Wine of the Week

Drinking Italian in Honor of St. Valentinus

No one knows exactly why St. Valentinus is associated with the holiday of lovers. Was it a Chaucer­ian invention? A mandate from Hallmark? We do know the good saint was Italian, and anything that gives us an excuse for drinking Italian is a good thing. Everyone loves bubbly wine at a celebration, and the Italians grace us with several outstanding examples.

The most common dry sparkling wine from Italy is Prosecco. For years, most imports were from huge manufacturers that had enough financial clout to muscle their way onto American shelves. But lately, medium and smaller Prosecco makers have thrust their way onto American shelves. One delicious version is Adami's Brut Garbèl ($14). The local tale is that the word Garbèl is from an ancient Italian dialect and means "a dry, crisp, pleasantly tart wine." While that sounds a little far-fetched, it's a good description of the wine. It's also very fruity and perfect for a meal, a conversation, or both. If you're feeling a bit more flush, one of Italy's finest sparklers is Ferrari Rosé ($29), a wine made like and fully competitive with French Champagne. The Adami is available at Fresh Plus, the Ferrari is at select H-E-Bs, and both are at the Austin Wine Merchant.

Fancy something a bit sweet? Here's a delicious Italian-American cocktail that's sweet enough to be called a dessert, but not so sweet as to paralyze your palate.

Love Potion #8

2 ounces Bulleit bourbon (other bourbons work, but Bulleit is ideal)
Half-ounce of Frangelico
Quarter-ounce Illy espresso liqueur (or other coffee liqueur)
Quarter-ounce heavy cream

Shake aggressively with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.