Wines for

Romantic Occasions

JOHN VANKAT

Wine Columnist

Romantic wines featuring captivating aromas and flavors are ideal for celebrating any special day. The following recommendations cover a broad range of prices and styles,andeachwineishighlyappealing for sharing with the person you love.

$10s-20s

Benziger 2019 Merlot “Monterey County” ($16): Attractively purple hued, this nicely priced Merlot has strength, full body, expressive fruit, medium-soft tannins and very good complexity for its cost.

Gonzalez Byass non-vintage dessert wine “Nectar, Jerez Xeres Sherry, Pedro Ximenez, Spain” ($17; 375 ml): Don’t be put off by its brown color, but instead enjoy the powerfully complex nose, thick body, excellent balance, extended length and more. For more refinement, try its sibling sherry “Noe” for $50 (375 ml).

Charles Krug 2020 Merlot “Napa Valley” ($28): Appealing across the board. I loved its hue and color depth paired with a forward, quite complex nose, as well as strength, full body and dimensionality on the palate.

Additional fine values: Cave de Lugny 2020 Chardonnay “Les Charmes, Macon-Lugny, France” ($19); Imagery 2021 Pinot Noir “California” ($20)

$30s-40s

King Estate 2021 Pinot Gris “Domaine, Willamette Valley” ($30): This beautiful wine excels on the palate with strength, full body, wonderful fruit, fine balance, highly attractive complexity, excellent integration and extended length Delicious!

La Follette 2020 Chardonnay “Zepher Farms, Sonoma County” ($60): Very pleasing on the palate with engaging strength, body, balance, medium oak and very good to excellent complexity. Plus, its strong personality includes long-lingering length.

Williams Selyem 2020 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” ($62): My favorite Pinot Noir in tastings for this column has attractive color and a very strong nose with powerful complexity. Moreover, there is highly appealing forwardness on the palate featuring fine fruit, layering, integration, personality and length

Michele Chiarlo 2018 Nebbiolo “Tortoniano, Barolo, Italy” ($64): Lightly hued, but strong to bold in all other dimensions, including wonderful quality on the palate with strength, body, appealing balance, medium soft tannins and much more all prolonged throughout an extended finish.

King Estate 2021 Pinot Gris

Domaine Bousquet 2021 Chardonnay “Reserve, Organic Grapes, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Argentina” ($18): Attractive all around, but especially on the palate with strength, full body, forward fruit, fine balance and lingering length.

Domaine Bousquet 2021 Malbec “ serve, Organic Grapes, Tupungato Valley, Argentina” ($18): Strong on and palate, I enjoyed its highly appe balance, medium soft tannins, engag complexity and prolonged finish Qu buy!

“ReTupungato, Uco on nose

The Big Easy (by Fess Parker) 2019 red blend “Santa Barbara County” ($37): Tops among red blends in its price range, this Syrah-dominated wine features very appealing intensity, complexity, body, balance and personality all carrying throughout a prolonged finish.

Concannon 2017 Petite Sirah “Reserve, Nina’s Cuvee, Livermore Valley” ($40): Enjoy the beautiful, deep purple hue and strength and layering on the nose. Plus, there’s thick body, medium tannins, excellent complexity, fine integration, strong personality and extended length.

I appealing engaging Quite a 2020 “Overlook, with rounded body, impressive complexity, ample person“Estate among Pinot Noirs its this pleasing layered forward

Landmark 2020 Chardonnay “Ove Sonoma County” ($27): Very strong rounded body, attractive fruit, impre complexity, fine integration, ample p ality and extended length.

Yamhill Valley 2018 Pinot Noir “Es Grown, McMinnville” ($28): Tops a Pinot Noirs in its price range, this ple wine has a strong, layered nose, forw fruit with good complexity on the palate and an attractively extended finish.

Aperture 2020 red blend

Frescobaldi/Tenuta ano 2016 Chianti “Reserva, Italy” superb Chianti on the nose and I cially attracted to its fullish body, pleasing balance, throughout extended i/Tenuta Perhianti Classico taly” ($40): This nti Classico excels on nd palate. I was esperacted to its vigor, fullish easing fruit and superb , all of which carry out an extended finish.

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Aperture re e d “Sonoma joy the terrific by a forward, nose. savor e 2020 red blend ma County” ($60): Endeep purple hue of this Bordeaux blend followed ward, very complex Then savor its full body, beautiful fruit, wonderful balance, fine integration and prolonged finish

“Brut

What’s better for Valentine’s than Rose Champagne? This highly

Champagne Collet non-vintage “Brut Rose, Champagne, France” ($65): What’s better for Valentine’s Day than Rose Champagne? This highly enjoyable wine has beautiful color, voluminous fine fizz, refined vigor, excellent balance, strongly attractive complexity and exceptional length.

Justin 2020 red blend “Justification, Paso Robles” ($65): Deep purple hue announces this is a very appealing wine. I especially enjoyed its strength, fruit and complexity on the nose and full body, strong fruit, medium tannins, forward personality and long-lingering finish

The Big Easy (by Fess Parker) 2019 red

Merry Edwards 2020 Chardonnay “Olivet Lane, Russian River Valley” ($68; direct shipping): Excels on the nose and palate with strength and powerful complexity. Plus there’s excellently balanced fruit, medium soft oak, fine integration, forward personality and impressive length.

Silvio Nardi 2017 Sangiovese “Brunello di Montalcino, Italy” ($85): Light in color but with an attractive hue. Exceptional nose featuring strength, fruit and complexity. Very strong on the palate with full to heavy body accompanied by beautiful fruit, wonderful balance and a long, expressive finish

Recommended wines can be ordered from local wine stores unless indicated otherwise Prices may differ John can be reached at azpinewine@yahoo.com.