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Love is in the air! And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s time to celebrate and get those plans in order — and some of the best red wines can help to set the mood. While a candlelit meal at a lauded fine dining restaurant may sound alluring, nothing beats staying in, avoiding the crowds, and indulging in a home-cooked meal or take-out while sipping on bold and nuanced vino.
Related: The Best Host Gifts for All Occasions
The best online wine clubs let you order your favorite best-sellers or try new bottles from rising wineries (assuming you’re 21 and up). Among them are Wine.com, the Wall Street Journal‘s WSJWine (get 12 bottles and two stemless glasses for $70), Bright Cellars (your first six bottles are only $55) and Wine Access (offerings include wine selections from Michelin-starred restaurants). Brick-and-mortar retailers and on-demand delivery services such as Total Wine and GoPuff (which delivers from BevMo) will also bring bottles (or boxes) of vino straight to your door — allowing you to focus on crafting that cheese board or prepping for guests.
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Read on for some of the best red wines and elegant wine accessories you can order online or IRL for Valentine’s Day and beyond.
Rabbit Wine Aerator and Pourer
No need to wait for your wine to breathe. Instantly improve the aromas and flavors of your wine as you pour a glass with this trusty Rabbit aerator.
YOXSUNY 1.5L Clear Wine Decanter
Not only is this hand-blown carafe a conversation piece, it’s also designed to prevent drips and spills.
Coravin Timeless Three+ Wine Preservation System
Should you be savoring a primo bottle of cabernet sauvignon, you’ll want to preserve any leftovers with Coravin — the most coveted wine preservation accessory. Thanks to 100 percent food-grade argon gas, it maintains and extends the life of your wine for weeks.
Neiman Marcus Silver Bling Wine Glasses
Toasting to love has never looked more stylish than with these showstopping wine glasses studded with crystals.
Vinglacé Wine & Champagne Chiller
Available in a range of elegant colors, keep your wine or bubbles at the perfect temperature with this Vinglacé vacuum-insulated canister.
Roy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Crafting some of the most desirable wines in Napa Valley, Roy Estate, originally founded by Shirley and Charles Roy, produces very limited quantities of their single vineyard, estate-grown cabernet sauvignon. Full-bodied and lively on the palate, it offers dense dark fruit and rounded tannins. Aged up to 29 months in French oak barrels and built for aging, indulging in this Grand Cru will make any evening more memorable. Should you have plans to visit Napa, the current proprietors Stephany Maillery and Stephan Crétier unveiled La Résidence in 2022, their sweeping hospitality space which was rebuilt after the Atlas Fire.
Tyler Winery 2021 Mae Estate Pinot Noir
Pinot lovers rejoice. This medium-bodied aromatic wine is from lauded winemaker and proprietor Justin Willett’s Mae Estate in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills. Soft tannins comingle with dark cherry, leather, spice, and floral notes for a delightfully expressive Pinot and just the right amount of acidity. Equally as lovely as this wine is the Tyler hospitality space and tasting room perched on Willett’s Mae Estate Vineyard complete with spellbinding views.
Donnachadh Estate Syrah
With a sleek new tasting room in Los Olivos and one of the region’s superstar winemakers, Ernst Storm, Donnachadh (pronounced Donna-Kuh) is making waves. Thanks to the prime perch of their Santa Rita Hills vineyard, the vines are cooled by coastal breezes from the Pacific Ocean and layers of fog. Energetic and bright with a symphony of dark berries and white pepper accents, this fresh Syrah is luscious and beguiling.
Realm Cellars The Bard Proprietary Blend
When you’re in the mood for big and bold, the Bard delivers. This cabernet dominant blend leads with an earthy nose and aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, and espresso. Mega-bodied with a thrilling mouthfeel, this weighty Realm favorite (a member of the Napa elite) is prime for diving into now and built to enchant with time in the cellar.
Yacoubian-Hobbs Areni Noir
Did you know that Armenia is the 6,000-year-old birthplace of wine? This is what inspired world-renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs and the Yacoubian family to craft wines from rare grapes that are grown in the high altitude, mineral-dense soils of Vayots Dzor, Armenia. Oenophiles will delight in discovering Yacoubian-Hobbs wines, including Areni Noir. Deeply cherry-colored, it offers bright red fruit flavors with notes of strawberry, chocolate, baking spices and a touch of earthiness. Relish tasting history with this elegant Areni.
The One In a Million
Greta Montgomery created The One In A Million with a terroir-driven approach. This limited production, direct-to-consumer, 100 percent petit verdot red wine is sourced from a single vineyard in Rutherford, harvested by hand and aged in French Oak barrels. Expressive and robust, it’s a harmonious balance of blackberry, chocolate, violet, and spice and will elevate any gathering, down to the striking design and packaging.
Chateau Montelena 2019 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
A perennial crowd-pleaser, this dense Chateau Montelena cabernet is always a hit. With ripe plum, red currants, a hint of pepper and the silkiest of tannins, savor it now for immediate gratification or cellar this beloved age-worthy classic.
Robert Mondavi Winery 2018 To Kalon Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Those in the know, know To Kalon – arguably Napa’s most famous vineyards. The visionary, pioneering Robert Mondavi founded his namesake Napa winery in 1966 with the goal of crafting the world’s finest wines. Now owned by Constellation Brands, this lively cab comes from the vines of the legendary “First Growth” To Kalon vineyard (translates to “highest beauty”) and casts a spell with aromas and flavors of plum, black currant, violets, and a touch of oak.
St. Supery 2018 Cabernet Dollarhide Vineyard Estate
Located in the Rutherford region of Napa, St. Supery wines are always certain to impress. With deep flavors of cassis, plum, licorice and a hint of toasted barrel, this juicy, textured cabernet serves up a high dose of opulence. With its French chateau style, a visit to the winery is an experience and a must for any Napa itinerary.
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