Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and many of us are still scratching our heads, wondering what on earth to buy for our partners. Fortunately, unlike several years ago, we now have online resources to aid us in our search. As you look around for the perfect romantic gift, you are bound to come across some lovely romantic hampers as well as things like wine and chocolate. If your partner enjoys wine and is also a fan of chocolate, then a wine and chocolate gift is definitely the way to go! While some might say that chocolate doesn’t go well with wine, others know that wine can be paired with anything if you take the time to really analyse the flavours and aromas. Different types of chocolate suit different kinds of wine.
 
White Chocolate
Since white chocolate contains no actual cocoa (rather cocoa fat), it’s one of the easiest kinds of chocolates to pair with wine. Some of the popular choices include Ice Wine, Muscat, and Rosé Port. The sweet flavours of these wines compliment the sweetness of white chocolate and neither one will dominate the other.
 
Milk Chocolate
This is, by far, a favourite among most chocolate lovers. Good quality milk chocolate will have a smooth and creamy feel to it. Milk chocolate is higher in fact content than dark chocolate which is why it is still reasonably easy to pair with various wines. Some of the top wines to enjoy with milk chocolate include Cream Sherry, PX Sherry, a vintage Port, and Rutherglen Muscat.
 
Caramel Chocolate
Caramel is a popular filling for chocolates. It’s that sweet yet salty combination that makes it so appealing, decadent, and balanced. There are two main approaches to pairing wine with caramel chocolate, you could choose a complimentary approach (demi-sec champagne for example) or a congruent approach (Cream Sherry, Tawny Port, or PX Sherry for example). It’s worth exploring both of these options in order to decide which one you like the most.
 
Dark Chocolate
According to research, the darker the chocolate, the healthier it is. It’s not just about the fat content but also the benefits of the cocoa solids. Dark chocolate is usually the trickiest to pair with wine but by no means impossible. Port or a Late Harvest Zinfandel are two top choices in dark chocolate pairings. Of course, the best way to find out what your pallet prefers is by trying it for yourself.