With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, a voluptuous velvety wine to share with your sweetie is bound to be on your agenda. This special day should be celebrated by lovers everywhere—think hearts, flowers, and, of course, red vino. You don’t want to be drinking some flabby wine without any backbone—better by far to splurge on a sexy elixir that will make your sweetheart swoon.
Soquel Vineyards’ 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($55) falls easily into the sensuous category. Drenched in serious flavor, it’s not surprising that this wine was a gold medal winner in the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
“The regional character of the Napa Valley is showcased in this Bordeaux blend,” say the winemakers at Soquel Vineyards of this classic Cab. The blend includes 80 percent Cab, 15 percent Malbec, 3 percent Cabernet Franc, and 2 percent Petit Verdot, and offers “layers of sweet, creamy French oak with aromas of dark plum, blueberry, tobacco, and sage.” Full of dark fruit flavors and black pepper—with a dash of vanilla—this full-bodied wine pairs well with everything from burgers and sausage to prime rib and lamb. Start out with a bit of Stilton or blue cheese and a glass of Cab—you can’t go wrong. This wine just loves fat and protein.
Soquel Vineyards also makes a very wallet-friendly Trinity Rosso—a complex blend of old-vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, which sells for a reasonable $16. A winding drive up Glen Haven Road takes you to Soquel Vineyards’ beautiful property and tasting room, a perfect destination for Valentine’s weekend!
Soquel Vineyards, 8063 Glen Haven Road, Soquel, 462-9045. Open for tasting Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. soquelvineyards.com.
Salmon Release
Santa Cruz Fish Company is importing some delicious Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon from New Zealand’s pure glacial water, which New Leaf will be showcasing this weekend. This is the first farmed salmon to get the best choice in sustainability by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. santacruzfish.com.
