The 12 Best Valentine’s Day Wines in 2024

• BUBBLES •

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1. Champagne Deutz, 2011 Amour de Deutz

Origin: Aÿ, Champagne, France
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Price: $219.00
ABV: 12%

Champagne Deutz was founded in 1838 in Aÿ, France, by two Germans – William Deutz and Pierre-Hubert Geldermann. Both founders believed that the quality of the vineyards was key to making great Champagne and so they acquired top quality plots in the region early on. The combination of their technical prowess, their marketing skills and will to succeed allowed them to expand rapidly and to establish their wine internationally. Today, Champagne Deutz continues to flourish, making an excellent line-up of wines.

One of their most prestigious wines is “Amour de Deutz,” named after the bronze cherub statue (un Amour in French) seated graciously in a stone shell, greeting visitors as they enter the gates to Champagne Deutz.

This Champagne shows very fine and steady effervescence. It is a rich, vivacious Champagne, unfolding aromas of white flowers, peach and ripe citrus zest. On the palate, delicate flavors of nectarine, apricot, nougat, juicy acids and a mineral texture are evolving in a lingering finish.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Deutz official website.

2. Champagne Boizel Rosé

Origin: Épernay, France
Varietal: 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
Price: $75.00
ABV: 12%

In 1834 the Boizel House was established in Épernay, the heart of Champagne, by a family passionate about the wines of the region. Intimate knowledge of the Champagne region, passed on through the generations and access to grapes from the finest cru sites, are the essential elements behind the Boizels’ elegant portfolio.

This wine shows a bright pink color. It opens up with a fine bouquet of raspberries and strawberries. The palate reveals more ripe red berries, lemon zest, spices and an elegant minerality.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Boizel official website.

• RED WINES •

3. My Favorite Neighbor, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin: San Luis Obispo, California
Varietal: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 4% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
Price: $59.00
ABV: 14.4%

What started as an homage to Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery and his Bordeaux roots became an obsession. Sourced from exceptional vineyard sites around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and south to Edna Valley, this wine is cultivated meticulously by the farmers who have become My Favorite Neighbors. With their dedication to the land, they are able to craft a world-class wine without any shortcuts or compromises.

The wine shows a deep, saturated red color. The nose bursts with aromas of dark berries, cigar box and a light dose of vanilla. The palate delivers a return of the aromas complemented by a creamy chocolate sensation that gives the wine a well-balanced mouthfeel and carries it down the road.

> For more information, visit My Favorite Neighbor official website.

4. Schrader Cellars, Double Diamond, 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin: Oakville, Napa Valley, California
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $85.00
ABV: 15.5%

Sourced from the same famed vineyards as its beloved inspiration Schrader Cellars, Double Diamond comes exclusively from a complement of prime vineyard estates in Napa Valley’s world-renowned Oakville AVA, including their To Kalon Vineyard.

The 2018 Double Diamond is a new label, made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 50% new French oak, for 16 months. Around 80% of the grapes were sourced from the To Kalon Vineyard.

The wine displays a ruby color with purple hues. The bouquet opens with complex aromas of ripe red berries, spices and a touch of oak. The palate shows dark, jam-like fruit, cacao, herbs and fine tannins. This dynamic wine finishes with a long and complex ending.

> For more information, visit Double Diamond official website.

RELATED: The Best Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

5. Fiddlehead, Seven Twenty Eight, 2016 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

Origin: Sta. Rita Hills, California
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Price: $48.00
ABV: 13.7%

Fiddlehead Cellars is a winery located in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. It was founded in 1989 by Kathy Joseph, who is also the winemaker. The winery specializes in producing small-lot, handcrafted wines, with a focus on cool-climate varietals, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The name “Fiddlehead” refers to the tightly coiled, young shoots of a fern, which resemble the neck of a violin or fiddle. This name reflects the winery’s commitment to capturing the youthful energy and potential of the grapes they work with. “Seven Twenty Eight” identifies their vineyard mile marker on Santa Rosa Road (only 7.28 miles to the coastal Highway 1), which reminds us of the association of this exact place in the Sta. Rita Hills with successful cool-climate Pinot Noir.

The wine shows some evolution in the color. The nose displays spices, black cherry, roses and turned earth. Soft tannins and sassy acidity carry the wine into a long, complex finish.

> For more information, visit Fiddlehead Cellars official website.

6. Bouchaine, Carneros 2021 Pinot Noir, Napa Valley

Origin: Carneros, Napa Valley
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Price: $40.00
ABV: 14.3%

The Carneros AVA was founded in 1983 and has since been defined not just by geology, but by its unique climatic characteristics—foggy mornings and breezy, sun-soaked afternoons, influenced by the nearby San Pablo Bay. Bouchaine stands as the oldest continuously family-run estate in this exceptional region, crafting exquisite Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from 20 distinct microclimates found on the 100-acre estate vineyard.

The 2021 vintage, according to Bouchaine’s president and winemaker Chris Kajani, was marked by favorable conditions—neither too cold nor too hot, but with the challenge of a multi-year drought. This led to small, concentrated berries at harvest. Moderate summer weather ensured a gradual, even ripening process.

This ruby colored Pinot Noir delivers aromas of wild strawberries and cherries. The palate is dominated by black fruit with fine tannins and juicy acidity culminating in a long, fruity finish.

> For more information, visit Bouchaine official website.

7. Aperture, 2020 Bordeaux Red Blend

Origin: Sonoma County, California
Varietals: 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
Price: $60.00
ABV: 14.5%

Aperture Cellars owns seven vineyards in Sonoma County, California. The Aperture one spreads over thirty-two acres. Viticulturist Phil Freese, who helped shape the vineyards for Opus One and Robert Mondavi’s To-Kalon holdings in Oakville, came out of retirement to apply his vision to Aperture Cellars and ensured that the right vines were planted in the soils best suited for them.

