Red Means Love: 10 East End Wines for Valentine’s Day

This Valentine’s Day, treat your lover to a luscious red wine from an East End winery. From merlot to a rare sparkling red, these local red wines use a variety of methods and offer your palate a unique flavor.

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard 2016 Red Velvet
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Red Velvet is the name we give to this premium, seductively smooth wine produced from BHFV’s very best vintage to date. This sensuous blend of select Estate Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, in just the right balance, tantalizes the senses with dark fruits, coffee, and peppery nuances. The extensive aging in French oak barrels and then in bottles has produced a bold wine with a firm grip and character. Serving suggestions: It is superb with steaks and roasts while a great match for brie, cheddar cheese and chocolate. Best when served at 63 °F. baitinghollowfarmvineyard.com

Bedell Cellars 2019 Merlot
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Blueberries and spice, elegant and juicy, earthy minerality, fit for a president, hand harvested. Bedell has become synonymous with top Merlots for over 30 years. The 2019 vintage is no exception, following in the footsteps of the 2009 Merlot that was served at the Presidential Inauguration. Made from hand harvested sustainably farmed fruit. bedellcellars.com

Borghese Vineyard & Winery 2019 Pinot Noir Reserve
Tasting notes from the winemaker: 100% Pinot Noir, barrel aged in all French oak. The dark red ruby color captures the eye and captivates. Bright, ripe cherry and raspberry proliferate with a soupçon of vanilla and juniper on the nose. Deliciously resplendent with brilliant bright cherry on the palate and subtle hints of leather and pepper, the wine lends itself to a tart, clean finish. This elegant Pinot Noir is beautifully balanced with silky tannins. The most versatile of all reds. castellodiborghese.com

Diliberto Winery 2016 Cantina
Tasting notes from the winemaker: 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. This well balanced wine combines the spicy notes of Cabernet Franc with the fruity flavors of Merlot. Aged in neutral French oak for one year. A smooth, lingering finished. It is an excellent table wine and pairs perfectly with pasta and pizza. dilibertowinery.com

Jason’s Vineyard 2013 Dessert Wine
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Aged in neutral oak barrels for a minimum of two years. This is a true Port wine using high quality brandy. Cask aging allows this wine to develop rich characteristics of dried fruits, black cherries and raisins. Alcohol 19.5%. jasonsvineyard.com

Lieb Cellars 2019 Estate Meritage
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Deep cherry red with some rim variation, this Bordeaux blend exhibits a bouquet of dark cherry, blackberry, smoke, dark chocolate, and umami. Aged 16 months in Hungarian oak barrels to exhibit a concentration of lush fruit, hints of earth, and a smooth, complex finish. Cellar worthy up to 15 years. liebcellars.com

Paumanok Vineyards Festival Red 2019
Tasting notes from the winemaker: The 2018 Festival Red is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. Medium-bodied with herbal notes and fresh, ripe flavors of cherry, plum and spice. A great everyday red, try pairing it with pasta dishes, meat loaf, hamburgers or pizza. paumanok.com

RG|NY 2018 Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes from the winemaker: A complex blend of spices and red pepper paired with hints of creamy leather. Spice on the finish. Unfiltered. Warm garnet color. Aroma: Beautifully aromatic as cabernet francs usually are. Light, soft tannins that keep you drinking into the sunset. rgnywine.com

Sparkling Pointe 2017 Noir de Noirs
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Noir de Noirs is a very rare 100% Pinot Noir red sparkling wine. With a translucent ruby red color, aromas of cherry jam and bubble gum playfully intermingle with notes of cranberry and cola. On the palate semi sweet flavors of strawberry and red raspberry are up front with a clean finish that combines the complexity of red wine with the elegance and refinement of Méthode Champenoise. sparklingpointe.com

Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2018 Classic Red Blend
Tasting notes from the winemaker: Our Gold Label wines showcase the beauty of our maritime terroir at an outstanding value. This easy go-to red blends varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This wine is extremely food friendly and will age very well. wolffer.com