THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR A ROMANTIC VALENTINE'S DAY.

Byline: Larry Lipson

Obviously, every alcoholic beverage brand would have you believe that theirs is the best drink for a romantic Valentine's Day.

But the people behind Agavero tequila ($30) have a better argument than most.

They tell us that this 100 percent blue agave tequila is blended with the Damiana flower. And that the Damiana supposedly has been ``known for centuries as a powerful aphrodisiac.''

So they recommend that Valentine's Day dinner twosomes end their meal with Agavero and dark chocolate.

Personally, I prefer tequila with lime before dinner. But Agavero, because of its subtle sweetness, lends itself particularly well to meal endings. It is also smoother than most tequilas.

Agavero's secret mixture -- a blend of anejo and reposado tequilas aged separately in charred, white oak casks -- dates back to 1857.

At that time it was created by Lazaro Gallardo, founder of Los Camichines Distillery, Jalisco, Mexico.

Generations later, it's still hand-crafted in the same manner it was 150 years ago.

SENSIBLE GUIDE: Probably the best aid to purchasing wine for the everyday buyer is the 2007 edition of Andrea Robinson's ``Wine Buying Guide for Everyone'' (Broadway Books; $12.95). Here's a sensible, no-frills approach to choosing wines from the intimidating thousands of bottles available. This is Robinson's fifth edition, now with some 800 listings. Noticeably, she doesn't bother with vintage dates and explains why.

These are the wines that you'll find most frequently on store shelves and in chain restaurants. Being top-selling wines, they are fairly consistent year after year.

``Most wines do not get better with age,'' she asserts, ``so why wait?'' She lists them alphabetically by type and varietal, gives each a price range denoted by dollar signs, and notes their taste and value scores (zero to 30). She also indicates whether the wine will be any good days later if unfinished. Some even get better, she notes.

If you're a wine snob or serious collector, forget this guide. It's simply a handy book for people who like wine and need a little help with the selection process.

NEW RELEASES: From L.A.'s own San Antonio Winery comes its 90th-anniversary bottling, a 2002 red blend of syrah, petite sirah, grenache and mourvedre titled Heritage ($24.95). Get it at the winery's downtown store, 737 Lamar St. Information: [phone] or www.sanantoniowinery.com. ... You won't find a much better sauvignon blanc than the latest from New Zealand's Kim Crawford, his 2006 ($17) is now on the shelves. Information online at www.kimcrawfordwines.co.nz. ... In time for a bubbly Valentine's Day from Spain are Segura Viudas brut rose ($10) and extra dry (which is slightly sweet, $10). Information:www.seguraviudasusa.com. ... From Bordeaux, there are a couple of real bargains, Premius 2002 Rouge and Premius 2005 Blanc, the former a merlot and cabernet blend and the latter a sauvignon blanc and semillon blend. They're both priced around $10 a bottle. Information: www.ymau.fr.

SIPS AND NIBBLES: Grgich Hills will celebrate its 30th birthday with an 07/07/07 party at 7 p.m. at its Napa Valley estate in Rutherford. Its wine club members can attend for $77. But it's $20 more for the rest of the attendees. Information: [phone] or www.grgich.com.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com