Flowers, cuisine, dessert and fine wine – to make the perfect Valentine’s Day you better not miss any of them! Here we will share some Valentine’s Day signature desserts and their wine pairing suggestions with you!
Chocolate Lava Cake x Portuguese Port Wine
Chocolate and chocolate desserts are people’s all-time favourite, particularly Chocolate Lava Cake. The rich chocolate cake outer layer and the flowing chocolate filling will warm your heart and soul. To pair with chocolate desserts, we should avoid big, tannic wines as it will bring out the astringent bitterness.
We may pair them with Portugal’s most famous wine – Port. Port is sweet, rich, concentrated and a classic match with chocolate! A small sip together with a bite of Lava cake would make you fall in love with it!
Cream Mille Crepe x Off-dry Sparkling Wine
Mille Crepe is one of the most sought-after desserts in recent years. It is made with multiple layers of super-thin crepe and from layer to layer it is smeared with delicious cream, making every bite a dreamy enjoyment of complex texture and flavours. Different new flavours are invented from time to time, giving the foodies endless excitement. Apart from getting one from the popular cake shops, many people like to challenge themselves and make one at home.
To pair with Mille Crepe, you need to pay attention to the wine’s sweetness level, which should be slightly higher than the dessert. In addition to the classic pairing of Sauternes, we may pair with Moscato d’Asti, an Italian off-dry sparkling wine. It has a sufficient sweetness level, good acidity and delicate bubbles to strike a great balance with the flavours of the cream.
Fruit Souffle Pancake x Riesling
After its high-profile entry to Hong Kong, the popular Japanese style Souffle Pancake has won people’s hearts. Its airy, soft texture and rich egg smell and taste are so tempting that you can’t resist. Some include fresh fruits such as strawberry, giving it more freshness and flavour.
To pair with Fruit Souffle Pancake, we may try off-dry Riesling with floral and fruit notes. The freshness of fruit echoes with the freshness of Riesling, and the off-dry Riesling has a great sweetness and body that can complement with the creamy texture of Souffle Pancake.
Cheese Souffle x Champagne / Chablis White Wine
The classic French dessert Cheese Souffle, when compared to the Japanese Souffle Pancake, has a subtle egg flavour and a very creamy texture. It is suggested to pair with the Valentine’s Day “must-have” Champagne. The racy acidity plus the refreshing mandarin and citrus notes make a perfect contrast to the rich, creamy texture of souffle. Chablis is a great choice too. The freshness and minerality marry well with the slightly savoury Cheese Souffle.
Creme Brulee x Botrytized Sweet Wines
Creme Brulee is another classic French dessert. The crunchy sugar coating and soft, velvety custard make it an all-time favourite in the dessert world. The signature pairing is with Sauternes. The orange-apricot notes, vanilla aromas and creamy texture of Sauternes perfectly match with the characters of Creme Brulee.
Joe Czerwinski, a senior wine critic in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, also recommended botrytis-affected sweet wines to pair with Creme Brulee, such as Australia’s De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon. It uses the same variety and winemaking as Sauternes and is of exceptional quality. It’s a nice pick for Valentine’s Day!
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