Wines to help put you in the mood for love
Print Edition
Multitudes of lovers and want-to-be lovers will celebrate Qixi Festival tonight. Also referred to as Chinese Valentine’s Day, this annual quest for romance is the perfect time for wine. Let’s face it, there’s nothing romantic or special about swigging back a beer or guzzling some soda. Water is something to be enjoyed after exercise, while liquor is out of the question. Actually, there are three essentials for success this evening, namely a romantic dining venue, date and bottle of wine.
In all likelihood it will be the men who host the evening so this week’s column will help gents pick the right wines to arouse amorous emotions in your lady. Before we delve into this important subject, let’s a take a look at the Qixi legend.
Ancient tale
The seventh night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar celebrates the ancient tale of two Chinese lovers. According to folklore dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220), Zhinu, the seventh and most beautiful daughter of a goddess, descended from the heavens to look for fun and adventure. She met a young cow herder named Niulang and the two fell in love, married and had two children. Unfortunately the deity mother of Zhinu found out and used her magical hairpin to scratch a wide river in the sky thereby separating the lovers. This somewhat self-centered action is also said to have formed the Milky Way between Altair and Vega stars. Once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month all the magpies in the world take pity on the desolate lovers and fly to heaven forming a bridge that allows Niulang and Zhinu to be together for one night.
Feminine wines
One classic definition of a gentleman is pleasing those around him. Therefore the wines of this evening should be geared to pleasing the lady. In other words, men shouldn’t order big tannic reds, rather they should select wines more suitable for the sensitive feminine palate.
The best way to start a romantic meal is with a glass of aromatic and fruity sparkling or white wine that’s fairly moderate in alcohol content. There’s nothing romantic about getting your date drunk at the start of dinner. My choice would be Prosecco, a fragrant and light Italian sparkling wine that won’t overwhelm the senses and leave plenty of room for the dishes and wines to come. When ordering Prosecco choose a Brut dry wine or Extra Dry wine with a touch more sweetness and look for top producers like Carpene Malvolti, Bisol, La Tordera and Batasilo.
If bubbles don’t tickle your date’s fancy then there’s another romantic Italian enchanter called Pinot Grigio. The best examples of this aromatic and smooth white wine come from the northern Italian regions of Veneto, Fruili or Alto Adige. Good Pinot Grigio whites are highly aromatic and have plenty of attractive fruit qualities with moderate acidity. Two producers who make lovely Pinot Grigio wines are Alois Lageder in Alto Adige and Livio Felluga in Fruili. As long as your meal doesn’t include a red meat course you can enjoy the Prosecco or Pinot Grigio wine throughout the meal.
Should red meats be featured, you’re better off switching to a red wine. Keeping the feminine palate in mind, I suggest lighter, more delicate reds like a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Cru. If your date’s character and palate are more conservative and old school then select a exquisite Premier or Grand Cru Burgundy and if she’s more open and exuberant in character then a New Zealand Pinot Noir is the perfect choice. Another option is a Beaujolais Cru. These are the best Beaujolais wines with an abundance of fresh fruity aromas and flavors. There are 10 Cru villages or wines in Beaujolais but the ideal choice for Qixi Festival is the aptly named Saint Amour. This is one of the best Beaujolais Cru wines that commonly features light and delicate strawberry, peach and banana flavors.
Of course, all palates differ and your woman might just favor a robust red wine. If this is the case, then I suggest a voluminous Amarone red or juicy Aussie Shiraz. Both wines have more than ample fruitiness and soft seductive tannins. The art of liquid seduction would not be complete without a sweet wine.
Sweet ending
The proper romantic meal is more of a marathon than a sprint. You’ve already savored sparkling or white wines and perhaps also enjoyed a dreamy red. Your dessert wine should be light, charismatic and enchanting. One wine that fits the bill is Moscato d’Asti from the hilltop village of Asti in the Piedmont region in Northeast Italy. These gently effervescent and highly aromatic wines feature seductive sensations of peach, tangerine and orange.
Of course, if by the end of the dinner all your carefully selected wines haven’t aroused amorous feelings in your lovely lady, then a shot or two of grappa just might do the trick.
Where to buy in Shanghai
Everwines (200 Taizhou Rd, 3208-0293)
Region & Style at a glance
Varieties:
The world’s most famous sweet wine variety Muscat is also the grape used to make Moscato d’Asti wines.
Key Term:
Frizzante is an Italian word used to describe lightly sparkling wines that have approximately half or less the atmospheric pressure as full sparkling wines.
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