By Bob Hosmon
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
(KRT)
Flowers are always nice and so is candy, but the best way to celebrate Valentine's, at least for me, is with a special bottle of pink champagne. Not really "pink" but more salmon-pink. These easy-to-drink, soft and slightly fruity bubblies are not as well known in the United States as they should be. But I've never served one to anyone who didn't love it.
Personal favorites are produced by the esteemed French champagne house of Taittinger. The more affordable is the Taittinger Cuvee Prestige Rose Brut. A traditional rose champagne, the Cuvee Prestige is more cherry-pink, delivering lots of tiny bubbles and full berry flavors. It's one of the best champagne values on the market.
On the more upscale side of the Taittinger portfolio, there's the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose Brut. With its brilliant salmon-pink color, its elegant style and vibrant fruit flavor, it's one of the most complex, delicious champagnes made.
SERVE WITH: While both champagnes are wonderful choices as aperitif wines, each also can be enjoyed with a variety of foods, including smoked salmon, veal, swordfish and even strawberries with cream.
AVAILABILITY/ SUGGESTED RETAIL: Sold only in better wine shops, the Taittinger Cuvee Prestige retails for $45, the harder-to-locate Comtes de Champagne for about $230 a bottle.
TRY THIS TOO
If you've already chosen your champagne for that special Valentine, then consider adding another wine to the evening, namely Concha y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. It's a first-rate dessert wine with just a touch of honey taste.
SERVE WITH: I like this new wine from Chile with pound cake, cheesecake and vanilla souffles, but it can also serve well as the dessert course all by itself.
AVAILABILITY/ SUGGESTED RETAIL: Sold in wine shops for about $15 for a 375-milliliter bottle (a perfect size for two).
WINE OF THE WEEK
WINE: Fanciers of chardonnay will find a lot to like about the 1999 Stuhlmuller Vineyards Chardonnay. Produced from grapes grown in California's Alexander Valley, this luscious white is the product of a family-owned and -operated winery that consistently delivers quality.
SERVE WITH: Try this delicious chardonnay with crab cakes, lobster, sauteed fish and roast chicken.
AVAILABILITY/SUGGESTED RETAIL: Sold in wine shops for about $23 a bottle.
© 2002 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
