12 Feb Love is in the air. So is candy. And wine. Pair ’em up for Valentine’s Day!

Everyone who has been dieting faithfully since the holidays, please raise your right hand.

Well, that didn’t work.

If, despite your best intentions, you’ve fallen off the wagon, you can get back on it February 15. 

In the meantime, there’s one more day when you get a hall pass…permission to indulge in two great pleasures, wine and chocolate.  When dialed in correctly, the combination works remarkably well.

We have some tried-and-true recommendations listed below.  But if you want to experiment on your own, a couple of rules of thumb.  First, the wine should be as sweet if not a bit sweeter than the candy.  Also,  light chocolate pairs best with lighter wine while dark chocolate pairs best with darker, more robust wine.

Here are some pairings that work well.

Port with light and/or dark chocolate

Just trying to keep it simple here.  If you have a heart-shaped box of assorted chocolates,  Port will compliment every bite.  It’s sweet enough to work with the entire chocolate spectrum. Port does not go that well with white chocolate.  But white chocolate on Valentine’s Day?  That’s just not right.

Pinot noir with chocolate kisses

Most of the chocolate kisses you’ll find at your neighborhood grocery are made from milk chocolate.  Since it is on the lighter end of the chocolate scale, you want to match it with a lighter wine.  Pinot noir, a lighter red with a nice strawberry taste, goes well with the creamy nature of milk chocolate.

Cabernet Sauvignon with dark chocolate

This one is a classic. The intense flavor of the dark chocolate compliments the robust cabernet with its concentrated fruit notes.  One word: yum.

And just for fun…

Prosecco with conversation hearts

When I was younger…much younger…when I got a conversation heart that said, “ooh lah lah”, I knew it was going to be a good Valentine’s Day.   

But enough about junior high. 

The chalky, gritty consistency of the conversation hearts provides a great foundation for the sweet bubbly nature of the prosecco.  Both on their own, I no like.  Together, I like.

If you can’t be at least a little decadent on Valentine’s Day, there’s something wrong.  Make something right by trying some of these combinations.  And let me know what you think!  Happy V Day!