The Best Wines to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

To have a Valentine’s Day date to remember, knowing the best wines to celebrate can be valuable information. Whether you prefer a red to a white or a glass of sparkling wine, everyone has Valentine’s Day options. Discovering a new wine can be a great way to celebrate this year’s holiday!

Cabernet Sauvignon 

Cabernet Sauvignon, frequently called Cab, is a famous wine worldwide. It is one of the driest red wines and boasts a flavor pallet including cedar, black currant, and blackberry—the full-bodied wine pairs well with red meat, barbeque, and grilled or roasted veggies. 

A Valentine’s Day meal that features rich and smoky flavors would go with Cab.

Pinot Noir

Another everyday and famous red wine is Pinot Noir. While common, the Pinot Noir grape is thin-skinned and challenging to grow. This wine’s flavor is as delicate as the grape itself, as it is lighter in the body. The flavors and aroma typically include red fruits, depending on the region where it is grown. 

Pinot Noir pairs best with lighter flavors, including poultry, fish, and vegetarian meals. Anything overly spicy or robust will prove to be too much for the lightness of this wine. 

Chianti Classico

This Italian favorite hails from Tuscany, where 80% of the wine is made from Sangiovese grapes. It features a cherry, plum, and earthy flavor and is often aged in oak barrels for a woody undertone. The high acidity and medium body create a wine that pairs well with pasta, pizza, and charcuterie appetizers.

If you want to eat Italian this Valentine’s Day, Chianti Classico is a fantastic wine to complete the meal.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a white wine known for its versatility in style and pairings. It can be crisp or full-bodied, acidic or oaky, and paired with seafood or pork. Chardonnay also works well with creamy dishes. Its citrus and tropical fruit flavors with a buttery undertone create an exciting flavor that many Valentine’s Day dates will appreciate. 

Champagne

If you’re looking to celebrate, champagne is the best wine for you! This sparkling wine is light, crisp, and bubbly. It is used for special occasions and holidays and pairs well with many dishes. For this Valentine’s Day, consider eating oysters, cheese, or crispy fried foods like tempura as you pop a bottle of champagne.

The Best Wines to Pair with Greek Food

If you’re a fan of Greek food and are seeking the perfect wine for your meal, learning about the best wines for pairing can be exciting! While it would be far more adventurous to travel to Greece and determine the best wines for each delicious flavor, not everyone can afford the luxury. Fortunately, you can pair various wines around the world with Greek food. 

Wines to Pair with Tzatziki

If you’ve ever had Greek food, you’ve likely tried tzatziki, a famous and flavorful sauce used in sandwiches or served as a dip with falafel. It is made from cucumber, yogurt, and garlic, presenting a tangy flavor. The sauce’s acidity is best paired with white wine, such as Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.  

Other dry white wines to consider with tzatziki include a Vermentino or Viognier.  

Fava and Wine

When eating fava, various dry white wines would be suitable for pairing. Fava boasts a nutty, sweet flavor that goes well with wines that offer a crisp acidity. The wine must be subtle enough in flavor not to overpower the fava.

The best white wine options to pair with fava are a Gruner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc. A dry rosé, such as one from Grenache, could add a nice acidity and fruity profile.

If you prefer red wine, some light-bodied reds also work well with fava. Pinot Noir is one option that will not overpower the flavor of the fava.

Which Wine Pairs with Spanakopita?

The delicious golden pie layered with phyllo dough, spinach, and feta cheese is a popular Greek dish. When pairing it with wine, red zinfandel may be ideal for you if you prefer light reds. Otherwise, many white wines work well with the pie.

When choosing a white wine to go with spanakopita, Pino Grigio or Vermentino are perfect options to taste alongside the tangy flavor of feta cheese. 

Souvlaki Wine Pairings

One of the most famous Greek dishes is souvlaki. Like most Greek dishes, an excellent white wine would pair well with this meaty meal. Consider wines with a decent acidity and nice crispness. The ideal wine would be assyrtiko, a Greek wine. 

