Dining

Valentine’s Day drinks gift guide: fine wine, champagne and rare spirits they’ll love

Valentines day drinks from Hackstons

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Hackstons of Knightsbridge is offering a curated selection of last-minute luxury drinks gifts certain to elevate the most romantic night of the year.

In-house expert Guillaume Ragot has selected five outstanding bottles that tick all the right boxes, from celebratory sparkling wines, to memorable sippers, and luxury after-dinner pours.

You’re in good hands. The drinks retailer is fresh from collecting the Newcomer of the Year award at a gala ceremony this month at The Dorchester, attended by leading figures from across the drinks, luxury, and retail industries.

The drinks retailer is fresh from collecting the Newcomer of the Year award at The Dorchester…

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé 2011 (£250)

A rare Valentine’s showstopper, this is one of Taittinger’s rarest and most exclusive releases, only 15,000 bottles were produced. Crafted from Grand Cru Chardonnay, blended with 15 per cent Bouzy Pinot Noir, it has a pink-gold hue and offers an aromatic, complex flavour profile: wild strawberries, blood orange and rose petals, all wrapped in a silky mousse. A bottle for moments that truly matter.

Nyetimber 1086 Rosé 2013 (£170)

Nyetimber’s prestige cuvée rosé, this is English sparkling wine at its absolute pinnacle, confidently standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest prestige Champagnes. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and boasting a silky mousse, it’s expressive, elegant, and perfect for marking that special moment.

Seventy One Gin (£165)

Perfume-like and floral, this is a striking, cask‑aged English gin created by fashion photographer Mert Alas. In addition to classic gin botanicals, ingredients include Queen of the Night cactus flower (an orchid‑like bloom that opens only at night, giving delicate jasmine‑like aromas), rose petals and grapefruit peel. The bottle is also designed to resemble a luxury perfume flacon!

Château d’Yquem 1997 (£445)

Decadence, distilled. A legendary sweet wine layered with honey, exotic fruit and warm spice. Shaped by favourable late‑harvest conditions in Sauternes, it showcases the estate’s trademark richness, purity, and enviable depth. Best enjoyed as the final flourish to an unforgettable evening.

Yamazakura Asaka Single Malt Whisky (£125)

This limited‑release, craft Japanese single malt, is bottled at 46% ABV, and produced at the Asaka Distillery, operated by Sasanokawa Shuzo, a historic spirits company founded in 1765 in Kōriyama, Honshu. It’s described as soft, floral and quietly charming, with notes of orchard fruit, honeyed malt and gentle spice – an approachable yet elegant Valentine’s dram.

A Hackstons spokesperson said:“Our Valentine’s selection is all about atmosphere. Each bottle was chosen to elevate the moment, whether that’s a celebratory start, a lingering conversation, or the perfect final pour of the evening.”

For more information about Hackstons, its Knightsbridge flagship store, or to explore the Valentine’s Day selection, visit hackstons.com.

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK