Pink Bubbles for Valentine's Day

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Feb 11th 2010 @ 5:00PM

Photo: Getty Images

While spending Valentine's Day with your sweetheart, odds are pretty good you'll be opening up a bottle of bubbly to celebrate that through the craziness called dating you've found each other. Finding someone trustful and loving that make you laugh is no easy task, that we know. Can't the same be said for scoring the perfect bottle of wine?

Here are three sparkling wines that, when poured into the glass, produce a beautiful pink color and come pretty darn close to being perfect. What would go well with these wines? The good news is that there are not a lot of foods that won't. Sparkling wines are very food-friendly, whether that means pairing with a slice of cheesecake at the end of a meal or cradling a flute in one hand while eating spiced nuts with the other.

After the jump, our three favorite pink sparklers...

Freixenet Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut, Spain ($19)
Right after the pour, while the bubbles are still vibrant, this wine resembles pink cotton candy in the glass. There's an unusually soft finish (for sparkling wines) and delicate notes of raspberries and blackberries in this blend of Pinot Noir and Trepat grapes.

Pommery "Springtime" Brut Rose NV Champagne, France ($65)
A golden, straw color with traces of pink sets the tone for this creamy, toasty Champagne marked by pomegranate, raspberry and kiwi flavors. It's a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. There's a bright and very nice finish with excellent mouthfeel. If you're balking at the price tag, this is your special-occasion wine -- but it's definitely worth the splurge.

Banfi Rosa Regale, Italy ($12, 375 milliliters)
Due to its miniature size, you can easily stow this sparkling wine in your bag or even the pocket of your winter coat to unveil to your sweetheart as a surprise. Bold raspberry notes power this wine, which would be scrumptious paired with chocolate cake or any other indulgent dessert containing dark or bittersweet chocolate.

Filed Under: Holidays, Drinks, Features
Tags: banfi, featured, freixenet, pink champagne, pommery, sparkling wine, SparklingWine, valentines day, ValentinesDay