Hot Date? Here's Exactly How To Pair Wine With Milk Chocolate

It doesn't matter if it's Valentine's Day with your significant other of 20 years, a first date with a match from a dating app, or you're gifting yourself a night in after a hard week. A bottle of wine and a box of chocolates (preferably in the shape of a heart) is an all-time classic pairing.

But there is a question of what kind of wine to choose. To get some help, Daily Meal spoke to Victoria Johnson, head chocolatier at Temper Chocolates in Denver, Colorado who gave us exclusive pairing guidance. She said, "for a milk chocolate wine pairing, I'd recommend a lighter bodied wine such as a Pinot Noir because it will cut through the milk chocolate's rich creaminess without overpowering it, creating a harmonious experience." Not overpowering the subtle sweet flavor and creaminess of milk chocolate is the key here, so leave those medium- and heavy-bodied reds, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, at the store. Also, be sure to serve your red wine more chilled than you think.

If you're not a fan of red wines, though, Victoria Johnson has other recommendations for pairing milk chocolate. "For white and bubbly wines [...] the sweet creaminess of the milk chocolate adds a more delicate pairing and cuts through the richness of the wine without drowning anything out." Says Johnson. She recommends specifically a Moscato with milk chocolate because of the floral fruity notes in the wine. "The bubbles from [the Moscato] also add an extra layer to the experience and provide a well balanced contrast," says Johnson.

The chocolatier also offered one last general piece of advice on being more adventurous than usual — she says to try wines that you don't normally like. "Sometimes when paired well you can get a new appreciation for something you weren't super fond of in the past," says Johnson. Keep this in mind along with essential wine pairing tips, and you could be discovering a whole new plethora of combinations you didn't know you loved.