Valentine’s day is essentially the celebration of a good pair, and what better way to acknowledge that than by pairing two of my favourite gustatory delights.  I have asked my wine friends to share their perfect matches so that you can woo your Valentine with wine and chocolate.

The best thing about Valentines Day this year? It falls on the weekend. That’s the perfect excuse to wake up not only to chocolates, but wine too! (technically of course, you could wake up to wine on a work day but in this case, you get to enjoy the option of staying in bed whilst you drink it.). Anyhow, there is going to be no better way to start your Valentines Day and woo your loved one this year than with a glass of fizzy stuff and a sweet treat to match. Champagne is, of course, the perfect bubble to start the day but unless you are a sadist or have no taste buds, champagne, (even the sweetest style, demi-sec) just doesn’t work with chocolate and the most sweet treats. Thankfully, lightly frothing, delicately sweet Michele Chiarlo ‘Nivole’ Moscato d’Asti ($17.99 at select BC liquor and Private liquor stores) does the job very nicely thank-you and its fresh perfume and low alcohol mean you can safely finish the bottle without the threat of a hangover by noon. The grapey, musky aromas of the Moscato grape blend perfectly with chocolate and if you really want to impress your loved one you can create your own perfect pairing as follows: dip some ripe strawberries in melted dark chocolate and let them set over-night in the fridge. A bowl of these chocolate-covered strawbs and a glass or two of moscato when you wake up should give you all the energy you need for your Valentines morning. Preferably a long Valentines morning in bed……

Mark Shipway – Wine Instructor & Department Head The International Culinary School
at The Art Institute of Vancouver

Sometimes, an odd couple is the most endearing—and the most memorable.

Sure, chocolate is gorgeous. I love it. Often. But give me a taste and tongue-touch experience that’s new and exciting, and I achieve euphoria.

Take the first time I had Inniskillin Riesling Icewine from the Okanagan with gorgonzola cheese, for example. When those flavours and textures came together in my mouth—Ka-Boom—true love. To this day, I have a very difficult time finding a pairing that will give me the same feral, sensory rush.

$34.99 will get you a 200ml bottle of the Inniskillin Icewine (10% ABV)at most B.C. Signature Liquor Stores.

Kathleen Rake – Click Media Works / Between the Vines wine blog

Seguras Viudas Lavit Rosado Brut is my favourite dry pink sparkling wine. Spanish and simply the best value sparkler on the market in the under $20 range. Cherry and mineral on nose and palate. Sadly, this might be the last Valentine’s Day that it is available as it is being delisted in the BC market in favour of its slightly sweeter-tasting Brut Rosé sibling. Its still in Government and Private stores – get it while you can. Its one of the 10 wines that I couldn’t be marooned on a Desert Island without, especially for romantic interludes with a bite of two of Green & Black’s dark cherry chocolate.

Paul Rickett – Purveyor of great wines at Bowen Island Cold Beer and Wine and blog

Black Cloud isn’t the kind of name you’d associate with Valentine’s Day but around the household here in the Okanagan Valley, it’s the name of our 2006 Pinot Noir that we love to pair with dark chocolate.

Our Pinot is more robust than the average Pinot.  If Pinot Noir is usually described as ‘feminine’ then this Black Cloud is a female body builder.  Big, bold and rippling with flavours of currant, plum and clove.

It almost goes without saying, white chocolate or milk chocolate would be squashed by this wine.  We choose the Dove 71% Dark Cacao bar to nibble on while we recline on the sofa polluting our minds with network television and sipping Black Cloud. Then we turn to each other, lock eyes, and sigh contentedly, submersed in fond rapture.

It’s available at fine retailers (listed here ) and through our website by dropping us an email.  Currently $19.99.

Bradley Cooper – Winemaker and Blogger

Twenty-four years ago I received a parcel from Germany containing a weirdly delicious item.  It was a Ritter Sport Yogurt chocolate bar, and the exquisitely tangy sweetness wrought by the union of plain white yogurt and creamy milk chocolate has become a lingering obsession.  Only a tangy and slightly sweet wine can work with it. I recommend the Pfaffenheim Pinot Gris from France; its flavours are ripe and late-harvest-like in their honeyed tropical intensity, yet the wine retains only the softest kiss of sweetness to balance its mouthwatering acidity.  Yes, we have the wine if you have the chocolate.

Rose Siemens – Manager & Wine Guide Whatcom Wine & Spirits and Grape Squeeze blog

I hope that these great pairings give you oodles of ideas to enrich the romance (or drown out the ridiculous commercialism of this Hallmark endorsed holiday). Either way, we don’t really need a reason to enjoy chocolate and wine as it is an occasion to itself.  Cheers!

*The winner of the Sweet Valentines Giveaway was Betty Weeds!  Congratulations and I hope that you get some great ideas from this post!

