Something to wine about: Wine and chocolate make a perfect pair any time of the year

Just because Valentine's Day has passed doesn’t mean wine drinkers can’t continue to enjoy what is arguably the perfect complement to a bottle of wine: a box of chocolates.

 

At first, pairing wine and chocolate might seem challenging. But have fun with it. If you know what wine you like and what chocolates you like, start from there.

One of my favorite pairings is Duck Walk Blueberry Port with dark semi-sweet chocolate. It's something the Long Island winery does for visitors to its two East End tasting rooms, and is a huge hit.

First you take a bite of chocolate and then a sip of wine, letting the wine flow over the chocolate in your mouth. The combination is intoxicating.

A fan of white chocolate? Try pairing a rich buttery Chardonnay with white chocolate.

White chocolate also goes well with Riesling, while milk chocolate goes well with Merlot.

Like chocolate with nuts like almonds? Try a rich oaky Cabernet.

If you like fruit in your chocolate you might try a Pinot Noir, a Beaujolais or even a Chianti.

Sea salt chocolate goes well with Malbec.

Some chocolates now contain chili pepper to spice things up. You could pair that fiery chocolate with a spicy Rioja, or take the opposite approach and go with a velvety smooth red blend like Apothic Red.

Want to celebrate with sparkling wine? Champagnes complement numerous flavors and therefore pair well with many chocolates.

Proseccos and Cavas lend themselves well to pairing, too. All the sparklers add a festive note to tasting.

You can almost never go wrong with a wine and chocolate combination — as long as you use quality chocolates and quality wine.

This doesn't mean you have to break the bank, but you do want real chocolate. And if you wouldn't like it on its own, don't expect to enjoy it with wine.

Same thing applies to wine. If it isn't a wine you would enjoy sans chocolate, don't expect it to enhance your chocolate and wine experience.

Linda Delmonico Prussen is an award-winning journalist, passionate about all things wine, who lives on Long Island.