5 wine cocktails for a colourful and elegant Valentine's Day

There is no right and wrong way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Some might opt for a candlelit dinner at a gourmet restaurant, others might go on a romantic trip together, while still other couples might choose a quiet evening at home, preparing a tasty home-made Valentine's Day menu. The perfect pairing? A different kind of drink!

Here are 5 wine-based cocktails to prepare and enjoy together on Lovers' Day!

An original and creative Valentine's Day? With cocktails you can!

Love is emotion, passion, the desire to be together, but it also feeds on commitment, perseverance and above all a lot of inventiveness. This is why knowing how to find something original to make or give as a gift on Valentine's Day is a great way to rekindle the relationship. Instead of classic chocolates, soft toys and bouquets of flowers (Valentine's Day gift ideas always welcome!), you can opt for something more creative, even better if prepared with your own hands, such as a special dinner or a drink dedicated to the occasion, to be enjoyed together.

Wine cocktails are perfect for those who want to organise a special Valentine's Day evening, for wine enthusiasts and for all those who want to enjoy a drink with not too high an alcohol content.

The first step in preparing such a cocktail is the choice of wine, which depends above all on the effect you want to achieve:

• Sparkling wine cocktails: refreshing and with a gritty effervescence. Capable of instantly livening up the evening.
• Red wine cocktails: romantic and persuasive, these bewitchingly pinkish-red drinks perfectly reflect the love and passion that is the symbol of this holiday. Ideal for a more full-bodied tasting.
• White wine cocktails: for those who don't like fizzy drinks, but don't want to miss out on a refreshing and amiable experience.
• Rose wine cocktails: delicacy and elegance in a drink, somewhere between the strong taste of red and the light-heartedness of white.

Not only Spritz: Prosecco and white wine cocktails for lovers' day

A pride of the Veneto region, very popular with young and old, the Spritz is a refreshing drink made with Aperol and Prosecco that could be among the first choices of those who want to prepare a wine-based cocktail at home for Valentine's Day, using a bottle of white.

However, the world of beverages does not only consist of Spritz (with all its variants), but of a range of must-have recipes for the most romantic evening of the year, to be prepared at home and enjoyed with your sweetheart!

Rossini: Italian and romantic

Servings for 2 persons:

• 150 g strawberries
• 300 ml Prosecco
• 20 g sugar
• Strawberries for decoration

With its beautiful shades of pink and orange, the Rossini is an Italian cocktail that communicates classicism and always manages to make a splash at parties. Even on Valentine's Day it manages to win over both the eyes and the palate, thanks to its light, sweet and pleasantly fruity taste.

The birth of this drink is due to Giuseppe Cipriani, a bar owner in Venice. Around the mid-1900s he created a cocktail dedicated to the composer Gioacchino Rossini, the famous father of The Barber of Seville and William Tell.

What gives Rossini its much-appreciated hue and fruity flavour are strawberries, which are blended with a little sugar. The addition of this ingredient not only lends a sweet note to the whole, but also prevents the fruit from oxidising. Prosecco is then added to the puree and gently stirred. This wine will give the drink a pleasant effervescence and irresistible hints of white-flesh fruit.

This Prosecco-based cocktail should be served in a flute with a small strawberry on the rim as a garnish and should be paired with various appetisers (from classic finger food made of chips, taralli and olives) or with a fish dinner, baked or stewed. Also excellent with spicy dishes, such as curry recipes. 

White Sangria for a sweet couple's evening

Servings per 1 jug:

• 1 litre of Sauvignon
• 70 ml white vodka
• 100 ml pineapple juice
• 2 apples
• 2 oranges
• 2 lemons
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6-8 cloves

Few drinks communicate freshness, vivacity and light-heartedness as much as a glass of Sangria. Originating in the Iberian Peninsula - where it was once consumed mainly by peasants - Sangria owes its name to the Spanish word for blood, due to the bright red colour it displays. It is often associated with summer parties among friends, but this does not mean that it cannot be adapted to a romantic evening such as Valentine's Day, especially in its elegant white wine version.

To prepare so-called White Sangria, it is necessary to start the day before, not because the process is lengthy, but because the drink must rest at least overnight in the refrigerator.

