What does a wine lover do on Valentine's Day? Savor a new bottle or enjoy the company of an old favorite.

I planned for the latter but ended up with a glass of the former, as Mother Nature kept me from meeting my latest wine crush- the wines of Lebanon.

The ripe, lush Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir made a fine last-minute date on the 14th, but my palate was primed for Lebanese wine.

A few days later I arrived at The Egyptian ready to explore those wines and enjoy some conversation with Rum Boy. He prefers that elixir, but usually orders beer when I'm reviewing wines - wines that he happily tastes and offers his honest opinion about when asked. Smart man. He drank water with no rum that night but gladly sipped and offered impressions of the wines, as we tasted them alongside an order of beef shwarma on hummus and Egyptian fries.

I asked the owner why he didn't have any Egyptian wines on his list - yes, there are such bottles. He said most are not good, and few are imported to the US. He therefore chose to feature wines from that part of the world that he felt would work with the menu, thus the two Lebanese bottles on the internationally inspired list.

We tried the white wine first.

Chateau Kefraya - "La Dame Blanche" - interesting blend of white grapes. The menu says sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and viognier. When I asked, however, to see the bottle, the grapes listed were ugni blanc, clairette and bourbolene. The combination makes for soft, slightly citrus nose with slightly oily flavors of lemon, herbs and minerals. The soft, clean fresh flavors worked well with the aromatic and spicy hummus dish.

Chateau Kefraya - "Les Breteches" - this dry red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, mourvedre, carignane and grenache, a curious combination that is reflected in its flavors. Very heavy fruit tannins leave a sort of dusty mouth feel and chewy flavors of blackberry and black cherry.

Rum Boy didn't care for this one. Said it tasted like vinegar. Combined with the spicy tastes of the dish, it wasn't a good match. This wine would probably be delicious with the Philly steak and cheese sandwich on the menu, as it needs something fatty and rich to soften those tannins. The Egyptian fries (basically steak cut French fries) weren't greasy or heavy, and according to Rum Boy actually tasted better with the white wine.

If you're not in the mood for Lebanese wine, you can pick another country and be happy, as The Egyptian offers everything from a tangy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to an earthy Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. And yes they have a blush: the white zinfandel from California's Kenwood Winery. The beer list is eclectic as well, including one of Rum Boy's favorites, Stella Artois. I have a penchant for the Guinness.

Prices for beer or wine are reasonable and as usual the best deal is to buy the bottle.