A couple of options can pair well if you prefer a red wine with your souvlaki. Shiraz is a great wine to drink if your souvlaki is made with lamb. Shiraz boasts tannins and acidity that go well with the gamey flavor of lamb.

Why Visit?

A visit to Committee is not only delicious but also educational. Learn about wines and how it pairs with your favorite dishes. When you’re ready for a couple of glasses of wine, Committee is the place to be.

Popular Greek Wines You Should Try This Holiday Season

Greece is an incredibly diverse country that readily offers its tourists a wide range of experiences to satisfy all five senses. Including an aspect of eno-tourism while visiting Greece will be especially beneficial for those who are knowledgeable about and like wine. Wine is a luxury product that has been sold and enjoyed since the dawn of civilization. Greece is a nation that has a long history of winemaking, which allows for a rich viniculture spanning various kinds. 

In particular, here are the top 6 famous Greek wines you should try this holiday season:

Santo Wines (Santorini PDO)

Prices have been rising annually as Santorini wine’s taste gains recognition; some have compared it to white wine. A fantastic value because wine is being consumed quicker than it can be aged. Santorini might disappear soon. Having a floral scent upon opening, the taste is crisp, dry, and refreshing upon opening, blended with just a hint of oak, and leads to an impressively lengthy finish. The nose begins with a fragrant flowery aroma.

Oenops Wines (Apla White13%)

This delicious white wine from northern Greece combines the thirst-quenching minerality in Santorini’s assyrtiko with the fragrant stone fruit more known in the malagouzia grapes. Again, the aroma of herbs adds a savory note, making this wine robust enough to be consumed on its own or paired with a variety of foods like spicy curries, grilled prawns, or salty cheese.

Atlantis Santorini 13%

Due to its dry soil that is rich in volcanic ash, cool nights, and hot days, Santorini is a magnificent island for wine production. This crisp white wine, mainly from assyrtiko grapes grown locally, is excellent at cutting through spicy foods. This is a superb illustration of the renowned minerality you would anticipate, mixed with tingling acidity and a hint of honeyed fruit to provide an outstanding balance.

Lyrarakis ‘Voila’ Assyrtiko 

Even the most significant wine retailer, Majestic, only carries a few Greek wines. Still, these multiple award-winning bottles were able to secure a spot in the lineup. The family-run wineries discovered that the assyrtiko grapes are particularly happy growing in east Crete. On a hot summer day, this tastes best served nice and cold and is incredibly refreshing and bone-dry. With its renowned minerality, crunchy apple aromas, and thirst-quenching acidity, this assyrtiko wine represents exceptional value.

Ktima Vourvoukelis Limnio 

Ancient Limnio grapes make this rich, sumptuous organic red on the Thrace coast of northern Greece. Expect juicy, youthful red fruit, delicious herbal flavors, rosemary, and a hint of black pepper on the finish with this limited-edition wine. Barbecued steak, hard cheeses, and slow-cooked stews go nicely with it.

Kokotos Three Hills Agiorgitiko

Many red Greek wines produced throughout Greece are luxurious and extravagant. Still, this light, crisp style demonstrates that they are more versatile than that. It is mostly made from Nemea’s agiorgitiko grape. It has spent six months in French wood, but it still boasts good acidity and delicate floral flavors. This holiday season, we’ll pair this with grilled meals. 

The Grapes of Greece: 5 Facts About Greek Wine

Despite the country’s truly ancient history of winemaking, Greek wine is often overlooked in favor of its European counterparts. Keep reading below to learn more about what makes Greek wine so unique. 

A Proud History

Greek wine dates back to 4000 BC when the first vines were domesticated. Various communities throughout Greece perfected the techniques and soon became the center of wine. Greek wine almost went out of existence during the Ottoman Empire’s ruling. The Turks discouraged both the process of winemaking and consumption. Due to this, winemakers were forced to abandon their vineyards and because of this, Greece lost its status as a winemaking power. 

The Nectar of the Gods

In Ancient Greece, wine was offered as a sacrifice to the Gods in times of celebration. Dionysus is the god of grape harvest, winemaking, and wine. It was he that the winemakers would worship to ensure a good harvest.