First, the citrus fruit is sliced and the other fruit is chopped. Everything is placed in a large jug, together with the spices. Finally, the vodka is added, stirred a little and the white wine is added. For this recipe, a Sauvignon is perfect, a wine with different organoleptic nuances depending on the area of origin, but which generally wins fans with its fruity notes and persistent taste on the palate.

After a night's rest, White Sangria can be served with one's own fruit in a low tumbler, with a little ice, and paired with simple appetisers, such as rustic puff pastry, olives, platters of cold meats and cheeses, and bruschetta.

An ideal cocktail, therefore, for a carefree and not too gourmet Valentine's Day, but no less romantic!

Valentine's Day cocktails with red and rosé wine

If Prosecco and white wine are the perfect allies to bring a hint of liveliness and freshness to this festivity, cocktail recipes with red and rosé wine are also particularly appropriate, first and foremost because of their colour, which seems to fully reflect the romantic spirit of this occasion. But taste is no less important: these wines contribute to Valentine's Day cocktails with heady aromas and strong character. 

Red Splash: the cocktail of passion

Servings for 2 persons:

• 200 ml of Aglianico del Taburno DOCG
• 200 ml tequila
• 5 ml lime juice
• 5 ml agave nectar
• 30 ml grapefruit juice

For those who appreciate bold flavours and a slightly higher alcohol content - due to the addition of tequila - the Red Splash is the perfect cocktail, both for its deep red colour - which well represents love and passion - and for its irresistible citrus fragrances.

Preparing this delicious cocktail is very easy, as only one basic step is required: shaking all the ingredients in a shaker.

The Red Splash can be served in a martini glass with a little ice and a slice of lime on the rim. Thanks to the addition of Aglianico - characterised by an aromatic bouquet of berries and cherries - it can be sipped on its own or accompanied by a delicious chocolate cake. After all, on Valentine's Day you can treat yourself to a few more treats than usual!

Devil's Margarita for an impressive mix

• 120 ml of white tequila
• 60 ml Cabernet DOC "Collio"
• 45 ml lime juice
• 40 ml sugar syrup

This extremely simple list of ingredients is all that is needed to give life to a reinterpretation of one of the most classic and beloved cocktails: the Margarita.

In this version, the Devil's Margarita will amaze with its aromatic charge, and the perfect balance between the acidity of the lime juice and the sweetness of the sugar, with that gritty touch given by the tequila and the red wine, in this case a Cabernet Friulano with complex scents, among which the nose can perceive herbal and spicy notes, almost reminiscent of resin.

The presentation is also jaw-dropping: the addition of the wine at the end creates a truly impressive colour layering!

First, tequila, lime juice and sugar syrup are shaken in a shaker, together with ice. After about 30 seconds, the mixture should be poured into the appropriate glasses. With the help of a teaspoon inclined at a 45° angle and with the back side up, the wine is also poured in, which will achieve the desired effect.

Serve in the typical Margarita glass. The perfect garnish for this romantic cocktail may consist of a lime wedge or the iconic salt garnishing the rim. Serve with a menu of shellfish, grilled salmon, a cheese board or fruit desserts.

Elegance in pink with Rosé Martini

• 120 ml of 'Calafuria' Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT
• 60 ml rosé vermouth
• 5 ml lemon juice

Iconic and refined, the Martini is now a veteran among cocktails. Even the great classics, however, can accommodate pretty variations, especially on an important occasion such as a Valentine's Day date. Just add a little rosé wine to give this drink a beautiful pale cherry colour.

Here again, simplicity reigns supreme: just put all the ingredients in a shaker, shake for about 30 seconds and then pour into glasses. Said and done!

Serve in a classic martini glass. However, the presentation of these romantic cocktails is also important: in this case the addition of a rose petal or a cherry stuck on a toothpick will give that necessary chic touch!

Among the best pairings of this cocktail with food on Valentine's Day is a dinner of raw seafood, be it sushi or some fine oysters.

After this guide you have no more excuses: kick off a romantic Valentine's Day evening with these cocktails and the wine selection offered by Svinando!