By Lizbeth Congiusti, The Sassy Sommelier

The first thing I think about when I think of February is how cold it is in Chicago.  I am from Chicago and I love the Arizona weather.

The second thing I think of is Valentine’s Day, going out for dinner, chocolate and enjoying a nice bottle of wine.

My idea of wine and chocolate follows everything I know about wine tasting, there are NO Rules, only guidelines to get you started.  Once you get started follow your nose and your pallet.  Your heart will lead you to what you like and what works best for you.

With any food and wine pairing you’ll need to pay attention to both the wine and the chocolate.     Red wine has tannin and chocolate has bitterness.  You’ll want your wine and your chocolate to be at least equal in their tannin and bitterness or even better your wine should be slightly sweeter than the chocolate.

Full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlots and Zinfandels with hints of cocoa marries well with bittersweet chocolate.   “Branham Jazz” is a blended wine with hints of cocoa and coffee, give it a try.

Milk Chocolate works well with Pinot Noirs because of their lighter tannins and essence of strawberry jam.  “Loring Wine Company” pinot noir collection makes an easy to pair with chocolate.

My favorite chocolate pairing is fresh strawberries dipped in white chocolate with sparkling wine or champagne.  “Soligo Prosecco Brut” from Italy has a sweet finish and complements the strawberry and sweetness of the white chocolate.

I learned a long time ago, my picks may not be yours so YOU need to keep tasting wine.   It truly is the only way to learn what you like.

Also, the economy has affected wine drinkers.  We are looking for values, we want to be sure we like the wine before we buy it and many of us are going back to what we know Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.  Under $20 is the preferred price BUT under $10 is BETTER.

Folie a Deux Menage a Trois a red blend is consistently good and a great price under $8 at Costco.

Bander Cuvee Natalie a blend of Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc is something you’ll really love as it heats up in the valley.  Usually around $15 per bottle, you can ask your local retailer to order it for you.