Well, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and a whole bunch of us are going to share loving sentiments with the ones we hold dearest. In Canada, it’s estimated that roughly 40 million Valentine’s Day cards will be exchanged.

You may have noticed that it’s a pretty popular day when it comes to sharing glasses of wine too.

“We’re expecting to see elevated sales over the weekend of February 12th,” an LCBO spokesperson told me last week. “Previous Valentine’s Day weekends have seen a lift of approximately $3-5 million in LCBO retail sales. Sparkling wine and champagne products are most popular, followed by rosé wine, classic liqueurs and red wine.”

I was a bit surprised red wine wasn’t atop the list—one just naturally associates it with chocolate pairings. Forget that both contain antioxidants, or even that they’re each considered aphrodisiacs—they both simply taste great on their own. That makes them ideal indulgences for pandemic-exhausted Canadians!

I don’t personally get too hung up in wine pairing on this particular evening—for me it’s more about the controlled gorging of great chocolate and great wine with my dear wife, Mary.

But what it you really want to find that perfect pairing for your Valentine’s Day chocolate? If you want the two to sing in harmony? Paul Aquino, the Sommelier at Victoria’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant in Hamilton, has the following expert advice for varying budgets.

MILK CHOCOLATE

“For milk chocolate, it depends on how sweet and how smooth the candy bar brand is,” Aquino says. “Hershey’s? Cadbury? With milk chocolate I tend to analyze the smoothness of the candy. So instantly for me would be a New World merlot from California—something that is ripe with red fruit and smooth and maybe with just a touch of oak. The Merlot Blend from California’s Sterling Vineyards ($36.95 at the LCBO) comes to mind.

“A good non-traditional pick would be a bottle of Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, Italy, like Chiarli Castelvetro for $10.95. I tried it once and I can confirm what others have said—the pairing tastes like peanut butter and jam!

DARK CHOCOLATE

“For dark chocolate, a classic is a 1- to 2-ounce pour of vintage port,” Aquino notes. “Maybe even with a cigar. There’s something about the bitterness of dark chocolate that brings out the berry fruit in fortified red wines of the Douro, like Quinta da Romaneira 2016 vintage port for $78. (Vintage port is what I try to cellar in my own collection.)

“A non-traditional pick for dark chocolate would be a Chinato, Piedmonte’s version of a sweet amaro. It’s aromatized like a vermouth, but sweet. Lots of cherries with orange peel, a touch of mint and cocoa powder. Enjoy this specifically with a dark chocolate ganache! Try Cordero de Montezumolo’s Chinato. It’s pricey ($90) but wonderful. It’s hard to find at the LCBO, so I would check with their agent, Profile Wine Group, and see if they have any by the case.

WHITE CHOCOLATE

“This is a tough one for me,” Aquino says. “As a rule of thumb, the wine has to be sweeter than the chocolate, and white chocolate is very sweet. The safe bet is Moscato D’asti with its slight fizziness and orange blossom and peach notes. I suggest Cristina Ascheri 2019 for $19.95.

“My non-traditional pick here is the little-known Brachetto d’Acqui. It’s an under-utilized wine in my opinion. First, the slight fizziness balances out the sweetness of white chocolate. Raspberries come to mind for me with this wine. Try Viticoltori Acquesi—just $13.50 at the LCBO.

“Regardless of your pairings, though, remember to have fun!” Aquino suggests. “Valentine’s Day should be fun and romantic, and not too serious.”