Palm Beach dining
Valentine’s Day arrives on Sunday. It is time to stock up on a special group of wines and spirits blushing with romance. The following selections may be shared with your valentine or given as gifts to those you love. Spanning the trendy rose spectrum, the following elixirs will encourage conversation and enhance a variety of tasty morsels.
Let’s start with those tiny bubbles. Taittinger’s Nocturne Rose “City Lights” ($89.99) represents a renaissance in off-dry, full-flavored styles of champagne. Nocturne takes center stage the moment it is poured into a glass. It has an intense, flamboyant pink color and forms a delicate halo of tiny bubbles.
This is a sec champagne, meaning it has 17.5 grams per liter dosage of cane sugar. It is a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier harvested from 30 vineyards and multiple vintages. This wine is a testament to younger winemakers artfully creating modern blends. Serve it with a variety of desserts such as Patrick Leze’s colorful macarons, French pastries, or special holiday cakes, cookies and chocolates.
The popularity of rose wines as a category has grown over the last decade, especially in Palm Beach. Of all the choices on the market, Chateau d’Aqueria ($24.99) stands alone. It comes from the commune of Tavel, a controlled appellation in the southern Rhone Valley, producing only rose wines. It is a blend of Rhone Valley varietals, predominantly grenache and cinsault. It is bone dry with deep, rich color and often described as the nearest rose to a red wine.
Tavel has been around for centuries and was favored by the Popes of Avignon, French kings, Philippe le Bel and Louis XIV, Honore de Balzac and Ernest Hemingway. This is one of the very few roses that will age with grace. Serve it chilled with cheese soufflés, quiche, eggs Benedict, grilled lamb chops, smoked or grilled salmon and tuna.
Chateau de Berne Romance, 2018 ($24.99), will send your message loud and clear. This delicate pink rose’s color is described by the winemaker as the sun’s reflection on water. The packaging is unique and festive. The bottle has a rippled texture with a glass stopper. The wine is a blend of grenache, cinsault, syrah and merlot. It is a versatile wine and may be served as a cocktail or paired with salads, roasted and grilled vegetables and a variety of spicy ethnic dishes.
If you are feeling especially amorous, you may want to add a trip to France with a week’s stay at the Chateau de Berne. The property is in the heart of the French provincial countryside. It is a five-star-rated Relais & Chateaux hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, The Jardin de Benjamin, and an award-winning spa.
If you or your beloved is a tequila fan, Codigo 1530 Rosa ($69.99) sets the stage for a tender moment. The blush process begins with Codigo 1530 Blanco placed for one month in uncharred French oak barrels previously used for Napa cabernet. This enriches the natural agave juice without overpowering delicate floral notes. The result is a tequila with a smooth, yet silky dry finish. Pair it with oysters, shrimp cocktail, grilled spicy chicken or lamb chops.
Figenza ($34.99) is a blend of ripe Mediterranean figs and vodka. This ‘think pink’ spirit may be used as a mixer or served straight from the freezer with sumptuous charcuterie boards.
Wine and spirits are available at Hamptons, Palm Beach. They will gift wrap and deliver gratis on the island.
Patrick Leze has macarons, pastry, cakes, cookies, chocolates and quiches for Valentine’s Day. It is best to place orders beforehand as the shop sells out daily.
Where to Shop
Hamptons Palm Beach
257 Royal Poinciana Way
561-832-8368
Patrick Leze
See Original Post Here
229 Sunrise Ave.
561-366-1313