Because of the pandemic, Valentine’s Day will be much more low-key this year. The majority of lovers will be spending the evening of February 14^th safe at home, binge-eating a box of treats from a local business and some Chinese takeout. But if we know one thing, it’s that a good bottle of wine can turn even the dullest of celebrations around.

So we’ve compiled a list of wines that will impress your partner or provide superb company to those who are spending the Hallmark holiday solo.

Road 13 2018 Syrah

Many make the mistake of forgetting to grab a bottle of Syrah when serpentining through the wine aisles at the liquor store. Syrah is also known as Shiraz and is made from dark-skinned grapes grown in warmer regions. The Road 13 winery is located on the Golden Mile Bench in the heart of B.C.’s South Okanagan.

The Road 13 2018 Syrah has notes of black cherry, cooking spices, and smoked oak, which makes it pair perfectly with grilled lamb and steak. It is full-bodied, extremely rich in texture, and well-rounded in flavour.

Vegetarians can pair a glass of Syrah with Gouda and crackers, grilled vegetables, and stuffed mushroom caps. Avoid serving Syrah with seafood—this means your famous Valentine’s Day shrimp recipe will need to wait until next year.

A bottle of the Road 13 2018 Syrah can be purchased at your local wine store or through the winery’s website for $34.99.

Liquidity 2018 Pinot Noir

Those who enjoy fruit-forward red wines will be impressed with the 2018 Pinot Noir produced by Liquidity. Located in Okanagan Falls, B.C., the estate winery uses a combination of science and artistry to create wines of the highest quality.

The Liquidity 2018 Pinot Noir is filled with tasting notes of strawberry, cola, cherry, raspberry, and Earl Grey. The wine is soft in acidity with ripe tannins, earthy notes, and every sip ends with a smooth silky finish. Before bottling and blending, the Pinot Noir spends 14 months fermenting in a French oak barrel. This gives the wine a smoky wood flavour and stabilizes the tannins from the grape skins.

Pair the juicy Pinot with pasta dishes, grilled chicken or salmon, hard cheeses, and beef bourguignon—who doesn’t make a large pot of beef bourgi every year on Valentine’s Day? It also goes well with heart-shaped dark chocolate.

A bottle of the 2018 Pinot Noir can be purchased through Liquidity’s website for $29 or at your local wine store.

Road 13 2018 Viognier

This crisp white Viognier from Road 13 winery leads with fruity notes of freshly picked apricot, nectarine, and peach. This dreamy white wine goes down far too easy so bear this in mind if you’re needed at the office the following morning.

Complex and balanced in flavour, a glass filled to the brim with Road 13 Viognier pairs well with spicy Asian foods, seafood, shellfish, and roasted or grilled meats.

A bottle of this mouth-watering Viognier can be purchased through the winery’s website for $25.99 or from a local wine store.  

Mission Hill Five Vineyards 2017 Cabernet Merlot

With aromas of spices, ripe black fruits, and wood, this wine will have you salivating the second that it’s corked. The Five Vineyards 2017 Cabernet Merlot is made with grapes sourced from Mission Hill’s five growing areas in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley.

This dry Cabernet Merlot is particularly dark in colour and fruit-forward in taste with hints of black currant and pepper. It pairs well with gorgonzola or blue cheese, roasted chicken, pastas with tomato-based sauces, turkey, and roast beef.

A bottle of the Five Vineyards 2017 Cabernet Merlot can be purchased at your local BC Liquor Store for $14.99.

Mionetto Prosecco Rosé DOC Millesimato

It just wouldn’t be a Valentine’s Day wine roundup without a bottle of pretty pink bubbles.

This extra dry Prosecco from Mionetto’s Prestige Collection is made from Glera and Pinot Nero grapes grown in the Veneto and Friuli regions in Italy. It is refreshingly effervescent and boasts flavour notes of red berries and grapefruit.

Like all bubbly, a flute of the Mionetto Prosecco Rosé can be enjoyed on its own or with fresh seafood, cocktail-sized sandwiches, creamy risotto, and grilled fish. Those with a sweet tooth can pair the Prosecco with dainty French macarons or chocolate.

This product will soon be released at BC Liquor Stores. In the meantime, you can purchase a bottle of Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso for $16.99.