Unique Varietals & Perfect Conditions

Did you know that Greece has over 200 indigenous grapes? This includes Xinomavro, Assyrtiko, Agiorgitiko, and Savino – some of the most common varieties as seen on our wine list. As Greece is the only country with these, they produce wines that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In addition to this, Greece has the perfect conditions for vineyards. The terroir is rich, with sprawls of mountains, lush valleys, and mineral-rich islands. The soil is fertile and regularly watered, there is plenty of sun in the summer and fall for the ideal ripening.

Variety and Dynamism

Unlike many famous European vineyards, winemakers in Greece are dynamic, all about looking for new ways to improve their methods. Increasingly, we are also seeing organic vineyards producing even better-quality wines, unique to these regions. Only good quality wine ages well and many of the country’s red wines show good potential for aging.

Award-Winning

Lastly, and most importantly, Greek wines are always winning international awards for our delicious wine varieties. Last year’s Decanter World Wine Awards gave Greek wines 1 Platinum-Best in Show, 2 Platinums, and 9 Golds. Visit Committee in Boston, MA to try some award-winning wines right here in the city – you won’t even have to travel to Greece! 

Visit Committee in Boston, MA

Visit us in Boston, MA to try our variety of Greek award-winning wines! See what you like best, and figure out what matches your palate. We can help you! Make reservations online or come on in. 

National Drink Wine Day: Why You Should Choose Greek Wine

Everyone loves a comeback. Greek wine is our favorite comeback. There was a time almost 2750 years ago that Greeks made the best wine in the world and this latest for centuries. All of a sudden, everything wine-related in Greece turned into a dumpster fire. The Greeks did not quit. They knew their ancestors had made astounding wine, and they knew they could do it again. So, in the last thirty years, we have seen the Greeks make the greatest comeback in wine history. 

Why Is Greek Wine That Unique? 

The perseverings of Greeks resulted in them taking all the ancient skills and old vineyards and bringing back brilliant Greek wine. Wines that are now the envy of the world. These wines fall into two categories. The first is wines that follow a classic route, using the knowledge of centuries to influence the creation. Second, the wines that are not bound by classic style take influence from wherever they choose, and in some cases just make something unique and groundbreaking. 

At Committee, we have separated our wines into those two categories: Classics and Radicals. The Classics, under “Homer”, wrote about wine like no other in the ancient world and believed in our notion of Greek hospitality and Philoxenia. The Radicals, under “George Michael”, because he is fabulous, just like Greek wine. Here are a few of our favorite options.

Our Favorite Radicals You Should Try

 “Club Tropicana, drinks are free” – George Michael.

Rose of Xinomavro, Kir Yianni “Akakies” PDO Amyndeon 2020

If you could wave a wand and turn kittens into wine.

Black Muscat of Tyrnavos, Papras “Melanthia” PGI Tyrnavos 2020

When George R.R. Martin writes another novel, the characters will drink this. 

Tsapournakos/Xinomavro Voyatzi PGI Velvento 2019

There is a long story about this wine involving the French army.

Some Of Our Favorite Classics

“Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile”- Homer.

Domaine Spiropoulos ‘Ode Panos’ Brut, PDO Mantinia 2014

Official sparkling wine of ‘Squid Games’. Don’t believe us? Go look it up.

Debina, Glinavos PDO Zitsa 2015

The first Greek sparkling wine. ‘Nuff said.

Moschofilero, Tselepos “Amalia” PGI Arcadia NV

The contemplation of beauty causes the soul to grow wings-Plato. Take a sip, you’ll get it

Visit Committee in Boston, MA Today

At Committee in Boston, we have a variety of different wine options for you to choose from for National Drink Wine Day on February 18. Committee is the kind of vibrant, welcoming place where the conversation flows, the sharable plates delight and satisfy, and the creative cocktails keep the mood light and fun. Step in and kick back in a gathering place that brings a new spark–and a true taste of Greece–to the Boston waterfront. Make reservations online today!