If you’re in need of a last-minute gift for your wine-loving Valentine—or if you’re in need of something nice yourself—here are a few ideas taken from our February 2020 issue.
Sommelier Chocolate
Neuhaus chocolates has released a range of six chocolate pralines designed to pair with wine. The Belgian company enlisted Sarah Thomas of Le Bernardin in NYC to choose wines for each sweet, offering one “classic” pairing as well as an “adventurous” one. Her suggestions, included in a pairing booklet, go far beyond the usual chocolate-friendly suspects like Banyuls and Port: For the Sommelier Amandes, flavored with almond and olive oil, she suggests Domaine Macle Côtes du Jura or Valdespino Deliciosa Manzanilla Sherry; the Sommelier Graines, crunchy with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, she pairs with Bechtold’s Nature, a skin-contact pinot gris from Alsace. $35, neuhauschocolates.com —Corey Warren
Wine Cradle
The Portae wine cradle is the work of Ryan Bailey (of NoMad LA and a 2018 W&S Best New Sommelier) in partnership with Los Angeles-based design firm Klein Agency. Its low angle allows you to move the wine from cellar to table without ever turning the bottle upright, so the sediment remains undisturbed; the design also accommodates a wide range of bottle sizes and shapes, including magnums. Prices start at $355; available in five metal finishes and three leather types at portae-la.com. —Sydney Love
Mail Order Amber
Sommelier Doreen Winkler has been greening NYC’s wine lists for years, honing the sustainable focus at Aska, Aldea, Bar Glory, Lupulo, Sel Rrose and Urban Uncorked. Now she’s launched Orange Glou, a mail-order subscription service devoted entirely to skin-contact amber wines. Her selection is far-ranging, from Bloomer Creek in NY’s Finger Lakes to Joe Swick’s Oregon wines and Christian Binner’s Alsace bottlings; each arrives with extensive notes on vinification as well as food-pairing suggestions. The three-bottle subscription runs $105 a month; a half-case costs $195 at orangeglou.com. —Tara Q. Thomas
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This story appears in the print issue of February 2020.
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