Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate love and connection, whether through intimate dinners, heartfelt toasts, or quiet evenings spent in cherished company. While red and white wines often dominate the spotlight, there’s something uniquely captivating about rosé and orange wines. These versatile and visually stunning wines bring elegance, charm, and a touch of whimsy to any romantic occasion. Let’s delve into why rosé and orange wines make an exceptional choice for Valentine’s Day, explore their history, and uncover the best bottles to elevate your celebration.

Rosé wine has ancient roots, dating back to the early winemaking traditions of the Mediterranean. In ancient Greece and Rome, winemakers often created light-hued wines by mixing red and white grapes or by pressing red grapes gently to extract only a portion of their colour. This method produced wines with a pale pink hue and delicate flavours. Modern rosé, as we know it today, gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly in France’s Provence region. Renowned for its dry, refreshing style, Provençal rosé became synonymous with sophistication and summer elegance. Today, rosé wines are produced worldwide, offering diverse styles that range from bone-dry to slightly sweet.

Orange wine, despite its relatively recent resurgence, has an ancient pedigree. Originating in the Caucasus region over 5,000 years ago, this unique wine style is made by fermenting white grapes with their skins and seeds, a process typically reserved for red wine production. This skin-contact fermentation imparts the wine with its characteristic amber or orange hue, along with complex flavours and tannic structure. Orange wines fell out of favour for centuries but experienced a renaissance in the early 2000s, thanks to natural winemakers and adventurous sommeliers. Today, orange wines are celebrated for their bold, unconventional profiles and their ability to pair with a wide range of foods.

Rosé and orange wines are ideal for Valentine’s Day celebrations due to their visual appeal, flavour versatility, and ability to enhance romantic settings. Rosé wines are the epitome of romance so here’s why they stand out:

Aesthetic Allure: The soft pink hue of rosé wine evokes feelings of romance, tenderness, and joy, making it a visually fitting choice for Valentine’s Day.

Versatile Flavours: From light and fruity to crisp and dry, rosé wines complement a variety of cuisines, ensuring they pair seamlessly with your Valentine’s menu.

Effortless Elegance: Rosé adds a touch of sophistication to any setting, whether you’re enjoying a candlelit dinner or a sunny picnic.

Orange wines, on the other hand, are bold and intriguing. Here is why they are a great choice:

Unique Character: The bold flavours and tannic structure of an orange wine make it an intriguing choice for adventurous wine lovers.

Complex Pairing Potential: With notes of dried fruits, nuts, and spices, orange wines pair beautifully with diverse dishes, from creamy cheeses to spiced seafood.

Conversation Starter: The distinctive appearance and unconventional production method of orange wine make it a fascinating topic of conversation, perfect for sparking meaningful connections.

Thursday Food continues its Valentine’s Day countdown with five labels from three Argentine wineries that earned spots in the World’s Best Vineyards Top 100 rankings:

L’Argentin de Malartic Rosado by Bodega DiamAndes, ranked 39 by World’s Best Vineyards, is made up of 90 per cent Malbec and 10 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has an onion-skin pink colour with silver highlights, exhibiting aromas that are expressive and complex with a fruity and floral profile. It presents notes of fresh strawberries and cherries accompanied by violet and rose flowers as well as aromas of mentholated herbs in the background. In the mouth it has a silky entry, with a lively acidity which makes it a fresh and easy-drinking wine. It also has hints of red flowers in its flavour ensuring its medium-lingering finish leaves a floral aftertaste.

DiamAndes Perlita Rosado is a 100 per cent Malbec wine that has an elegant pale pink colour with salmon highlights. This is a seductive rosé that expresses white floral aromatic notes as well as fruit aromas, such as strawberries and peach. Crispy on the palate with excellent balance and silky acidity, this is a wine pressed directly from Bodega DiamAndes’ Malbec plots. The wine is also pleasantly fresh and round in the mouth, highlighting aromas of red fruits such as raspberries and cherries, making it very lively.

Lagarde Goes Pink Rosé is produced by Bodega Lagarde, which ranked 51 among the World’s Best Vineyards of 2024. Comprising 50 per cent Malbec and 50 per cent Pinot Noir, this rosé is pale salmon pink in colour with aromas of fresh cherries, grapefruit and dried flowers being perceived. On the palate, its freshness and juicy acidity combine perfectly with flavours of currants and strawberries, giving it good balance and structure that ends in a crunchy and juicy finish.

Lagarde Orgánico Rosé, a pale golden pink-coloured wine, is made up of 90 per cent Semillón and 10 per cent Malbec. On the nose, aromas of apple slices, currant and citrus are expressed as well as some wild herbs. Its flavour is super clean and bright in the mouth with a concentrated character that is full-bodied, has bright acidity in addition to a long, spicy finish.

Luigi Bosca Apuntes Naranjo Gewürztraminer – Viognier, by number 87-ranked Bodega Luigi Bosca, is a wine with a pale orange colour and coppery reflections that are bright and luminous. On the nose it presents aromas such as orange blossom, orange peel, fresh honey, fennel and fresh fruit. On the palate it is lively and refreshing, with a frank and pleasant palate that is balanced. It also has an expressive floral character, good body, good smoothness and ends in a persistent finish.

Rosé and orange wines bring an enchanting and distinctive charm to Valentine’s Day celebrations. Their vibrant hues, diverse flavour profiles, and ability to pair with a wide range of dishes make them an ideal choice for creating romantic memories. So, as you count down to Valentine’s Day 2025, let the elegance of rosé or the boldness of orange wine elevate your celebration, adding a touch of magic to every sip. Cheers to love, connection, and the perfect glass of wine. Salud!