It can be hard to fuel that spark when we’ve all spent so much time at home this past year. BUT, there are so many amazing ways to transform just another evening at home into an amazing experience where you can reconnect with your SO!! It’s no secret I love my BC wines, so to help you create your very own “DIY Valentine’s Day Taste & Sip Night,” here are some recommendations for BC wines paired with five classic Valentine’s Day Desserts. I can’t think of a better way to spend a night-in than enjoying a glass of wine and your favourite desserts.

No matter what you and your Valentine will be indulging in, there’s a BC wine for that!

1. Chocolate Covered Strawberries & Evolve Pink Effervescence

For chocolate covered strawberries, look for a fruity rosé filled with bubbles, like the Pink Effervescence from Evolve Cellars affordably priced at $19.99. CAD This sparkling wine is made with Merlot and Pinot Blanc grapes, giving it a romantic pink colour in the bottle. With flavours of berry and peach, and bubbles in every glass, this wine will beautifully complement the strawberries.

Find it online at www.timewines.ca, in-person at TIME Winery & Kitchen, or at select Save-On-Foods, BC Liquor Stores, and private wine stores. This wine also comes in a 1.5 L Magnum size for $49.99!

 

2. White Chocolate & 2017 Sieggie

White chocolate is unique because it doesn’t contain any cocoa, so it requires a wine pairing that’s going to bring out its sweet notes. The 2017 Sieggie from Singletree Winery is the perfect accompaniment and so nicely priced at $16.10 CAD. With flavours of stone fruit on the palate and aromas of lychee and fruit in the nose, it’s just the right amount of sweet to balance white chocolate.

Find this wine online at singletreewinery.com, at the winery in Abbotsford, or at select BC Liquor Stores.

3. Red Velvet Cupcakes & 2018 Quill Q Red

Red velvet cupcakes are a Valentine’s Day staple. They’re red, chocolatey, and bite-sized, so you can easily share them with your significant other (or not)! The 2018 Quill Q Red from Blue Grouse Estate Winery is a great pairing to red velvet cupcakes, as its notes of cocoa will bring out the chocolate flavours in the cake and retails for $23.00 CAD. 

Find this wine at Blue Grouse Estate Winery in Duncan, BC online at bluegrouse.ca, Marquis Wine Cellars, Save-on-Foods, Beverly Corners Liquor Store, or at select private wine stores on the Island.

4. Assorted Chocolate & Evolve Effervescence

A box of chocolates is filled with surprise, as you never REALLY know what each bite will entail. If you’re ending the night off rummaging through assorted chocolates, then the Effervescence from Evolve Cellars is the wine to choose. This bubbly is soft, smooth with just a hint of sweetness. The last wine of the evening (and the first) should always be a sparkling wine and the Effervescence is filled with surprising bubbles in every sip.

Find this wine online at www.timewines.ca, in-person at TIME Winery & Kitchen, or at select Save-On-Foods, BC Liquor Stores, and private wine stores that retails for $19.99 CAD. 

5. Dark Chocolate & 2018 Merlot

When choosing a wine to sip alongside dark chocolate, opt for something bold with intense fruit aromas. The 2018 Merlot from TIME Winery is exactly the wine for the job! With aromas of plum, cherry, and blueberry, this wine is lush, rich, and the perfect drink to satisfy your dark-chocolate-loving-Valentine.

Find it online at fivevinescellars.com, in-person at TIME Winery & Kitchen, or at select Save-On-Foods and private wine stores. For the month of February, this wine is also available at select BC Liquor Stores and retails for $24.99 CAD. 

I can’t wait to set up my own Taste & Sip Night with Gary. Chocolate? Wine? How could I resist!? This is such a fun idea for having a romantic evening in — it could even be adapted for a night in with the ladies in your bubble. I think it’s so important to indulge every once in a while and savour those moments when you do. I’m so looking forward to seeing photos of all your own Taste & Sip Nights. Did I miss any of your favourite wine + dessert pairings? If so, let me know in the comments!!

n xx