Drink Up!
By David Setley
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 I, Valentine’s plans are pretty simple: a nice meal, wine (of course), and something sweet. Chocolates are at the top of most people’s minds as the quintessential Valentine’s 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, wonderful options are to 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 wine is a fortified wine, meaning it is wine that 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 is 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 Niepoort Ruby or Tawny Port. These fortified wines are full-bodied and rich, with notes of black fruit and cherries. They are both an outstanding complement to dark chocolate and won’t break the bank.
Pedro Ximenez is the name of the grape from which the sweet Sherry is made in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry region of Spain. 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 a batch. Classic PX Sherry has the aromas and flavor 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 a dark fruit flavor that pairs with dark chocolate perfectly. The Old Soul Petite Sirah is also a great pairing with dark chocolate. 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 Vallone Flaminio Primitivo from Salento, near 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, and a rosé 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 Beaujolais Villages. Or, for a rosé, choose the Esprit Du Lac, a Greek rosé wine made from the Xinomavro grape. This wine has light flavor notes of strawberry and peach. If I were asked to bring a wine that pairs with a white chocolate dessert, this rosé 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. I also invite you to register for our Valentine Wine and Chocolate pairing event on Thursday, Feb. 13, called, “It’s All About Skin Contact.” I’ll explain that title in next week’s article. Get more information or register at passionvines.com/events. Seating is limited. 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.
