“Where there is no wine there is no love.” ~ Euripides
Love is blind, as is our tasting of sparkling wines.
Couples, singles, love forlorn and adored, join us this coming Valentine’s Day (or if you prefer to avoid the symbolism attached with that, the day before, or the day after) for our special blind tasting challenge with 5 sparkling wines… guess which one is the Champagne! Tastings include exquisite cheeses, fine breads, and sweet & savoury delicacies to arouse all the senses…
Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 February at 6pm Sign up now as spaces are limited.
Saint Valentine has been the patron saint of love since the Middle Ages, and it was thought that drinking wine on this day would bring luck and happiness in love. This tradition has merrily continued through the centuries, so who are we to stand in the way of tradition?
There are many versions of who Saint Valentine was, but there is no question he has become a figure associated with love and affection, although his origins remain shrouded in historical ambiguity, and his life is often cloaked in the clouds of legend. The most widely accepted narrative traces its roots to ancient Rome in the 3rd century AD.
Believed to have lived during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, Saint Valentine was a Christian priest who defied the imperial decree forbidding marriages for young men, which was based in Claudius’ conviction that single men made better soldiers.
The clandestine activities of Saint Valentine were eventually discovered, leading to his arrest. While imprisoned, Valentine reportedly healed the jailer’s blind daughter and forged a deep connection with her. Before his execution on February 14th, around the year 269 AD, it is said that he sent her a note signed “from your Valentine,” a phrase that would later become synonymous with expressions of love.
As the details of this touching tale have been woven into the fabric of folklore over centuries, it is hard to ascertain what is historically accurate. One thing that is certain is Pope Gelasius I declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD in an effort to Christianise the pagan festival of Lupercalia. This rather bawdy fertility celebration held in mid-February, involved singles picking up clay tablets that would randomly match them with a perfect stranger. Over time, the day evolved into a celebration of love and affection, with the exchange of notes, gifts, and tokens of affection becoming a cultural norm.
While the precise details of Saint Valentine’s life may remain enigmatic, his association with love and devotion endures as a symbol that transcends time and religious boundaries. Today, Saint Valentine’s Day continues to be celebrated globally, a testament to the enduring legacy of a man whose life, whether rooted in history or myth, has left an indelible mark on the expression of love.
As you navigate the sea of red hearts, roses, and sappy love cards, remember that Valentine’s Day is like a love potion: it can be magical, but it’s always a bit mysterious. Whether you’re celebrating with your significant other, your friends, or a bottle of fine wine, just enjoy the day with a dash of humour and a sprinkle of historical perspective. After all, love has been perplexing, amusing, and downright confusing from the start and that, it would seem, isn’t about to change.
A Drinking Song
Wine comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That’s all we shall know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.
William Butler Yeats
Another Season
For years, I've watched my seasons come and go
Beneath the pines along the River Brine
I've drunk my fill of robust summer wine
Survived the stinging lonely winds that blow
Now once again spring brings her color show
Rebirthing beauty by Divine design
And even though my days are in decline
I'll add her mem'ries to next year's bordeaux
The rose inside my heart is in full bloom
Amongst forget-me-nots and memories
A sign to me that love in me abides
Intoxicating me with sweet perfume
Another season blown in on a breeze
That seem to come and go like changing tides.
Daniel Turner
The Only Door That Opens
When the only door that opens
is one leading to the past
I pack my bags and grab the wine
and find my way at last
I sojourn deep into the woods
of life’s long memories
and picnic on the leaves of love
for heart song melodies
And then with each familiar chord
and with each sip of wine
I start to find myself again
remembering what’s mine
A blessed life of ups and downs
with courage to be found
in knowing that I’ll find my way
when I come back around
Mike Gentile
A Musical Love
Clothes all wrinkled on the floor...
A pathway of roses to my door...
Like a sweet wine tasting, we sip...
Tasting each others love on our lips...
The radio is off but there are musical sounds...
Our voices harmonize as our bodies lie down...
As our toes curl in passion we melt into the sheets...
The temperatures outside are cool but in the bedroom
it is all about the heat...
Michael J. Falotico
Sign up now for our special Valentine’s Day (plus before and after) blind sparkling wine tastings – February 13, 14 and 15. Our blind wine tasting of carefully selected sparkling wines invites friendly competition to see who can identify the Champagne among five fabulous sparkling wines. Book now!
