A jug of wine and thou: Pressure is on when choosing a Valentine’s Day vintage

The best response to a question sometimes is another question. You ask: What wine should my sweetie and I drink on Valentine’s Day?

Response: How long have you been together?

Just think in terms of how long you’ve been a couple:

Six months or less: Think pink and bubbles. The bloom is still on your relationship, big time, and the beverage should reflect that. If money is little object, shell out for the real deal from Champagne, $75-plus for Billecart-Salmon or Pol Roger or maybe half that for Nicolas Feuillatte or Piper-Heidsieck. Or spend a bit more on the food and look for something from Alsace (Albrecht, Zinck, Pierre Sparr) or Austria (Brundlmayer).

One to five years: The bloom might be off the rose (or the rosé), but you’re still sweet on each other, so celebrate with one of those lush, nectar-like wines. Two sweet ones worth a $70 splurge are the Baumard Quarts de Chaume, a chenin blanc from France’s Loire region, or Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine from Ontario. But more affordable options abound, from chocolate-infused reds (Trentadue Chocolate Amore or Rosenblum Desiree) to a wonderful Washington riesling (Chateau Ste. Michelle’s “Eroica”) to the gorgeous dessert wines from France’s Banyuls region (Chapoutier, Les Clos de Paulilles).

Five to 10 years: So now there’s a good chance your relationship is as much about looking ahead as looking back. Wine and wanderlust are natural companions: People who enjoy wine invariably love to travel, especially to vine-laden lands. So as you start mapping your trips, begin exploring the destination’s bounty: Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany (Casanova di Neri Tenuta, Banfi), pinot noir from Oregon (Ken Wright, Le Cadeau), the under-recognized whites of Australia (Yalumba Vermentino, Brokenwood Semillon).

More than 10 years: Plenty of options, starting with a vintage bottle from the year of your first date or wedding (if you have a hard time finding one, get a 20-year-old Tawny Port from Dow or Taylor Fladgate). Or have the same wine you savored together on a cherished trip, at a wedding, or on your best date of late.

But really, anything you two feel like having is just fine.