So what are you serving with your Valentine's Day chocolate desserts?

Port? Banyuls? Syrah? Milk? Other?

I may skip the chocolate, Randy, and go with a sticky by the fire. I bought a lot of the 1999 d 'Yquem in half bottles and I like to see how they're doing.
I've never had an aversion to red wine and chocolate as I've read that some do; and port is very nice as well. We'll see - I'm open to suggestions.

I've always liked Brachetto d'Acqui with semi-sweet dark chocolate and Banyuls is another good match. The best I've had, however, was an Italian Merlot, surprisingly enough.

Don't tell our resident Pinotage freaks, Peter May, Keith Prothero and PaulB, but I'll probably go for Pineau de Laborie - a dessert Pinotage from SA! I remember it being quite yummy in a recent walkabout tasting.

-O-

Hmm, I haven't though much about it. But I have an '85 Warre's port that needs an occasion.

[James Roscoe]

Hmm, I haven't though much about it. But I have an '85 Warre's port that needs an occasion.

Champagne!

I think wine & chocolate may be the most over-rated match out there.

We'll probably skip the chocolate part, go out to dinner, then open a bottle of bubbly later on.

Richard

Like Dan, I think Brachetto d'Acqui and Chocolate pair well. However, I have a similar sweet, sparkler that I'll probably drink instead. It's Cantine Aurora's Dolce Stilnovo Rosso, a blend of Freisa Dolce, Moscato Nero, and Malvasia Nera.

I think wine & chocolate may be the most over-rated match out there.

I agree, but some pretty girls tend to like it anyway so we have to humour them and try to find the least worst match.

I think either Banyuls or Brachetto d'Acqui is a great match (especially Brachetto d'Acqui with chocolate covered strawberries or raspberries drizzled with chocolate.) I wonder how an Inniskillen Cabernet Franc Ice Wine would complement chocolate.

I also like coffee drinks with chocolate baked goods. How about a coffee/amaretto with chocolate coffered caramels or Irish coffee with marbled (yellow cake/chocolate streaks) cake or with chocolate/mint fudge brownies.

I'm making myself hungry but the truth is I'll probably attend a spaghetti dinner fund raiser the youth are putting on at my church Valentine's Day and then open something special afterwards.

Rosa Regale 2004 Banfi, Brachetto D'Acqui. It's cheap too.....the wine that is .......not my date....

Banyuls here.

Yup, another vote here for Banyuls!!!

Banyuls is decent, yes. But a clear-cut second to the world's best wine with chocolate: top-notch Pdero Ximénez from Jerez or Montilla-Moriles. I mean top-notch, not the basic young Lustau or Alvear PX. Something like Niños Pedro Ximenez VORS 30 años, by A.R. Valdespino... Try it sometime.

Tobin James Liquid Love.

Champagne!

No! Don't do it! Champagne and chocolate is a terrible combination! If you want fizz with chocolate, drink the Brachetto D'Acqui!

Well...wait a minute. I guess a demi-sec Champagne would be all right.

Never mind.

Skip the chocolate, I had too much over the holidays, but I'm hoping for Vin Jaune.


Prost!
Bill

Our local wine shop just brought in a shipment of NV Ranardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon, a Rose' sparkling wine made in the methode ancestrale. This is supposed to be a very appealing, low alcohol (7.5%) sparkling wine made from Gamay and Poulsard grapes. Our wine shop lady sent out the following recommendation:

We think it is a wonderful aperitif, but it also makes an excellent dessert wine and even goes well with chocolate. If you haven’t figured it out yet, it is the QUINTESSENTIAL Valentine’s Day wine.

It was selling like crazy last night, so I bought some and will try it soon. If nothing else, it sounds like a fun wine.

-- Clark