It’s no secret that wine is a catalyst and enabler of romance. It been said that the aromas of certain wines can even spark arousal! All the more reason to send your Valentine a message in a bottle.
Wine is a romantic beverage and when paired with the right food your tastebuds are in for a treat. Chosen for their seductive bouquets and lingering flavours, here are a couple of wines to pair with foods that are aphrodisiacs.
Oysters and bubbly
Nothing spells sexy like an intimate dinner for two with a serving of oysters and sparkling wine, both believed to boost people’s libido. Champagne is always a great option but it’s also expensive. Rather opt for something local, like a sensual Methode Cap Classique from Pongracz. Made in the time-honoured French tradition of secondary bottle fermentation, this enticing rosé exhibits exquisite flavours of blackberry fruit that lingers on the palate.
Where to get the wine: To celebrate Valentine’s Day the Pongracz Rosé comes in a limited edition gift box adorned with pink and golden hues. It’s available at most liquor stores and retails for R130 a bottle.
Where to get the oysters: Get the guys from The Oyster King to bring and crack open the oysters for you. These guys will regale you with tales of the oyster’s origin – separate fact from myth, and put on a show when it comes to cracking open these mystical bivalve molluscs.
Cheese and Rosé
Soft, creamy cheeses, such as Camembert and brie, ooze sensuality when they flow like lava over a crusty piece of baguette and coat every crevice in your mouth. Add a bottle of Sutherland Grenache Rosé 2014 to the mix and you and your lover are in for a feast. The wine is produced by Thelema Vineyards in Stellenbosch. Dry, refreshing and packed with berries and red fruit aromas. This is the perfect wine to sip while watching the sun set.
Where to get the wine: At various liquor outlets or online for R60 a bottle.
Where to get the cheese: Your local supermarket or farmer’s market.
Asparagus and Grüner Veltliner
Asparagus can kill a wine but when pairing it with high-acid whites with their own “green” notes – such as this 2013 Grüner Veltliner from Diemersdal – will counteract the greenness and allow the wine’s fruit to shine through. Grüner Veltliner might be Austria’s most widely-planted white wine grape varietal, but on home soil Diemersdal Wine Estate was the first winery to plant and produce a wine from this much-loved grape.
Where to get the wine: Directly from the cellar door for R70 or from Wine Concepts stores for R94 a bottle.
Where to get the asparagus: From your local grocer or farmers market. This tasty asparagus recipe will really complement the wine.
Chocolate and Red Wine
Pure chocolate, the king of natural aphrodisiacs, contains a host of compounds including anandamide, the psyochoactive feel-good chemical, and PEA (phenylethylamine), the “love chemical,” which releases dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain and peaks during orgasm. PEA is said to help induce feelings of excitement, attraction and euphoria. The Steepside Syrah, a single vineyard wine produced by Keermont, will pair great with a slab of expensive dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, crisp acidity and a broody but compelling finish.
Where to get the wine: Directly from the farm or at The Wine Cellar. A bottle will cost you R370.
Where to get the chocolate: Richard von Geusau makes some of the best Belgium Chocolates in the country.
Bacon and Beer
Yes, bacon. The smell of food can stimulate desire, as studies have shown that certain aromas increase blood flow to strategic areas. There’s also nothing sexier than someone cooking breakfast for you on Valentine’s morning! Spice things up with a couple of beers. The craft beer market has exploded in South Africa so there are many options to pick and choose from. Why not try a foreign beer for a change? The Birra Baladin craft beer range is produced by master brewer Teo Musso in Piozzo, Italy. All of the beers available under the Birra Baladin range is superb! Try the Baladin Nora – made from Egyptian Kamut grain or the Baladin Super – made with selected Belgian hops.
Where to get the beer: Your best bet is to contact the distributors because the brand is relatively new to the South African market. A couple of top-end restaurants started stocking the beers which retails at around R170 for 75oml.
Where to get the bacon: The Bacon Bar in Franschhoek. Turn your bacon into hearts and serve it with scrambled eggs.
There’s no arguing that these winning combinations will put you and your Valentine in the mood for love!
