I won’t forget
All the times I’ve waited patiently for you
And you’ll do just what you used to do
And I will be alone again tonight, my dear.
- lyrics by Bryan Maclean.
Valentine’s Day looms and unless you made dinner reservations months ago, you might be out of luck and flying solo. But even if you are feeling like a chump, you can still drink like a champ!
“If I had to spend Valentine’s Day alone, I would drink Chartreuse,” John Hafferty, managing partner of Bin Ends Wine in Braintree, Mass., said. “It is the Technicolor dream coat of spirits!” Made by a band of Carthusian Monks near Grenoble, France, Chartreuse features 130 alpine herbs according to an ancient formula. The secret recipe is known only to three Carthusian brothers and is protected by vows of silence.
“The recipe might be a secret, but you should know one thing: This stuff kicks like a mule!” Hafferty said. At 55% alcohol, this complex spirit will occupy your mind – just what you need on a lonely Valentine’s Day. Hafferty continued, “Chartreuse will make you reflect and ponder, yet it is immensely pleasurable. And it will also confuse you and set you back about $60 – just like a real relationship.”
But if Chartreuse is a one-night stand, Hafferty makes Tawny Port sound like a long-term relationship. “Chartreuse is the one you sleep with, but Tawny is the one you marry,” he says. Tawny Port has the ability to keep you warm on a lonely, cold February night in Boston. “Pair it with some bleu cheese like Roquefort and candied walnuts and a delicious Tawny Port, like the 10-year-old Smith Woodhouse, will put a smile on your face and put you in a good mood,” he revealed. “This is one to savor rather than just drink.” That’s just what you need when all your friends are out with their sweeties and you are stuck inside watching “Spanglish” for the third time – in a row. And, at $25, this one will actually keep a few bucks in your wallet.
Keith Mills, owner of Esprit du Vin in Milton, Mass., takes a completely different approach. “If I was alone on Valentine’s Day, I would celebrate with the best Champagne I could find!” For him that’s the Krug Grand Cuvee. “I am not going to spend money on bad food and lousy service. Instead of wasting money on roses that will wilt and chocolates that she will never eat, I will spend $245 on this great Champagne instead.” Mills suggests pairing the bubbles with a great game on television. On Feb. 14, the Celtics are away in Milwaukee while the Bruins take on the Nashville Predators.
Kate Toth, a sales consultant for Boston Wine Co., would also drink bubbly – but for a very different reason. “If I spent Valentine’s Day alone, I would drink Gruet Rose from New Mexico. It is light, pink and inexpensive so I would not feel guilty about drinking it,” she explains.
So even if the only underwear you will be sliding off this Valentine’s Day is your own and the only nookie you will be getting is of the self-love variety, you can still at least empty a few glasses while spending the evening with the hottest, funniest and smartest person you know – you.
Dale Cruse is a website developer who is helping to change the wine world. He likes to eat, he likes to drink, and he likes to write about both at Drinks Are on Me.
