It’s almost that time of year again…
All of you loved up people out there know that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. We’re sure the more romantically-inclined of you have plenty of plans in place for the big day.
And even if you think it’s all a load of nonsense…we’re betting your significant other still expects a gift.
You could get the bouquet of flowers. It’s a classic and everybody loves them. Or, you could get the box of chocolates. There’s nothing better than giving your partner an intense sugar rush to mark one of the most romantic days of the year.
But we think that a good bottle of Italian wine is the ultimate gift for Valentine’s Day.
However, before you go rushing to our online store to grab a bottle, it’s worth waiting for just a few minutes. This isn’t going to be any old bottle of wine.
It’s going to be the wine that you and your partner share on Valentine’s Day.
You need to put a little bit more thought into this to make sure you end up getting the right bottle for the occasion. And with these tips, you’re sure to make a great choice.
Tip #1 – Start With What You Know
What does your partner usually like to drink?
Figure that out and you have a good starting point for choosing your bottle of Italian wine. However, you don’t want to just go out and buy what they always drink. There’s nothing particularly special about that.
Instead, spend a little bit of time researching the wine. Figure out what qualities it has to offer and use that as the basis for your search. The ideal is to find a different wine that offers what your partner likes while giving them something new to explore as well.
This may be a wine that’s in the same category or wine that uses similar grapes. Or, you could go deeper and look for wines that have similar bouquets and flavour profiles.
Just aim to make the choice a little more special than the wine that they always drink. You’re putting thought into the gift while also not getting them the same old same old.
Tip #2 – Consider the Atmosphere
The next thing to consider is where you’re actually going to drink the wine.
If you’re going out for a meal, you’re going to buy the wine in the restaurant. That means you need to be a little bit more savvy. We recommend checking out the restaurant’s menu online so you can see what types of Italian wine they offer. From there, you can make a choice ahead of time.
Now, you get to look super smart in the restaurant!
But let’s assume you’re buying the wine from a store.
If you’re buying as part of a home-cooked meal, it’s usually best to go with a comforting red wine. Of course, this is also dependent on the food you’ll serve. It may be that a white wine works better if you’re serving a lighter dish.
If you’re having a bigger celebration, you may want to go for a sparkling wine, like Prosecco. In fact, Prosecco is a good choice regardless because everybody likes a few bubbles during a big occasion.
If you’re going on a picnic or to a similar outdoor location, we also recommend a white or sparkling wine. Red wines suit warmer and more intimate atmospheres better.
Tip #3 – Plan to Spend a Little More
Yes, it’s tempting to be thrifty with your choice of Italian wine. And of course, there are plenty of great wines out there that you can get on a budget.
But this is a special occasion and you’re buying the wine as a gift. That means you may need to budget to spend a little more than you normally would on a bottle of wine.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll spend all of that money. You may find the perfect wine and get a really good price on it. If that happens, snap the bottle up now and don’t look back.
But you may also find yourself drawn to slightly more expensive vintages. You don’t want to set your heart on something only to end up disappointed later on.
To make things extra special, you may want to look into getting a milestone vintage. This will put a bigger dent in your budget. However, that extra money will make the gift all the more special.
Here’s a good idea, if you have the money to do it.
Try to buy a vintage from the same year that you met!
Of course, this will get more expensive the longer that you’ve been together. But it’s a nice little touch to have the year that you met on the bottle that you buy.
Tip #4 – You May Want to Get More Than One
If you’re planning a full on three-course meal for Valentine’s Day, you may find that having just one wine probably isn’t going to cut it.
After all, you’re not going to want to drink the same deep red that you had with the meal if you have a light dessert!
If you’re planning to sort out a meal, we’d recommend buying based on what you’re going to serve. Research which wines pair best with the foods that you’re going to cook and use that as your guide when you’re buying.
You may have to stretch your budget a bit further, but it’s worth it to make sure you’re getting the right wine for your food.
The Final Word
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, you’re running out of time to get the perfect Italian wine.
The good news is that these tips will help you to shorten the search. Now, you just need a reliable vendor who can get the wine to you in time for the big day.
That’s where we come in.
Check out the Xtrawine catalogue today and we’re sure you’ll find the perfect Italian wine.
I’m a passionate about good wine and good cooking.
I like to keep me updated and share with my online friends my gastronomic knowledge.
