Doing Valentine's Day Right
Valentine’s day.
It’s really not my cup of tea. Love is a year-round pursuit, and you should show it every day. It makes the world a better place if you do, especially the world you currently inhabit while locked in. If there was ever a year in which Valentine’s day mattered, and I use the term ‘mattered’ loosely indeed, it is this one. You cant forget it this year, because we just reminded you, and you can’t pretend you’re busy because lockdown is still a thing. So how can you profess your love this Valentine’s day with an ‘out and about’ feeling while you’re ‘in and around’, all with wine on the side?
The Morning
Three words. Breakfast. In. Bed. It’s a classic, but there’s a reason for that. Start the day with a smile. Bacon is my go-to for this, because everyone loves it, but pick something you know your partner will enjoy, add a pot of coffee (if a cafetière is gathering dust in the cupboard, now is it’s time to shine) and kick open the bedroom door to announce that you know it’s corny but you’re in love, with bacon!
For extra pizazz, accompany everything with morning fizz. Gusbourne is lovely, and more on that later, but if in doubt, Alne prosecco belinis will be perfect.
The Presents
Post breakfast, and very proud of yourself (you should be!) it’s time for gifts. This one is most of a logistical challenge than anything. How do you buy something in advance, hurry it to your secret hiding place in the house and wrap it all before the big reveal. Well this is what a second bottle of wine is for. The night before, pop the cork on a tasty treat and provide your loved one with a glass, large, to act as a distraction. Sneak off with the remainder of the bottle and wrap to your hearts content. Points for you for impromptu wine.
The present contents is really up to you, but if you choose to get something from Amazon, make sure Alexa doesn’t announce it’s arrival, and that it isn’t something ‘practical’
The Card
I actually love the cards you can get nowadays since Clintons stopped being the only source of a medium for a heartfelt message. I’m a stickler for something silly. “Are you sitting on the f5 key? Because that ass is refreshing!” Who wouldn’t want that? (Check out Thortful is you do!) Keep the message unique. Roses are red poems are now exclusively for humour.
Roses are red
So is the wine
Ah, yours is finished
Have some of mine
But as you write, do so with white. The only ring on Valentines day should be jewellery, not red wine glass marks.
The Music
By now it’s evening, and it’s time to take to the town. And by town, I mean dining room. The key here is ambience, and for that, you’ll need music. Fear not, the Vintner Valenwines playlist will be appearing in the Sunday Session this week, and you know it’s good! (it’s Hamish approved after all).
If though, you can’t wait, curate your own now. Get in the spirit with a lively bottle that swirls and dances on the tongue. It really helps set the mood.
The Dinner
There are many ways you can go about this. If you’re a secret sous chef, pull out all the stops. Five courses, all the pairings, finish with a dessert to die for. It’s classic, but who doesn’t love to be wined and dined?
If you’re less culinarily able, there are some pretty great options now to buy food from excellent restaurants and just pop them in the over. The real plus here is that you look like a distant cousin of the Roux’s and all you did was enough for a ready meal lasagne. *Chef Kiss*
Finally, if that’s just a bit much, a takeaway will often suffice. Just don’t serve it in the containers it comes in.
The Wine
With great dinner, comes great wine, and great wine, is exactly what we have. The Date Night Case is perfect for the myriad of festivities. Gusbourne fizz (I told you I’d get to it later) as well as 5 bottles of glass clinking, eye catching, love making reds and whites. Check it out…
The Movie
Once dessert is served, you might fancy a flick. There are broadly three schools of thought here. First, a classic rom-com. Avoid anything with Adam Sandler and you can’t go too wrong. Romance, laughter, a dash of despair and eventual happy ever after is a great formula.
If that’s not your thing, maybe a crier is. Titanic is like romance reserve psychology. Sure there is love, and the car scene, but, spoiler alert, he dies in the end, and it’s sad. The result is you want your lover closer, so hold on tight and don’t let go.
Last but not least, if a movie is too long, and you just want to cuddle up on the sofa with no viewing intent, try Bridgerton. Steamy enough that it’s a great end to the day, but not so long that you’re locked in for a couple of hours if you want to know how it finishes.