“
They are not long, the days of wine and roses. Out of a misty dream, our path emerges for a while, then closes, within a dream
.”
Ernest Dowson
Rekindle the flame of love this Valentine’s Day, with rosé champagne, handmade chocolates, and other gifts for romancing your loved one. Our first part of the Valentine’s Gift Guide includes handpicked drinks and chocolates.
Chocolate Rose & Passionflower Valentine’s Tea by Bloom
Multi-award winning London Tea Company
Commence your day of love with Valentine’s breakfast. We suggest a selection of fresh pastries accompanied by Bloom’s exclusive Valentine’s Tea, created by master tea blender Craig Coulton. As the editor is a tea connoisseur, she adores the fantastic blends that Bloom Tea produce. Craig gives much thought to the health benefits of each blend, and sources only the finest quality tea. The Valentine’s Tea is a magical blend of Sri Lankan Black Tea, Rose Petals, Cocoa Shells, Vanilla and Passionflowers, truly an extraordinary taste sensation. Housed in a ruby hand blown glass caddy with a gold lid, packaged in a leatherette box, this would also make a fabulous gift.
Limited Edition Valentine’s Tea £24.95 for 50g.
Available exclusively from Harvey Nicols Foodmarkets and online .
Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Releases Limited Edition
Rosé Sauvage Bodyguard Bottle for Valentine’s Day
Champagne Piper-Heidsieck was founded in 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck. Since its creation, the champagne has always been associated with the greats and the good; from Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, to Marilyn Monroe, who famously claimed that she that she wore only a few drops of Chanel No. 5 perfume in bed, and began each morning with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck champagne.
Piper-Heidsieck has released a limited edition bottle perfect for Valentine’s Day: The Bodyguard. The bottle is enveloped in a stunning crocodile-like skin that is a perfect replica of a crocodile’s scales created using the latest thermoplastic elastomer technology. A Nile crocodile was scanned for twelve days and nights. The image was then laser printed onto a steel mould, which was then filled with molten latex. This skin keeps champagne cooler for longer.
Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage is made from the same award winning blend as Piper Brut NV with the addition of red wines from the Côte des Bar which gives it its distinctive intense colour and ample fruity nose and mouth.
The Piper-Heidsieck Bodyguard Rosé Sauvage is available from the Whisky Exchange for £39.95
Champagne Gosset Grande Rosé Brut
Sip from the blush toned sparkling champagne, as you share Valentine’s evening with your loved one. Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne and produces Rosé Brut (a non-vintage Champagne) and Celebris Rosé (Vintage Champagne). Gosset use the blending method to produce Rosé Champagne, combining 58% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot
Noir
, and 7% Red Wine. From the delightful appearance resembling pink rose petals through to the wild strawberry flavours, Gosset Champagne will ensure your celebrations ignite the sparkle in your relationship.
Grand Rosé £55
Celebris 2003 Rosé Extra Brut
For that extra special celebration, try Celebris Rosé Extra Brut, 68% Chardonnay and 32% Pinot Noir Grand Cru. A complex beautiful pale pink champagne, tantalising the taste buds with flavours of red berries and strawberries, finishing with hints of liquorice, aniseed and vanilla.
£120
Available from Berry Bros, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
Valentine’s 2013 Chocolate Collection by Paul A Young
Winner of five international Chocolate Awards
A breathtaking array of hand decorated chocolates is sure to get you in the mood for love (chocolate has two natural mood enhancing chemicals:- Phenylethylamine and Seratonin) created by chocolatier Paul A Young. ‘The Love potion’ certainly is an outstanding gem within the jewel box of chocolates, a unique exquisite chocolate flavoured with jasmine flower, ylang-ylang, geranium, vanilla and lavender.
The full collection: Truffles, ganaches and caramels – • Clotted cream, Champagne, rose and raspberry heart • Chipotle chilli and honey truffle • Black forest gateau truffle • Moroccan spiced coffee • Love potion – jasmine flower, ylang-ylang, geranium, vanilla and lavender • The Hipster – Cocoa nib Bourbon tobacco sour • The London gent – black pepper and treacle caramel ganache truffle. Smooth, well balanced and intense • ‘The rare tea company’ Earl grey tea, orange and lemon curd. • Indian Rose petal masala spiced truffle with sweet toasted coconut • Ginger pig black pudding truffle with ginger biscuit and beer.
1 choc £2, 4 piece box £7.00, 9 piece £15.50, 15 piece £26.00, 25 piece £40.00 & 42 piece £65.00
• www.paulayoung.co.uk • Flagship chocolaterie: 143 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1F 8WA Tel: 020 7437 0011 • Paul’s other chocolateries at 33 Camden Passage, N1 8EA and 20 Royal Exchange, Threadneedle Street, EC3V 3LP
Courvoisier XO Imperial Cognac
Winner of two gold medals and one double gold medal
One of the finest XO’s in the world, the fine matured cognac is a master blend of intoxicating flavours. The notes of candied orange, Crème brûlée and Iris flower subtly crescendo much like a lover’s dance or a transfixing opera. Enjoy with a decadent desert, perhaps Crème brûlée or café gourmand.
70cl £103.82
Available from selected Waitrose stores and www.thedrinkshop.com
By Sarah Ince
