Drink Up!
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and it’s a prime opportunity to show your significant other how much you care. For my wife and me, Valentine’s Day plans are pretty simple: a nice meal, wine (of course), and something sweet. Chocolates are top of mind for most as the quintessential Valentine’s Day gift, with or without the frilly, heart-shaped box. Read on for a few recommendations of wines that pair well with various chocolates.
If dark chocolate is in your heart-shaped box, pair it with a port wine from the Douro Valley of Portugal, or with a bottle of Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry from the Andalusia region of Spain. Port is a fortified wine, meaning it contains a distilled spirit, such as brandy. Port wine is made from the same indigenous grapes of Portugal that many of the red wines from the Douro and Dao wine regions are made of, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca and others. Production of port wine begins similarly to any other red wine. During fermentation, when an alcohol level of approximately 5-6% and a high residual sugar content are reached, the wine is refrigerated to stop the fermentation process. At this point, the 40% alcohol distilled spirit is added, resulting in a rich, relatively sweet, high-alcohol (approximately 20%), dessert wine. I would recommend the Quinta do Infantado Tawny Port or the Quinta do Infantado 10-Year Tawny. These fortified wines are full-bodied and rich, with notes of black fruit and cherries. They are both an outstanding compliment to dark chocolate.
Pedro Ximenez is the name of the grape from which the sweet sherry produced in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry region of Spain is made. PX Sherry is also a relatively high-alcohol (about 20%) fortified wine. The process of making sherry is rather complicated and takes up to three years to complete. Classic PX Sherry has the aromas and flavors of raisins, dates, and dried figs with notes of chocolate. Try my favorite, the Baron, Pedro Ximénez Xixarito. The taste is velvety and creamy, with an acidity that balances the sweetness and warmth of the alcohol, and has a long, delicious finish.
If you prefer a non-fortified wine, a Petite Sirah or Zinfandel from California works nicely with dark chocolate as well. In my opinion, Petite Sirah is a varietal that California produces better than any other wine region. I highly recommend the J. Lohr Tower Road Petite Sirah from Paso Robles as a wonderful dry red with dark fruit flavor that pairs with dark chocolate perfectly. The Old Soul Petite Sirah is also a great pairing. For a Zinfandel, try the OZV Old Vine Zinfandel. This wine is an easy-drinking, dark red wine with the excellent flavors of blackberries and raspberries. It would be great with dark chocolate. Or, get the best of both varietals! Caymus Wines introduced an incredible red blend of Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, called the Caymus-Suisun, Walking Fool. It is a gorgeous blend of what are, in my opinion, California’s best red wine grapes. You and your valentine will love this.
If milk chocolate is more to your (or your significant other’s) liking, no worries. I have two great Italian options that will make your mate say, “Sii il mio San Valentino.” First, La Gerla Poggio gli Angeli Sangiovese, a 100% Sangiovese Grosso from the region of Montalcino in Tuscany. This is a great choice if you and your partner prefer a full-flavored, dry red wine but with a lighter body. On the other hand, if fuller-bodied wines are your preference, I recommend the Cantelle Primitivo from Puglia, Italy. Primitivo represents the Italian (Old-World) version of the grape we know in California (New World) as Zinfandel. Primitivo’s flavor is more restrained than its California cousin and therefore shares the stage with milk chocolate very well. The flavor profile has notes of raspberry and vanilla, creating a match that is reminiscent of chocolate-covered cherries. I am confident either of these wines would delight your valentine.
For those of you with white chocolate-loving valentines, I offer a white, a red, a rosé, and a bonus option. For a white wine, I recommend the Nik Weis Dry Riesling from Mosel, Germany. It is a wonderful dry white wine with outstanding minerality and a light tropical palate that pairs incredibly well with white chocolate. For a red wine, my recommendation comes from the Beaujolais region of France, the home of one of the more misunderstood grape varietals in the world: Gamay. Gamay is an excellent dry, lighter-bodied wine with a light red fruit flavor that pairs beautifully with white chocolate. The palate is raspberries and cherries, which work wonderfully with this confection. I recommend the L. Tramier & Fils Moulin A Vent. Or, for a rosé, choose the Lionel Osmin Villa La Vie En Rose rosé wine made in the southwest of France. This wine has light flavor notes of strawberry and peach. My bonus recommendation is the Quinta do Infantado White Dry Port. Golden in color, this white port is fresh with citrus fruit and peach aromas and a touch of almond nuttiness from the oak aging. At only 3% residual sugar, this wine is just sweet enough and classifies as a dry port. At 19.5% alcohol, it provides a lovely nightcap for your evening. If I were asked to bring a wine that pairs with a white chocolate dessert, this white port would be my top selection.
The chocolate choices you and your significant other have are limitless. I hope this article has shown you that your wine choices are as well. Contact me with any questions or comments at dsetley@passionvines.com, or stop into the Somers Point store. Until next time, Happy Wining!
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
