No matter what the conundrum, most any situation calls for a bottle of wine. And this Valentine's Day presents the perfect opportunity to get more in touch with wine — specifically the underrated styles and vintners that are producing some super-sexy sips.
If you don't know where to start, look no further than Vinya. The local wine market and bar in Key Biscayne is a place where Miamians can find a vast assortment of unique and small-batch wines curated by a devoted team led by cofounder and sommelier Allegra Angelo.
"Our goal is to help people find wines that speak to them," Angelo tells New Times. "It's nice to turn people on to something they might never consider without a little guidance, or even have the chance to try anywhere else."
At Vinya, it's become Angelo's goal to be every guest's personal sommelier. Customers can explore the shop's large retail section, explore pairings at the ten-seat bar or through a monthly subscription box that includes flavor profiles and guidance for an at-home tasting experience.
This Valentine’s Day — whether you're newly single, happily coupled up, or just curious about wine — Angelo invites locals to sip their way through five of the world’s sexiest grapes with Vinya's first "I'm Too Sexy" food and wine pairing experience taking place on Monday, February 14. Hosted inside Vinya's private tasting room and priced at $75 per person, the event pairs the wines with a series of aphrodisiac-inspired light bites for an educational-forward and experiential tasting.
Can't make it to the wine-pairing event? Angelo shared her top three "I'm Too Sexy" bottle picks for those celebrating Valentine's Day at home.
"When it comes to Valentine's Day, there's so much jargon out there. It's all cheese and chocolate, but for me there's so much beyond that to pair and enjoy when drinking these wines," Angelo says. "These grapes are varietals that have this major sex appeal. They energize you, warm you up, and get you feeling good — and to me, that's what this holiday is all about."
Toast Valentine's Day with Vinya's house Champagne: Pierre Cellier Prestige Brut
Photo courtesy of Vinya
Pair with prosciutto-wrapped grilled figs
"This Italian wine literally feels like someone just crushed a bowl of wild berries in your mouth," says Angelo. "It's the type of wine I bring out at the beginning or end of a meal due to its sweetness and beautiful deep, crimson color."
2020 dry riesling by Brand from the Pfalz, Germany ($22/bottle)
Pair with watermelon and feta kabobs
"For me, the two sexiest grapes are riesling and chardonnay," Angelo says. "This particular riesling departs from the stereotypical sweet option, instead offering a precise high-wire acidity that's bone-dry with snappy lemon-lime sorbet notes. For this reason, it pairs great with almost any food."
2020 Frappato by Gorghi Tondi from Sicily, Italy ($29/bottle)
Pair it with a spicy bolognese gnocchi
"This is such a fun — yet not well-known — wine. Low in tannins, it's feather-light and full of crushed red fruit flavor that won't dry your mouth out the same way a sangiovese or cabernet might. That means you can drink it with spicy foods, so it's perfect for all those chili pepper lovers out there looking to get their blood pumping."
Vinya Wine & Market. 328 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne; I'm Too Sexy Wine Pairing taking place on Monday, February 14 at 7 p.m..; tickets on sale at vinyawine.com.
