Indian Wine
Sophia Longhi is a renowned wine communicator, writer, and tastings host, recognised as one of the ‘Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks 2024’ by Drinks Retailing and winner of the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Communication Award 2022.
Which wine should I buy for Valentine’s Day?
If your question this week is “Which wine should I buy for Valentine’s Day?”, then look no further. I have a great recommendation!
My pick for a Valentine’s Day wine is the Vivaz Muscat from Plateaux Vintners, priced at £12 on Maharaja Drinks. Firstly, I love the colourful label design - it’s bright, it’s eye-catching and it screams “Let’s celebrate!” Of course, the name Vivaz is all about celebrating life - and here it also represents celebrating flavours and aromas.
The company Plateaux Vintners makes limited volumes of wine from high quality Indian vineyards. This wine is a limited edition; only 2000 bottles of this have been made, so it’s something pretty special. Everyone likes to feel like they’ve got something exclusive! They’ve also got one of India’s best and most famous winemakers, Ajoy Shaw, behind this, so you know it’s going to be great.
It comes in a half bottle - that’s 375ml - which, I think, is ideal for two people to share. It’s a lovely option for a Valentine’s dessert. I’m thinking strawberries, cheesecake, tarte tartin or anything citrusy, like an orange polenta cake. However, because it’s in a half bottle and the grape is muscat, you might assume it’s going to be a sweet wine, but it’s not; it’s definitely categorised as dry.
Tasting notes
- You’ve got intense floral aromatics: jasmine and rose petals (see, perfect for your Valentine!). There are fruity aromas, too: peach, lychee and mango.
- On the palate, it’s much lighter than you’d expect. It’s super fresh and vibrant, with all of the fruit notes coming through, alongside a little bit of honey, without it being sweet.
- For £12, this dessert wine is an absolute bargain: it’s a joy to drink. Remember to serve it fresh from the fridge, ideally between 10 and 12 degrees celsius. A white wine or tulip glass would make it shine best.
Written by Sophia Longhi, wine communicator, writer, and tastings host. Learn more about Sophia and her work at skinandpulp.com.
