It’s Valentine’s Day and whether you celebrate the holiday or not, love is in the air. This year, we wanted to put something together that can work for Valentine’s Day and any other date night with your significant other or out with your besties.
First, we’re talking wine and spirits. We tapped local Advanced Sommelier Liz Mitchell for the 411 on wine in New Orleans – the best places to go and the best to have in your kitchen.
First up, we wanted to know her pick for what we all should be drinking at home. “Champagne all night! Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee St Anne is the best NV champagne,” said Mitchell. “It should be available at Martin [Wine Cellar]. If not, Martin’s has a fantastic Champagne selection and they can recommend something comparable.”
For those not looking to spend a pretty penny, we asked Mitchell’s recommendation for a lower cost selection, she said, “I love Spanish wines for the value that they provide. Rioja in particular is my favorite. It’s a perfect red because you can drink it on its own, but it’s also an amazing accompaniment to a lot of different foods. Lopez de Heredia is one of the best producers. Also, I love Northern Rhone reds, Crozes-Hermitage or St. Joseph, made from the Syrah grape for the same reasons as Rioja wines. Guigal is a fantastic producer that you can easily find.”
If you’re looking to pick something up or experience wine and cocktails out on the town, we asked Mitchell for a few of her favorites. She suggested The Independent Caveau and Keife and Co. for carry out wine to take home and Cane & Table in the French Quarter, Hotel Saint Vincent in the Lower Garden District and Bijou in the French Quarter on Rampart Street for wine or cocktails.
Are you looking for the most romantic spots around town? Mitchell highlighted Bar Marilou and Hotel Saint Vincent and we can’t agree more!
Outside of the potential for Valentine’s Day romance , we also asked Mitchell for her opinion on what everyone should have in their house for those everyday wine nights or date nights in. “A decent sparkling wine doesn’t have to be Champagne,” said Mitchell. “Can be a Crémant which is a sparkling wine made anywhere else in France other than Champagne. Every wine region makes a Crémant but my personal favorite is Crémant de Loire or Crémant de Jura.”
In addition to making sure you’re all set for drinks this holiday, we have a few favorite recipe picks from our sister publication New Orleans Magazine that are perfect for date night and not too difficult to make.
