Sonal Holland, Master of Wine, Shares Tips on Picking the Right Wine for a Perfect Valentine's Dinner

Whether you think of it as commercial brouhaha or a day dedicated to all traditions mushy and fuzzy Valentines Day is here and it happens to fall on a Sunday a day of no work and all play So take in the spirit of the season chuck the chocolates and flip the flowers because Valentine is best celebrated over a bottle of wineEating at a fancy restaurant is always an option but some of us may prefer to cosy up at home and make this Sunday the consummate start to next week Here are some lovefilled tips on how to curate a romantic date night at home this Valentine complete with wine and your significant otherIf you have kids bribe them with one of their favourite meals in exchange for an early nightin Tucking them in early will leave you with the private couple time you need to get the party startedDecide to nibble on winefriendly snacks instead of a fullblown meal Choosing light bites and nibbles will help keep the evening easyflow and conversational as you sip and snack your way through the eveningSalty and sourflavour dominant foods act as flavour enhancers and pair really well with any kind of wines They draw out the perception of fruitiness in the wine and make them taste rich and smooth You could sum up a prettylooking food platter replete with winefriendly goodies such as cheesy bites saltencrusted crackers salmon canapes marinated olives pizza tartlets pretzels or grissini breadsticks cold cuts and prawn tapas Feel free to be adventurous and rustle up some recipes of your own to ensure that the platter is brimming with excitementSet the mood for your date night Dim down the lights light some candles turn on some of your favourite nonjarring music and wear something nice Make an effort Donrsquot sit in your pyjamas for heavenrsquos sakeNow its time to bring out a special bottle of wine Try and pair the wine to your partners personality For example if your partner is a workaholic bringing out a special bottle of red from Bordeaux Margaret River or Napa Valley would lure them to work from nine to wine everyday If your lover is a loyalist with oldworld traditional family values show your appreciation with a bottle of the reliably amazing Brunello di Montalcino or Barossa Shiraz If heshe is a healthfreak and encourages clean eating at most times a bottle of an organic or biodynamic Chianti Classico Burgundy Pinot Noir or low alcohol read lower calories bubbly like Prosecco will seem like the perfect appreciation of their rigour And finally if your spouse is an innocent novice to most indulgences theres no better place to start than over a sweettinged bottle of Riesling from Germany because theres nothing that a little bit of sugar cant accomplishYou can further rev up your game by masking the wine bottle in a blind tasting sleeve and letting your companion do the guessing Either ways just make sure you talk about the wine your feelings and your aspirations but not household chores Let the evening be all about discovering lsquo50 shades of Chardonnayrsquo with your loved oneAuthor BioSonal Holland is Indiarsquos only Master of Wine an Educator Entrepreneur and the Founder of SoHo Wine Club and Sonal Holland Wine AcademyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever