Greetings Wine Sisters! Cupid is setting up his arrows for his big day, our favorite day to celebrate love. And what do we love more than wine? Our gal pals, of course! This year, join us in planning a sweet and saucy Valentine’s Party!

Read on for some awesome appetizer and wine pairings, fun crafts you can do together, and even a party game. It’s sure to be a fun and fab celebration!

Lovely & Lovable Snacks 

When you want to get to the heart of the appetizer matter, think artichokes! And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a classic creamy and dreamy artichoke dip? This recipe for Artichoke Dip Stuffed Mushrooms from Culinary Hill are rich and full of flavor, and just toasty enough for those chilly February nights. Simply combine marinated artichoke hearts with softened cream cheese, parmesan, mayo, and scallions, and you’ve got the most delightful foil for PromisQous Red. Do we love ‘em? Yes, we do!

Earthy beets bring huge color appeal to your Valentine’s day party and make an unexpected base for this zingy Creamy Beet Dip with White Crudités. Grate and sauté hot pink beets, then combine with honey, vinegar, and sour cream. Serve with white and pale green veggies for real visual appeal. Pair these lovely bites with a glass of PromisQous White for a real treat.

Toast to love and friendship with Middle Sister’s Glamour Girl, paired with a luscious Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Goat Cheese. The sweet and savory tapenade is prepared by softening figs and combining with olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, and chopped thyme. Add walnuts just before serving, and serve with goat cheese and French breach rounds. Ooh la la! (Try this recipe with Wassum Ranch Olive Oil, right from Wine Sister Natalie’s family farm.)

For a striking and simple spread, you can’t go wrong with a heart-shaped stack of extra sharp cheddar and tangy pink lady apples. Shape the cheddar with a mini cookie cutter and layer on a toothpick. Get inspiration here and here, and pair with Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon.

All of the wines are of course available in our Wine Sisterhood Wine Shop*. And, if you want to find our wines near you, fill out this form and we’ll be happy to help you track them down!

*Order by January 30, 2015 to ensure delivery by February 14, 2015.

BYO Corks!

Celebrate your creativity with these Valen-Wine crafts! Take all those corks you’ve been saving up, and turn them into adorable and heartfelt gifts for the ones you love!

Set the mood for romance with the cork votive holder shown above from Lizzie Joe Designs. You can replicate it with just a few simple materials: corks, hot glue, glass candle holders, candles, red ribbon, and a heat-proof base material. First, measure around your glass candle holder to see how many corks you need to make it around (it should be about 11). Then hot glue the corks together, and affix to the base. Decorate with ribbon and any other fun diddies you have on hand! 

You can also use those corks to decorate the house with a heart-shaped cork wreath. This video tutorial will lead you through all the steps needed. With about 50 corks, ribbons, or Valentine washi tape and a strong glue, you too can dress things up for love in no time!

We also love these lollipops made with port wine, which make great gifts. Start with a red wine reduction, and end with a sprinkle of gold luster dust. Glamorous!

Take a look at a past Valentine’s Day Wine Crafts blog post of ours for even more ideas. 

Games People Play

After the crafts are done, pull out a grown-up party game! Truth or Dare Jenga is just the ice-breaker you need to get the conversation flowing. Contribute your own truths or dares to personalize the game. This version of the game is definitely not for the faint of heart!

Now that you’ve got the food, the wine, the crafts, and a great party game, get out there and make this Valentine’s Day one to remember!

What fun activities do you have planned this Valentine’s Day? Share with us in a comment below!