5 Valentine’s Day Wines & Chocolate Partners

 By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

CHOCOLATE LOVE

In my book the Healing Powers of Chocolate, Kensington (1.99 ebook sale), I pour the health perks of red wine and dark chocolate. Scientists reveal that both red wine and white wine is good for you and is included in the Mediterranean diet, ranked #1 for the fourth year.
Wine guru Anita L. LaRaia, author of Pick a Perfect Wine in No Time, knows the perks of wine, and chocolate, too. In a nutshell, it's the double dose of good for you disease-fighting and anti-aging antioxidants from dark chocolate and red wine that make it all good. Here are the five wine and chocolate marriages made in heaven.

 1. Blane de Norie-Sparkling Wine: A chocolate truffle or bar, 41 percent cacao; deep milk chocolate with hickory-smoked almonds and grey sea salt.

2. Zinfandel (California): "Zinfandel is a good match for semi-sweet dark chocolate--and there is a sweet Zinfandel chocolate port that's made as a chocolate sauce for pouring over ice cream, or for dipping strawberries," notes the wine wizard.

3. Malbec: Wine experts recommend teaming Malbec with a seven-layer chocolate cake, which will provide a touch of elegance.

4. Pedro Ximenez, Sweet Dessert Wine, Montilla, Spain: The wine gal advises pairing this wine with a bittersweet chocolate mousse cake.  

5. Ruby or Vintage Porto: And last but not least in this mini wine and chocolate menu selection is a sweet red, high 20 percent alcohol dessert wine from Portugal. Porto is a perfect partner with chocolate cheesecake or chocolate pecan pie.