I still get a little ’shelf shock’ when I walk into a wine store filled wall to wall with shiny bottles of wine.  As I maneuver through the aisles like a kid in a candy store I tend to gravitate towards the wines that are familiar to me, but the best wines are always the ones recommended.  In addition to reading reviews by other wine writers, I like to make friends with local wine shops, wineries, and fellow wine lovers; They always have some great suggestions so I asked them if they would help me make a list of 12 Bottles (plus one more to make it a baker’s dozen) that are sure to please your palate as you deck the halls with reds and whites.

Bottle #1: A wine to encourage the Christmas spirit

A fantastic seasonal wine sipping situation can be enjoyed during the hanging of the outdoor Christmas lights. Choose a bold red wine with loads of ripe fruit and at least 14% alcohol to keep your blood from freezing; I like the Sabor Real Tempranillo from Spain for $17. Drinking from a nondescript opaque plastic cup is essential to keep the neighbours from judging you. I also recommend a robust crunchy snack that can be eaten with stiff and possibly dirty fingers; try Stacy’s parmesan garlic & herb pita chips. Yes it will take longer to hang the lights, but you’ll feel warmer and less inclined to utter expletives.
Rose Siemens – Manager & Wine Guide Whatcom Wine & Spirits and Grape Squeeze blog

Bottle #2: A tree trimming party wine

Our choice for a Tree Trimming Wine would be Road 13 Vineyards Pinot Noir ($22.99).  It is a light bodied wine with a silky texture.  Earthy, savoury and fruity, perfect for appies and festive activities.  Think filo wrapped brie with a little cranberries and orange zest.  Mini tarts filled with fig and goat cheese, aged gouda cheese on pecan crisps.  These are quick and easy appies to make or similar items could be purchased.  The wine is available direct from the winery, VQA and private outlets in the lower mainland and Alberta.
Korrine Bremmer – Road 13 Vineyards

Bottle #3: A wine for the construction of a fruitcake

Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose, NV is a Pinot Noir bubbly that is a super deal, around $25 and available at private wine shops, sometimes at BCLDB stores. It’s pretty pink colour will enhance the bright, glistening pile of candied cherries and fruits you must chop for fruitcake, and the bubbles will mirror all your twinkly lights. Dry, with red fruits and a bit of baked brioche and toasted almond on the palate, it?ll match well with the dough you sneak out of the bowl – yes, even fruitcake dough with its fruit, nut and vanilla essences.
Allison Markin – All She Wrote Consulting

Bottle #4: A wine to impress the whole family (even the tough to please!)

Marc Tempe Alliance 2003 is a naturally farmed blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Sylvaner. Complexity from the bottle age is sure to impress your sommelier friends while the goldilocks acidity will keep your ‘patio wine’ swilling family at bay as well. You shouldn’t have any trouble pairing it with the turkey but I suggest sticking a glass in everyone’s hand as they come through the door. ($26 from private wine retailers)
Jeff Bashford – Farmstead Wines

Bottle #5: A wine to go with your Turducken

2007 Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir Village Reserve, V.Q.A., Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada: Bursting with gorgeous vanilla-infused cherries and plums in a liquid package of pleasure. The price is as low as you get for this quality so why not enjoy yourself and loosen up (your purse strings). Layered, medium-bodied, complex and lovely. A long finish. We should be proud as Canadians because this rising tide lifts all the boats. This wine would be perfect for Christmas dinner, whether you’re having turkey, goose, roast chicken or lamb. $25.00  Score: 91/100.
Natalie MacLean – Editor of Google’s top-rated site for wine and food at www.nataliemaclean.com

Bottle #6: A Cawston, BC Christmas dinner Wine

It would be hard to believe that the hard working folks at Cawston, B.C’s Orofino Vineyards didn’t have Christmas dinner in mind when they crafted their Orofino 2007 Pinot Noir. Full bodied and smooth, this wine exhibits an excellent combination of new and old world sensibilities. Hints of cherry and strawberry will dance on your tongue as you tuck into your turkey and dressing. Perfect wine for pairing with poultry, but it’s spicy nose will agree very well with more earthy foods as well. Other than friends and family, this wine is the best possible addition to your holiday dinner table.
Christopher Reid – Manager of Broadway International Wine Shop

Bottle #7: A wine for the ‘Q (and a recipe too!)

Blow the snow off your BBQ and fire up a couple of thick strip loins. Invest in some good ones with the money you save on this killer value of a wine (Almansa Reverva-Piqueras Castillo de Almansa 2003). Dress them simply with a sprinkle of Montreal Steak Spice. I like to drizzle some wine on them first just to make the spice stick to it. And besides, it’s cold out there, so a drizzle or two for the cook is permitted. I recommend the wine for dressing the steak, the cook and–should there be any left when the steaks come off–the dining table, is a voluptuous, full bodied blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo and Garnacha. It has a surprising personality and finish for a mere $12.99 at a BC Liquor Store and a complexity worthy of a wine of twice the price. You will pick out generous notes of red fruit—cherries and plums in particular—with a dash of vanilla, herby spices and a hint of black pepper..
Three or four minutes to a side will preserve a core of moon-howling rareness that a beef loving wine like this calls for. Meanwhile, have your sous-chef sautee some thickly cut mushrooms in butter and pepper. Dash the pepper in the melted butter for a while before tossing in the mushrooms in order to extract the lustful pepperiness that the wine and the steak call for.
A roasted red bell pepper dressed with olive oil and oregano that has sizzled alongside the steak morsels will be a tasty accompaniment.
Bruce Gurney – The WineBeard (My Daddy)

