Selecting Wine for Date Night: Sparkling Rosé or Pinot Noir?

One of our best customers asked which wine he should serve on Date Night; Sparkling Rosé or Pinot Noir?

While I'm inclined to suggest both, if forced to choose, I've written the pros and cons of Sparkling Rosé or Pinot Noir to help in that decision. While I wrote this from my perspective of a man trying to woo a woman, use whatever pronouns you need to have this advice apply to your romantic situation.


Sparkling Rosé

Photo by Maria Orlova

Photo by Maria Orlova

While I write this with our 2018 Acclara Sparkling Rosé in mind, the pros and cons apply to most sparkling rosé.

The Pros:

  • The versatility of sparkling rosé as a match with food makes it a bit of an insurance policy. There is a real risk in selecting a bottle without knowing what's for dinner. That Pinot Noir in your hand would have been great with the lamb chops you were expecting. But the Dover sole in dill and white wine butter sauce that you will be having? Maybe not so much. Should you burn that steak to a charred crisp, be reassured your rose will also pair well with a quickly delivered pizza.

  • Another consideration is opening the bottle. Most Sparkling Rosé wines are in bottles with closures that don’t require a corkscrew. In the more unique case of the Acclara, closed with a crown cap (like a beer bottle), not having a bottle opener creates an opportunity for seduction. You can pull a MacGyver. Open the bottle with a belt buckle, her hairbrush, something from the glove box or junk drawer. Prove to your date that should the two of you be stranded on a tropical island; having you there increases the odds of survival.

  • Nothing makes a moment feel more like a celebration than tiny bubbles streaking up the side of a glass. Classy, sassy, and dare we say, sexy? An excellent sparkling rosé can up your game.

The Cons

  • The delicate nature and pink hue of a sparkling rosé might challenge more traditional men’s masculinity. Does the pink wine in the clear bottle feel like you’re carrying a Pomeranian with a bow? Do the self-check and deep work first: are you brave enough to bring pink bubbly? NOTE: Let’s hope so - most people love a man confident enough to flaunt pink.

  • Once an excellent sparkling rosé gets in the glass, there is a clear and present danger your efforts to have a serious discussion about your future together will be repeatedly interrupted by your date exclaiming that the wine is sooooo good.

  • The infinitely drinkable nature of sparkling rosé in general, and the PROJECT M Acclara specifically, pose significant risks of… how do we say this subtly… relaxed understanding of one’s virility and fertility. Only serve Sparkling Rosé on date night to those with whom you intend a long-term commitment.



Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is made in a vast range of styles. While the points made below can be applied generally to Pinot Noir from anywhere, it has been unscientifically proven that Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley increases the rate of successful dates by 32%.

Photo by Jep Gambardella

Photo by Jep Gambardella

The Pros

  • For those we mentioned above who might feel their masculinity challenged by a pink wine, listen carefully for the gasp of awe as you walk into the room with a bottle of Pinot Noir in hand. You might even hear whispers of "Is that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson?".

  • The most obvious consideration for Pinot Noir? It's sexy. You'll appear sophisticated, worldly, and wise. Showing up with some of those other red wines would be like taking her to an Adam Sandler movie or slipping a whoopee cushion onto her seat.

  • There is an excellent chance that at some point in the evening, chocolate will make an appearance. Will your wine pair with it? If it's Pinot, it will.

The Cons

  • When opening a great bottle of Pinot Noir, there is a chance, depending on your personality, that you won't be as interesting as the wine. We suggest speaking as little as possible, listen to your date and let the wine do its job.

  • People like to dress up for date night. Spilling a bottle of Pinot on your date's white cashmere sweater will turn the evening into a disaster. Treat both the wine and the date with the care and consideration they both deserve.

  • Bringing a bottle made from a grape you've heard of and can pronounce might draw the critical attention of any hipsters in your company. Disaster! You can quickly break the tension by distracting them. Reassure them that the wine pairs beautifully with bone broth, or ask them if their favorite brand of beard oil is available at Whole Foods.



Choosing between Sparkling Rosé and Pinot Noir for Date Night can be a difficult decision. We hope this guide has provided helpful considerations. If you still struggle to choose, you can always resist the tyranny of "or" and select both Sparkling Rosé and Pinot Noir.