Valentine’s Day . . . I am not one for grand romantic gestures but I am surrounded by people who seem to be very much enjoying the experience of falling in love; the effect of which is that even I am softening to the idea of some compulsory romance.

Pity then, that when the red rose brigade are in overdrive, I will be several thousand feet up in the sky, somewhere over the Atlantic.

That does not mean I cannot leave all you happy little love birds with some fun ideas for the day — all wine-related, of course.

Rosé Champagne does not come cheap and decent bargains are thin on the ground. My suggestion is to make a little extra effort and prepare the Champagne cocktail, Kir Royale instead.

It is easy to make and involves adding a small amount (approximately 1/5th of the glass) of blackcurrant liqueur — Crème de Cassis — to the already-poured and chilled Champagne.

The resulting cocktail is gorgeously pink and delicious to drink. There will be those that will disapprove, but there is no need to use Champagne either. I find that a reasonably simple, fresh and dry Crémant de Bourgogne will do just as well at half the price. Check out the Cave de Lugny NV from Oddbins at £10.99 (www.oddbins.com).

It is a touch kitsch (who cares) but you have got to earn more than a couple of brownie points for bringing home a bottle of St Amour from the Beaujolais region for Sunday dinner.

What is more, you can easily double your points by bringing home a good bottle! You will have to be super-speedy and request next day delivery but Hawkshead Wines (www.hawksheadwines.co.uk) have the lovely, fragrant, fresh Domaine de la Guinchule, Saint Amour for £9.99.

I suspect — though have not seen any bottles yet — that the supermarkets will have plenty of the Georges Duboeuf St Amour on the shelves in the coming few days and it is a very reliable alternative.

Maybe you want to offer up a sweet wine for that someone special, and the options on that front are endless. If it were for me, I would like to think something sweet but with a nice crisp edge would be the most appropriate way forward and you could do worse than Waitrose’s Château Les Sablines 2005 Monbazillac (£7.59 for a 50cl bottle www.waitrosewine.com). I am also partial to the exceedingly elegant, sweet Dr Loosen Riesling (£9.49 for a 37.5cl bottle from www.waitrosewine.com).

There is no question that you can say a lot with flowers but a well-chosen bottle of wine also has plenty to say.

However you end up spending Valentine’s Day, I wish you a happy day and if — by some extraordinary chance — your loved one is whisking you away to Florida for a week of romance, try not to rub it in too much if you are sat next to the lonely lady in the aisle seat on row 56.