As two Italian winos, we get cozy with a few bottles every now and again, and again . . . and again. A rambunctious night with friends, dinner with la famiglia, or a post finals bubble bath — all of these situations present a perfect opportunity to dip into your cellar. But, the best pairing is most definitely wine and the bedroom. In honour of this week’s sex issue we suggest marrying your romance with a bottle or two of Barolo.
Imagine that you’re in Whistler, in a chalet during a blizzard. The room is dark. Cave dark. The walls are decorated in dark mahogany panels with moose and deer antlers. There you are, lying on the rustic, parquet floor in front of the crackling wood fire, covered in a bear fur (and not much else) with your lover beside you. The moment is right. You just need to find the perfect companion.
Well . . . instead of the muscled Brazilian across the hall, we recommend you ménage à trois with a Barolo. This powerhouse from the Italian region of Piemonte is a big, soul-warming, almost black-red wine that fills your mouth and seeps down to your toes.
Barolo is made out of the Nebbiolo grape, which is one of the stars of Italy. Like the grapes they come from, these wines have high tannins, huge power, and structure. They evoke flavours such as leather, chocolate, prunes, figs, violets and, sometimes, tar. Be very careful about opening this baby up too early. At the minimum, a Barolo should be aged five years: in the cellar, we have one from 1996 and it’s still considered a baby!
For that sexy chalet evening, if you want to splurge, we suggest the 2007 Gaja Dagromis. Jordan tasted this wine at a fabulous dinner four months ago and it was phenomenal with hints of black currant and tobacco that will stimulate more than your taste buds, and a finish that goes on and on and on! However, for those of us who don’t want to spend $150 on a bottle, we recommend the 2006 Tre Donne Barolo. This is a wine from a small estate yet it gives off all the power and flavour of its more expensive brothers.
Going out before taking it in? La Cucina in North Vancouver offers an old world Barolo that will tempt you and your partner to head for the car. This wine is the perfect prelude to love making. A fragrant bouquet of aromas smoothly caress your tongue. It all wraps up with a vivacious yet tender finish, making your lips weak and your body, well, powerless.
Your partner a cheap drunk? Try Provence’s sister restaurant, The Wine Bar, in Yaletown. Perfect for the novice sipper, this quaint venue offers wines on tap, giving you the opportunity to try an array of freshly un-oxidized vinos. Butter up your partner with a flight or two of some silky wines and find yourselves slinking off your silks in the sheets.
Wine and sex go together like bread and butter, like Beyonce and Jay Z, like calendars and firefighters. These things are just truths, things you can’t argue with, and things you don’t want to live without. Cheers! To arousing wine tasting and sensual lovemaking.
