It’s tricky but not impossible and well worth the effort for Valentine’s Day so here are a few tips.

Aim for similarity of flavours. For sweeter, more delicate chocolate with a low cocoa percentage, you need a sweeter wine. Dark chocolate can be matched with a fuller bodied wine so that the bitterness and intense flavours are adequately matched.

A tawny port, a light sweet Riesling or a sparkling wine all work very well with a white chocolate or milk chocolate.

For dark, bittersweet chocolates try a cabernet sauvignon as long as it isn’t oaky or perhaps a spicy shiraz.

Definitely Chocolate specialise in luxury, hand made chocolate gifts. I’m a dark chocolate fan so this is my choice:

It’s the romance collection of 40 premium dark chocolates.

If you’re stuck for gift ideas for Valentines Day, we’ve put together a list of great gift ideas all with a wine theme. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Alkoomi Wine Specials

There are two wine specials from the cool climate, Western Australian wine region, the Frankland River. On offer is a medium to full bodied the 2007 Cabernet Merlot and a fresh, zesty 2008 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

The prices are great at $14.95 a bottle for each wine variety.

There is something very appealing about Christmas food and wine in cold climates however. Thoughts of mince pies, mulled wine, log fires not to mention roast turkey and all the trimmings. So, the concept of Christmas in July has gained in popularity with those in Australia who are reluctant to give up the opportunity for Christmas food and wine enjoyed at the time of year when the climate is more suitable.

Whether you call it Christmas in July, Yulefest or just like planning a special cold weather meal at this time of year, we’ve put together some wine pairing suggestions for you.

If you’re having a few people round, a glass of sparkling wine is always a great way of getting the party going. A sparkling red wine makes a great party drink and is great for kicking things off to a good start. Seppelt were the forerunners in sparkling red wine and the Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz is still the most popular sparkling red. It’s good value at $19.95. A little bit more expensive but a great buy is the Blue Pyrenees Sparkling Shiraz for $26.67 per bottle.

Now on to matching Christmas food with wine. Traditional roast turkey, duck or goose courses are rich and full of flavour. They are also accompanied by equally rich, flavoursome foods such as cranberry sauces and fruity stuffings. These type of foods can be matched with wines that are equally powerful and full of flavour. If you prefer red wine with a roast turkey dinner then a shiraz is a good choice. We can’t go past the shiraz that won the accolade of best shiraz in the world!

If you prefer a white wine then a chardonnay is a good choice to pair with turkey. Another wine variety that works well with the fruitiness of Christmas Dinner dishes is Viognier.

Finally we can’t talk about Christmas food and wine without mentioning mulled wine so here’s a link to our recipe for mulled wine. Try it with mince pies.

In red wine, the astringency causes the dryness in the mouth, or the mouth puckering sensation, when drinking the wine. Astringency is more about feel or texture than it is about taste. The term “mouthfeel” is often used to describe the quality in a red wine. It can often be bitter and unpleasant.

The bitter, astringent characteristics in tannic red wines are softened when the wine is consumed with food. This is because of the behaviour of tannins. They bind to proteins and will bind to the proteins in food if present instead of just the tissues and saliva in the mouth. It gives a smoother taste to the wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are generally tannic wines although it can depend on the wine itself. Pinot Noir is less tannic.

The classic pairing with tannic red wine is beef. Other meat dishes like roast lamb or pork which are fattier tend not to stand up to the tannins quite so well so it’s better to opt for a softer, less tannic to begin with such as Pinot Noir or maybe a dry white wine.

So which wines should you drink with hot or spicy food such as Indian or Thai?

With mild Indian curries try a crisp, fruity white such as a
sauvignon blanc.

Moderately hot Indian curries such as rogan josh are good with a soft, fruity red such as merlot.

Yoghurt based hot, spicy curries are best complemented by riesling.

With Thai curries white wine works better than red wine – a riesling or viognier is a good choice.

And my favourite pairing for most curries is a sparkling wine and in particular a sparkling red such as sparkling shiraz. The sweetness complements the spiciness.

There are some general guidelines when pairing wine with cheese:

• Hard cheeses are generally paired with more tannic wines
• Soft creamy cheeses need some acidity
• Strong, pungent cheeses need strong wines to match them

Here are some pairings which work well:

• A mild and creamy brie with an unwooded chardonnay or a pinot noir. The creamy texture of brie coats the tongue and needs a wine with some acidity and concentrated aromas.
• A tangy goats cheese with a dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc.
• A pungent, salty, rich Roquefort cheese with a sweet wine like a sauterne or an off-dry riesling.
• A sharp cheddar with a shiraz or cabernet sauvignon
• A triple cream cheese with a sparkling wine
• The classic match – Port and stilton

The question of what wine goes with pizza is quite a common one. I’ve come across it a few times online so here’s a summary of points to consider. With all questions on wine and food pairings though it’s important to remember that each person’s taste is different so there are no hard and fast rules.

The traditional pizza with a topping of tomato sauce and cheese has evolved into a myriad of styles and toppings. This makes the question somewhat open ended. However it’s fair to say that pizzas are usually strong flavoured especially with the spicy and salty toppings that are often included in the form of pepperoni, anchovies, olives etc.

One of the premises behind good wine and food pairings is that the food shouldn’t overpower the wine and neither should the wine overpower the food. You want to be able to taste the characteristics of each. Therefore strong flavours in the food call for a big, robust wine to complement it.

Red wine is a traditional pairing with pizza and a merlot would be a good choice especially with a meaty topping such as pepperoni or sausage.

If you want a white wine it’s worth experimenting with a verdhelo. Verdhelos are lemony, zesty and acidic. They have a very clean, vibrant taste. Paired with pizza the acidity is more muted and toned down.

And for something different again a choice that is a favourite of mine, a sparkling red wine. Maybe not an obvious pairing with pizza but perfect to celebrate the end of the week.