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Freixe N et CordoN r os A d A Br U t ($11) Spain>

Wine writers complain a lot about Thanksgiving, and how difficult it is to recommend wines for the turkey fest, but the holiday they really dislike is Valentine’s Day. What’s the point of pairing wine with chocolate?

Having said that, Valentine’s Day is — next to Thanksgiving perhaps the most requested wine recommendation holiday on the calendar. What can I buy my girlfrend? What would my husband like? and is there wine that goes with chocolate? I actually get more requests for Valentine’s Day wine than I do for New year’s eve.

Never fear, though. Champagne and sparkling wine fit Valentine’s Day like a red paper heart (and yes, you can even drink it with chocolate). Keep in mind that sparkling wine is made throughout the world, but that only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called champagne.

So if you’re wondering where to go with Valentine’s Day wine, here are three sparkling suggestions:

• Freixenet Cordon Rosada Brut ($11). Spanish bubbly is called cava, and this one is more fruity (some citrus) than similarly priced cavas. In this, it’s more like champagne and is a nice change of pace.

• Château Moncontour Vouvray Brut ($17). This sparkling wine is from the French region of Loire and is made with chenin blanc; most champagne and California bubbly is made with chardonnay. That means the Moncatour is a little more acidic and a touch sweeter.

• Pol Roger White Foil Brut ($45). The real stuff, with champagne’s classic green apple and great bubbles that stream to the top of the glass.

—Jeff Siegel

ask the wiNe GUy?

Wine is suPPosed to haVe aCid. What does that Mean?

Wine is made with grapes, which are a fruit, and most fruit has naturally occurring acid. Wine grapes have more natural acid than table grapes, which is one reason why chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon make better wine than concord grapes.

—Jeff Siegel

JeFF sieGeL’s weekLy wiNe reviews appear every Wednesday on the Advocate Back Talk blog, oakcliff.advocatemag.com/blog.

Oak Cliff