“We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine.”
— Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan journalist and novelist (1940-2015)
February means we’re still bundling up for winter but also finally turning our attention toward spring; it’s time to plan gardens, depart on late-winter trips, and, of course, celebrate Valentine’s Day. A cozy meal with fun wine pairings could be the fitting antidote to cold-weather cabin fever.
For this month’s selections, TeamWine chose both a red and a white, both featuring beloved farm animals on the labels: a llama and a goat, respectively—they seem to serve as a reminder to be playful while waiting for the return of Spring.
Sips
The red is a Llama Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2025 (13.5% abv $18) from Belasco de Baquedano. This wine, which is aged on French Oak and estate bottled in Mendoza Argentina, is from 100 percent Cabernet Franc grapes grown at just over 3,400 feet in the Andes foothills in sandy soil on silt and clay deposits.
Wine tasting notes online suggest that this classic French grape grown at higher elevation means elegant, concentrated fruit, and TeamWine would agree.
The deep red color underscores the wine’s elegance, and on the nose is a “lively” range of aromas from cassis and pepper to cherry and tobacco. One TeamWine member picked up molasses but “in a good way,” which is an understandable statement when it comes to wine.
On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with soft tannins, and flavors reminiscent of baking chocolate, fig, pepper, and cherry. In fact, one TeamWine member wrote that cherry comes through on the finish as next-day cherry pie.
Overall, TeamWine is a fan of this expression of Cabernet Franc and would pair it with comfort foods like skirt steak, dry cheese, or mushroom ravioli.
To read the remainder of this premium article and other premium articles in their entirety, pick up the Julien’s Journal February 2026 issue. Single issues are available in print for free at area newsstands, or you can click here to read the entire article for free in the digital version of the magazine.
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