Tequila, champagne, sake, non‑alcoholic sparkle and a very special Krug
February is doing the most this year: Valentine’s Day on the 14th, Lunar New Year and Pancake Day landing together, and that strange pre‑spring light where it’s still freezing but your social life has decided it’s time to leave the house again.
So, part two of the February guide is all about what’s in your glass. Think: a serious tequila for Palomas at home, a snow‑bear sake for Lunar New Year dinners, two very different champagnes (including a Krug x Max Richter moment), and a non‑alcoholic sparkling rosé that actually feels like a treat.
1. Krug x Max Richter – “Every Note Counts”
If February had a soundtrack, this would be it. Krug’s From Soloist to Orchestra in 2008 – Act 2 brings together three champagnes from the same year – Clos d’Ambonnay 2008, Krug 2008 and Krug Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition – framed as a kind of champagne symphony. Each bottle is a different “movement”: soloist, ensemble, orchestra.
For this collaboration, Krug Cellar Master Julie Cavil invited composer Max Richter into the world of Reims and Ambonnay: vineyard walks, tasting sessions, time in the new winery, and long conversations about craft. In return, he wrote three original pieces – Clarity, Ensemble and Sinfonia – each inspired by one of the cuvées. The idea is simple but very Krug: if every note in champagne matters, every musical note should, too.
Clos d’Ambonnay 2008 is the laser‑focused solo – pure Pinot Noir from a tiny walled plot, all toasted brioche, dark chocolate and candied citrus. Krug 2008 is the “orchestra” of the vintage: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier in balance, with that trademark tension between richness and acidity that makes it feel almost endless on the palate. Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition is the generous finale, blending more than 120 wines from 11 vintages around a 2008 core. Together, the set feels like an ultra‑luxe way to mark a big February – Lunar New Year table, milestone birthday, or the “we finally got everyone in the same city” reunion. This is your splurge bottle(s); the one you open when the night deserves a score as well as a toast.
2. PATRÓN – Palomas, Not Just Margaritas
For something a little more democratic – and very February‑coded – go tequila. PATRÓN’s portfolio is built around 100% Weber Blue Agave, water and yeast, with the same handcrafted distillation process running through Silver, Reposado and Añejo.
- PATRÓN Silver is your clean, bright base: notes of cooked agave, honeydew, lemongrass and citrus peel.
- PATRÓN Reposado spends at least four months in oak, picking up honey, vanilla and gentle tropical fruit.
- PATRÓN Añejo is aged for a minimum of 12 months in white oak, leaning into baking spices, orange and toffee.
For a Valentine’s‑meets‑Galentine’s night in, skip the obvious Margarita and make their PATRÓN Paloma with Reposado: fresh pink grapefruit juice, lime, grapefruit soda and a 40ml hit of PATRÓN Reposado over ice, finished with a sugar‑and‑salt rim and a grapefruit slice. It lands in that soft pink zone (very on theme for both Valentine’s and Lunar New Year), but tastes grown‑up: bitter, bright, slightly creamy from the agave, and dangerously easy to top up. One bottle, a bag of citrus and a tray of ice will happily see you through an evening of catching up, plotting, or quietly securing your next date.
3. Yukiguma Junmai Daiginjo Sake – Snow Bear For New Year
For Lunar New Year, move away from automatic champagne and pour something that actually comes from where the lanterns and red envelopes originate. Yukiguma – “snow bear” – is a Junmai Daiginjo sake brewed at the foot of Mount Ikoma in Osaka, using pristine spring water and highly polished rice.
The style is all about purity and texture: sweet, floral and softly fruity notes (think mangosteen, lychee, persimmon) layered over a gentle, creamy umami. Each sip feels weightless but memorable – exactly the kind of bottle you put in the middle of a New Year table and quietly watch disappear over the course of the evening.
Serve it lightly chilled in small wine glasses alongside delicate dishes – sashimi, steamed fish, dumplings – or as a first toast before you dive into something richer. Available via Marlo at RRP £120 per bottle. It’s a considered gift for the host who has everything, or a way to make your own at‑home reunion dinner feel a little more ceremonial.
4. Lanson Le Rosé Création – Pink For All Occasions
If you want something classic but not predictable, Lanson’s Le Rosé Création is an easy “yes”. With over 260 years of champagne know‑how behind it, this cuvée lands in the glass as a soft blush pink with fine bubbles, red‑berry aromatics and just enough floral lift to feel romantic without being sweet.
Cellar Master Hervé Dantan blends wines from more than 100 crus, including Grand and Premier Crus, and layers in rosé reserve wines plus a touch of red wine for colour and structure. The result is crisp, fresh and very versatile: it works for Valentine’s dinner, Lunar New Year toasts, and even an indulgent Pancake Day brunch if you’re that way inclined.
5. Wild Idol Non‑Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé – For When You’re Pacing Yourself
Not every celebration needs alcohol – but the non‑drinkers deserve something better than soda water in a wine glass. Wild Idol Non‑Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé is one of the rare 0% bottles that genuinely feels like a treat, not a compromise.
£29.99
£29.99
Made from a blend of Müller‑Thurgau and Merlot grapes using traditional winemaking techniques (but kept from fermenting), it pours a twilight pink with fine bubbles and lots of aromatic fruit: red berries, crisp green apple, gooseberry, rhubarb and grapefruit, finishing with a little vanilla‑and‑almond richness. It’s vegan, gluten‑free, 25 kcal per 100ml and contains no added sugar.
Pour it into proper flutes for designated drivers, dry‑Jan‑ish friends who haven’t quite given up, or anyone who just wants a clear head the next day. Available direct from Wild Idol and at spots like Nobu and Harrods.
Five bottles, five moods: orchestral Krug for the big moments, PATRÓN for nights in with people you actually like, Yukiguma for red‑lantern dinners, Lanson for anything that needs a little pink sparkle, and Wild Idol when you still want the ritual of a toast without the aftermath. However your February looks – roses, lanterns, pancakes or all three – there’s something here to raise a glass to it.
