Valentines' Wine and Chocolate

[Auburnwine]

Like, You Know, Wine For Chocolate? (with apologies to Laura Esquivel)

Our Valentine's wine tasting will feature chocolate and wine. I have a bottle of the Rosemount Benson port, but I wonder at your experiences with this combination.

What advice do you have?

[Thomas]

My preference of wine for chocolate is either Banyuls (red sweet) or Bual (mid-sweet Madeira)

...a big red can do it too.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 02-11-2003).]

[ShortWiner]

Banyuls. Banyuls & chocolate seems to me to be one of the best wine-dessert pairings I've tried.

Edit: simultaneous post! Well, I did get the idea (and the wine) from Foodie originally anyway. . .

[This message has been edited by ShortWiner (edited 02-11-2003).]

[Thomas]

Did someone say Banyuls?

[Innkeeper]

Agree with the above, but if you already have the Port, it will work too.

Am a big believer of using what is on hand if appropriate. What we have on hand is a 500 ml bottle of 2001 Tobin James Charisma that came in the fall 2000 shipment. It is a blend of late harvest sangiovese, zinfandel, and sauvignon blanc. Have had it before and it is wonderful. Not as wonderful though as the Banyuls that Foodie has in the same size and same price ($20).

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 02-11-2003).]

[Kcwhippet]

Just had the Charisma last weekend. Wonderful! Too bad it's not so easy to get.

[mrdutton]

Well I was going to reply that I read somewhere that someone was recommending CS with Chocolate.

I then tried to find the reference so I could quote some of it here or at least give you a source.

Can't find it.......

So forget I ever mentioned drinking CS with Chocolate. (Not sure I'd want to.......)

[dananne]

My wife and I love a sparkling red from Banfi with chocolate -- Brachetto d'Acqui Rose Regale.

Raspberry bubbles in a glass. Yum. That's what we'll be having with chocolate this Friday, though we have a few ports on hand that we've yet to try. If anyone has any information on the following, I'd love to hear!

Rozes 1992 and Smith Woodhouse 1997

[Thomas]

re, the Smith Woodhouse: too good a bottle for mere chocolate--Stilton!

In my extremely, grovelling, humble opinion, of course...

[winoweenie]

Would you sign that with your Boy Scout salute Foodie-kins? As posted almost every Feb. my riual on Valentine morning is to open a botlle of bubbly and fix a dozen long stemmed huge strawberries in melted Ghairadelli Chocolate. Got lucky for over 18 years with this approach. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Duane Meissner]

Hey, stick with what works!

What kind of chocolate do y'all use, and where do you buy it?

DM

[winedope1]

don't know what WW uses, but I would go with a GOOD quality chocolate such as Callebaut or Valhrona and for heavens sake make sure the strawberries are dry before you dip them ! Duh! ww just said that he uses Ghiardelli! I'm overwhelmed with the thought of chocolate dipped strwberries!! how romantic!!!

[This message has been edited by winedope1 (edited 02-13-2003).]

[Bucko]

Shameless promo on the subject:
http://www.tribnet.com/entertainment/story/2571900p-2621359c.html