend a fortune on telling your partner that you love them.
Roses, champagne and chocolates are the usual Valentine’s gifts and perhaps even a restaurant reservation, but in this belt-tightening era there are many ways to celebrate this feast of St Valentine without blowing the budget.
A bunch of red roses will set you back a serious amount of money and there is the environment to think of. The planes carrying these wallet-emptying blooms from sub-Saharan Africa add vast amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, and so does the man in a van who has to drive around town all day delivering them. Instead, splash out on a big bunch of daffodils that come from much closer to home and add sunshine to every room, so much more than a spindly bunch of hot-house roses.
Then there is the restaurant reservation. After a fairly bleak January, restaurant owners are keen to pack as many people as possible into their space. They may even tempt you with a glass of cheap fizz, but maybe you don’t want to be squeezed on to a tiny table for a set menu and an allotted time slot. The more thoughtful choice is to dine at home with a dinner that you have prepared yourself, or one that has come in a fancy box from a supermarket. You could even order your favourite restaurant dinner to be delivered to you, leaving you with no washing-up to do.
All this clears the budget for a special bottle of wine, which you can enjoy all evening without its price being boosted by a massive markup. You won’t even have an anxious waiter constantly topping up your glass, in the hope you will drink quickly and order another bottle.
So relax, get the food sorted and select some wine, then plan to enjoy your evening without any hassle. After all, with all the money you are saving on this dine-in option, you will be able to go out next week when tables are plentiful and prices more affordable.
As for your choice of wine, why not stick to pink? It goes well as an aperitif, and with light dishes such as fish, salads and chicken. There are even some flavourful rosé wines that can work with red meat. Bubbles are a great idea for the pop of the cork and whoosh in the glass and will drink well all evening. Don’t forget to make sure your wine glasses are prepared for fizz. If they have been in a dishwasher, they may have some rinse aid on the surface, which will kill the bubbles. Rinse them again in hot water and dry with a cloth.
STILL PINK WINES
■ La Vieille Ferme Rosé 2022, Vin de France, Booths, down from £8.50 to £7.50 until Tuesday: Made by the Perrin family, whose range goes from everyday wine to top notch Châteauneuf. This is a Rhône blend of grapes with light strawberry fruit and a clear, grapefruit finish. Team with herb-spiked chicken.
■ Amandla Blush Rosé 2022, South Africa,
Sainsbury’s, down from £9.50 to £8 until February 20: Made from Chenin Blanc with a splash of Pinotage, this has fresh raspberry and strawberry fruit with a soft, food-friendly finish. Team with a rare steak.
■ Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé 2022, Languedoc, France, Tesco, down from £12 to £10 until February 26 (Clubcard holders only): Gentle red fruits with poise and precision in a stylishly packaged wine. This goes with all kinds of dishes, from pizza to roast duck, and if you really think you should give your partner a rose, there is one embossed in the glass on the base of the bottle.
■ Crocodile Diamante 2022, Costières de Nîmes, France, Morrisons, down from £12 to £10 until Wednesday: Dressed to party in its designer bottle, this is a Provence look-alike wine, with subtle red fruits and a silky, gentle finish. Pour alongside crab cakes or roast salmon.
■ Mirabeau Pure Provence Rosé 2022 Côtes de Provence, France, 12.5%, Booths down from £17 to £14 until Tuesday: Bring some Provencal sunshine into your life with this elegant peachy, strawberry, citrus-filled wine.
PINK BUBBLES
■ Bird in Hand Sparkling Rosé, Adelaide Hills, Australia, Tesco, down from £15 to £12 until Wednesday (Clubcard holders only): Pale pink, and with plenty of fruit, this has crisp redcurrant and strawberry fruits and a roundness that can cope with fish or a medium-rare lamb chop.
■ Bellante Prosecco Rosé, Italy, Marks & Spencer, £12: Not just a pretty bottle, this has 15 per cent Pinot Noir added to the usual Glera grapes which go into Prosecco. The result is a definite strawberry and redcurrant note alongside apple and pear fruit. Good as an aperitif but it is drier than most Prosecco, so it works well with starters and creamy fish dishes.
■ Graham Beck Rosé Brut NV, South Africa, Waitrose, down from £16.99 to £12.99 until February 27: From one of South Africa’s best sparkling wine producers, this is terrific value for its crisp, lively strawberry and cherry fruit and long, fresh finish. Perfect with prawns, salmon or lamb.
■ Chapel Down English Rosé NV, Waitrose, down from £29.99 to £24.99 until February 27: Terrific wines are now coming from this Kent winery. Red fruit aromas, an edge of spice and floral notes with a creamy, rounded finish.
■ Finest Rosé Champagne, France, Tesco, £25: A supermarket own-label champagne, made by one of the best co-operatives in the region. Totally delicious with ripe strawberry fruit, balanced by clear freshness and complexity. Great value.