Bottle #8: A home for the holidays wine

I was very excited when I first tried Hillside Estate Old Vines Gamay Noir 2007 last year at the annual Naramata Bench tasting in Vancouver last year. Gamay is a grape that tends to get sidelined in favour of the more glamorous Pinot Noir but in fact it can produce equally delicious wine. This version from Hillside Estate suffers from not one of those negatives, being both light & elegant yet concentrated in flavour and extremely well balanced. Hillside’s new winemaker, Kathy Malone, shows a delicate hand and coaxes bright berry fruits, mineral & earth flavours from the fruit supported by a vibrant acidity and subtle, refined oak. This wine really does set the bar for Gamay in the Okanagan and I can only hope others will want to emulate the style.  It will pair perfectly with the traditional Turkey dinner being a light enough red to not over-power the Turkey yet with enough fruit and acidity to stand up well to the cranberry sauce. Its underlying earthy qualities should play nicely with the supporting flavours of the brussel sprouts, sausage meat and stuffing and the tannins are soft enough not to clash too much with any sweeter sides like butternut squash. ($24.99 at selected private wine stores)
Mark Shipway – Wine Instructor & Department Head The International Culinary School
at The Art Institute of Vancouver

Bottle #9: A party wine

Going to an informal social or potluck where you add your contribution to the kitchen counter? Cantina Tollo Sangiovese in a one litre bottle is a great value contribution that is pretty tasty as well. Sangiovese is the grape used to make Chianti so it goes with most Italian foods like pizza and pasta.  Cantina Tollo also do three others in the same series – Rosso and two whites – Trebbiano and Pinot Grigio.  These wines are also great if you are hosting a larger event over the Season. Super-affordable at $12 in most private wine stores (not in LDB) so its easy to be generous – take two!
Paul Rickett – Purveyor of great wines at Bowen Island Cold Beer and Wine and blog

Bottle #10: A Wine to transport you to warmer places

Take a mid-Christmas-season break from the short bread, cheese balls, and egg nog. Instead, load your plate with chicken souvlaki, kalamari, Greek salad (with lots of feta cheese, of course) and tsatsiki. Pair the works up with a glass of 2008 Boutari Moschofilero (less than $20 in B.C. liquor stores) from Greece. It’s crisp and citrusy and just plain yummy. You won’t be sorry!
Kathleen Rake – Click Media Works / Between the Vines wine blog

Bottle #11: A wine that’s worth the splurge

LaStella Winery: 2006 “Maestoso” Merlot is for splurging. An extremely sinfully, ridiculously low yields of 1 ton per acre. Like the best merlots from around the world: planted in heavy clay based soils. Collectible item: less than 214 cases produced, very sought after and hard to find. $85.00 a bottle and paired with the most expensive cut of meat possible…
Mika Muzychka – Enotecca Winery & Resorts Inc. / La Stella Winery

Bottle #12: An un-wine-ding from the holidays wine

Inniskillin Vidal Commemorative Edition Icewine is the perfect ending for your holiday celebrations: soaked into holiday figgy pudding, paired with hard cheeses or simply on its own! A luscious nectar pressed from naturally frozen grapes on a cold winter night, it’s only fitting to share this treat huddled inside on snowy nights. Celebrating the spirit of the Vancouver 2010, a portion of each bottle supports our Canadian Olympic team. Available at BCLDB stores for $59.95, in Alberta at a suggested retail price of $59.99, in Ontario at LCBO stores for $59.95, and in Quebec for $65.05. For more information, please visit www.inniskillin.com.
Kate Crothers – Coletta and Associates

Bonus Bottle: A Boxing Day treat while you rest your feet

It’s on sale! Normally $840 for a case of 12, Kelowna’s Rollingdale Winery has its lovely, certified organic, Sweet Tooth Series Pinot Noir Icewine on sale for $300 a case, or $180 for six bottles. Order online, then when you’re done with bargain shopping and battling crowds for your half-price calendars and the leather boots you’ve been eyeing, drop the bags in the hall and break out a bottle. Apricot jam on the nose, strawberry and cream on the palate, it’s darn yummy. (Rollingdale Pinot Noir Icewine)
Allison Markin – All She Wrote Consulting

I hope you find a few wines to suit your holiday festivities from this yummy list– I know that I have!  I would like to thank all of these wine-friends for adding some direction with their juicy wisdom.  Have yourself a very merry Christmas and I toast to you a glass of holiday cheer.