With the name of the winery, winemaker Jesse Katz is paying homage to his father, who was a photographer. The aperture, which is a part of a camera lens, permits a photographer to change the amount of light he can work with.

This wine was aged eighteen months in 45% new oak sixty- and seventy-gallon French oak barrels. The smaller inclusion of Cabernet Franc balances the almost equal parts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot, resulting in a distinctive and elegant Bordeaux blend. The wine shows a deep ruby-purple and will benefit with cellaring.

> For more information, visit Aperture Cellars official website.

8. Château Lassègue, 2019 Saint-Émilion

Origin: Bordeaux, France
Varietals: 58% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $74.99
ABV: 14%

Located on the famous Côte de Saint-Émilion, Château Lassègue presents wines crafted by sixth and seventh generation winemakers Pierre and Nicolas Seillan. Lassègue is created using Pierre Seillan’s “Micro-Cru” philosophy, which allows them to respond to specific soil characteristics across the many parcels (crus) identified on the 18^th century estate. Using this method, the Seillans tend to the vineyards, harvest and vinify block by block ensuring all aspects are customized to each cru’s specific needs.

Château Lassègue’s exceptional focus on detail and care extends to its aging regimen, too. The Seillan family selects oak trees from a number of forests in France, including Vosges, Fontainebleau and Ardennes, among many others. Just as a vine’s location changes the characteristics of the grapes, so does the location of trees in a specific area in France. The grain of the wood, porosity, perfume and flavor influence the wine inside the oak barrel. Once the barrels are made at the cooperage and arrive at the Château, each vinified cru is paired with a barrel from a specific forest. The goal is never to overwhelm the wine with oak, but to ensure it is able to age in an environment most suited to highlighting its unique characteristics from the terroir in which it was born.

The 2019 Lassègue has a deep garnet color. The bouquet shows notes of cassis and violet. The palate reveals lots of red and black fruit, and silky tannins evolving in a long, complex finish.

> For more information, visit the Château Lassègue official website.

9. Col d’Orcia, 2017 Brunello di Montalcino

Origin: Montalcino, Italy
Varietal: 100% Brunello (Sangiovese Grosso)
Price: $57.99
ABV: 14.5%

Col d’Orcia is situated on the outskirts of the medieval hilltop village of Montalcino, in Tuscany’s Siena province. The estate has a rich winemaking history dating back to the 14th century. Winemaking was already an established agricultural pursuit in Tuscany, when centuries earlier, the region was occupied by the Etruscan civilization, who planted grape vines. The estate is currently owned and managed by Count Francesco Marone Cinzano. Under his leadership, plantings have expanded exponentially at Col d’Orcia and the estate has been transformed into an organic farm with biodynamic practices.

The wine has a deep crimson color with a nose revealing cherry, fresh herbs, rose petals and a hint of tobacco. The full-bodied palate features dried cherry, spice box and fine but present tannins.

> For more information, visit Col d’Orcia official website.

• ROSÉ •

10. La Fête du Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2022

Origin: Provence, France
Varietals: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rolle, Mourvèdre
Price: $23.00
ABV: 13%

When Nikki Beach Club in Saint-Tropez inspires a rosé wine, appropriately named La Fête du Rosé… This is what happened when Donae Burston, now founder of La Fête Wine Company, was celebrating his 30th birthday in the très glamorous and celebrated Mediterranean city.

Inspired by the beauty of Provence and the quality of (most) its rosé wines, he jumped the barrels and produced his own Côtes de Provence.

Burston has had a long career in the Wine & Spirits business and became famous when he was sales and marketing director of Jay-Z’s Champagne Armand de Brignac, better known as Ace of Spades.

This pale, pretty pink wine reveals a nose of strawberries, white peach and apricot. The taste is full, fresh and crisp with flavors copying the aromas with the addition of fresh lemon zest and spices.

> For more information, visit La Fête Wine Co. official website.

RELATED CONTENT: The Best Rosé Wines

11. Vermut Flores, Rosé Vermouth, Uruguay

Origin: Canelones, Uruguay
Varietal: 100% Tannat
Price: $21.99
ABV: 16%

Vermut Flores is crafted and infused in small batches; the vermouth is made from Tannat grapes grown in the Canelones province of Uruguay. The vermouth is then infused with a unique selection of 27 botanicals and four flowers: elderberry, chamomile, rose, and hops.

The result is a vermouth with a light rosé color, complex aromas of spices and floral notes. The taste is lightly sweet and well-balanced. This wine can be served over ice, with tonic water, or as a spritz with sparkling wine and a slice of orange. A perfect aperitif for Valentine’s.

> For more information, visit Vermut Flores official website.

• WHITE WINES •

12. Lucienne, Lone Oak Vineyard, 2019 Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands

Origin: Monterey County, CA
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Price: $52.99
ABV: 14%

The 146-acre certified sustainable Lone Oak Vineyard sits at the northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands where it is cooled by ocean breezes from the Monterey Bay. Morning fog lingers here while the wind picks up in the afternoon, making for a long, cool growing season that allows grapes to slowly develop flavor and concentration. With gentle, east-facing slopes and elevations between 180 and 500 feet, the vineyard’s ancient alluvial soils assure excellent drainage.

The wine carries aromas of chamomile, lychee, ripe citrus and lemon zest with a touch of vanilla. The palate is refined, with elegant notes of ripe stone fruit, citrus, medium acidity and a touch of oak at the end.

> For more information, visit the Lucienne official website.