By guest blogger Benjamin Prelvukaj, founder of Benjamin Steakhouse

What is the one gift that everyone loves on Valentine’s Day? Chocolate, of course! It is always a great accompaniment to the main gift, of course. But isn’t that overly cliché? Why not be a more innovative and sophisticated gift-giver? One thoughtful alternative would be dessert wine. One such is ice wine, a sweet dessert wine made by grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. Many premier ice wines are from Canada, as well as Austria and Germany, as their cold winter months are ideal for the unique production. One good example is Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine, from the Niagara Falls area. This amber-colored wine with nuances of apricot, quince, and hints of honey, is truly a delight to the palate, and a great way to end a romantic dinner, or enjoy on its own.

If you prefer a domestic wine, Freemark Abbey is an excellent dessert wine from Napa Valley. Also golden-colored, this refreshing wine has a more peachy aroma, accompanied with a hint of apricot, mandarin orange and honeysuckle.

If you really want to splurge and truly impress, however, you can always go for the best Sauternes on the market: Chateau d’Yquem. Produced in the Gironde region in the southern part of Bordeaux, this complex wine begins with hints of plum, apricot, and figs, followed by hints of pear with spicy nuances. Please note that this wine ages beautifully, so you might want to save it for a relationship that has flourished with age, as well!

Enjoy!






Editor's Note: About our guest blogger Benjamin Prelvukaj



Benjamin Prelvukaj is the ambitious young entrepreneur who founded Benjamin Steak House. Benjamin, along with fellow Peter Luger alumni, Chef Arturo McLeod, started Benjamin Steak House in 2006. In two short years, Benjamin Steak House has established itself as one of New York’s premiere steak houses, attracting business professionals and celebrities alike.

At the humble age of 18, he moved to New York in pursuit of a better life for him and his family. After working at various New York restaurants, he began working full-time as a waiter at the famous Peter Luger steakhouse in Brooklyn while also attending school. Juggling school and a full-time job was no easy task, but Benjamin was determined to succeed.

While working at Peter Luger, Benjamin paid close attention to what made the restaurant so successful. He also took note of the areas he thought needed improvement. These assessments were the building blocks to the development of Benjamin Steak House. After assembling a group of investors, Benjamin began to search for a location for his dream restaurant. When he stumbled upon the Dylan Hotel, Benjamin knew he had found the right place. The elegant setting of the two-story space, located in the century-old Chemist Club building near Grand Central was exactly what he has envisioned. With its brass chandeliers, soaring ceilings, and 10-foot fireplace, the location felt like a Sinatra-esque throwback to the Big Band Era.

Many restaurants had failed in this location before- including the Chemist Club Grill and Britney Spears’ NYLA- but that did not deter Benjamin. The first 6 months after the opening, business was slow, but Mr. Prelvukaj refused to lose hope. He continued to refine his menu, hire the finest wait and kitchen staff, and promote Benjamin Steak House around the city. In time, his hard work paid off. Today it is rare to find an empty seat in Benjamin’s, even on weekdays, and celebrity clientele include world champion boxers Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko, movie stars Vin Diesel, Hillary Duff, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Meloni, and Reba McIntyre, and super models Naomi Campbell and Jessica Hart, among others. Benjamin Prelvukaj’s success story is truly inspirational, and a testament to the fact that, no matter where you come from, if you have the ambition and persistence, you too can live the American dream.