Off the Vine

Brian Koziol Master sommelier Brian has decades of training in the mysteries of wine and its varietals, with roles within Walt Disney World Resort and other prestigious distributors throughout Florida.

Wine’s Best Friend

Squeeze a little extra decadence out of your Valentine’s chocolate.

Chocolate and wine make everything better. This holds especially true if you understand the nuances of each of these great pleasures. On their own, they offer intense flavors and complexity. But together, there is a whole new layer to consider. This month, we will be diving into the nuance of this perfect pair.

Fine chocolate falls into three categories: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.

Dark Chocolatecontains the highest amount of cocoa. The robust flavors and bitterness require a wine with high flavor intensity which showcases a fruity character. My two favorites to pair are Zinfandel and any type of Port. Try to avoid big oaky style of red wines if you select a dry wine.

Milk Chocolate typically has less cocoa and adds an element of milk fats. The mellow and buttery flavors pair well with rosé bubbles and sweeter styles of dessert wines, such as late-harvest reds or Muscat.

White Chocolate with its creamy cocoa buttery profile compliments light styles of sparkling wine like Moscato d’Asti or late-harvest white dessert wines.

Brian Koziol Master sommelier Brian has decades of training in the mysteries of wine and its varietals, with roles within Walt Disney World Resort and other prestigious distributors throughout Florida.

BRIAN’S FEBRUARY SELECTIONS

WHITE CHOCOLATE MILK CHOCOLATE DARK CHOCOLATE

Inniskillin Vidal Gold Icewine Rosa Regale Sparkling Red Fonseca Bin No. 27 Reserve Port