WASHINGTON — It’s not like anyone actually needs an excuse to drink wine.
After all, there are plenty of good reasons to pop the cork out of — or twist a screw cap off — a bottle of good juice on a regular basis, including health benefits and meal enhancement to name a few.
But if you really, really need motivation to open up a great bottle of wine, then take note, because Feb. 18 is National Drink Wine Day!
No, I am not making this up. According to the website, www.nationaldrinkwineday.org, National Drink Wine Day occurs every year on Feb. 18. The purpose of National Drink Wine Day is “to spread the love and health benefits of wine.”
Well, that’s definitely a message I can get behind. If you think about it, wine has played an important role in history (it is the oldest documented fermented beverage on record), religion (four cups of wine during Passover comes to mind) and relationships (I’m pretty sure that’s why Champagne exists). We use it to toast special occasions as well as to drown our sorrows. It is the inspiration of poets and the occasional source of drunk dials. It can inspire as well as enhance desire.
All in all, wine is interwoven into our lives, culture and society, so it only makes sense that we should take one day out during the year to sing its praises and salute its many benefits. And while it would be a shame to celebrate this practice only one day a year, perhaps is a great reminder to drink wine every day — but drink something special tomorrow!
Here are a few recommendations for a day devoted to wine:
Of course, any occasion that includes a cause for celebration is going to include bubbles. My pick for Saturday’s soiree is the Non-vintage Taittinger Brut Champagne La Française. Come on people! It’s National Drink Wine Day! Let’s kick it off with a bit of class-in-a-glass! The La Française is a blend of chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier wines from at least 35 villages. The high proportion of chardonnay (40 percent) is unique among fine nonvintage Champagnes. The aging of Brut La Française on the lees for almost 4 years more than doubles the legal minimum of 15 months. This extra time in the cellars allows the wine to reach the peak of aromatic maturity, and the result is a precisely balanced Champagne, known for its consistency and quality. This sparkler has subtle aromas of peach, white flowers and vanilla bean on the nose. Precise bubbles carry delicate flavors of fresh white stone fruit, honey and brioche across the palate. $35
Not a lot of wines turn my head these days, but the 2015 Domaine Lebrun Pouilly-Fumé sure got my attention. This sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley of France is a fantastic value in a white wine that has a lot of flinty, steely characteristics that I look for in this varietal. Domaine Lebrun is a family owned and run boutique estate with some of the best vineyard land in the heart of Pouilly-Fumé. Laurent Lebrun, a well-traveled winemaker, has brought modern winemaking skills to very old vines, producing richly textured and charming wines with a distinctive flinty-edged character. It displays complex aromas of citrus fruit, tropical fruit and hints of gunflint. Flavors of gooseberry, grapefruit and melon are buoyed by good acidity and a touch of richness that makes this is a delicious wine with a lasting finish. Quite the bargain too! $20
What better wine to celebrate a day devoted to wine than a wine that has Love in the name? I love 2012 Loveblock Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region in New Zealand. Owners Erica and Kim Crawford go to great lengths to conceal their last name since they do not want to create any confusion with the famous namesake brand they sold several years ago. But you won’t be mistaken when you taste this pretty Pinot Noir, whose grapes come the Crawford’s Someone’s Darling vineyard in Central Otago. With aromas of dark plum and black cherry, the wine has an intoxicating nose. Beautiful flavors of ripe blueberry, orange peel, and baking spices glide over the front of the tongue while hints of forest floor and mushrooms sneak in on the back of the palate. The beautifully balanced wine finishes with a touch of ripe raspberry and dark plum. $28
And since it’s National Drink Wine day, it only makes sense to showcase a wine from our nation. I’m going to open the iconic 2013 Robert Mondavi Winery BDX Red Blend from the Oakville appellation of Napa Valley in California. A power expression of two traditional Bordeaux varietals — Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc — blended together to produce a wine that offers a core of black cherry, blackberry, dark plum and vanilla on the richly textured palate. Notes of cocoa and dried spices seamlessly blend in on the long and powerful finish. $65
Remember while you enjoy National Drink Wine to always drink responsibly and always try a new wine!
