Great Wine Values: Spellbound Petite Sirah

If you want to try your hand at pairing dry red wine and chocolate this Valentine's Day, your best bet is to skip the standard sugary milk chocolate hearts.

Find a chocolate as dark as night and look for a plump, flavorful red wine from a warm, sunny region to go with it.

Such wines often smell like decadent desserts even when they taste fully dry, as with this luscious California petite sirah loaded with flavors of blueberry pie and black cherry cobbler.

This is exactly what's needed to tip the scales toward a pleasant pairing with chocolate.

For an even more swoon-worthy effect, choose a dark chocolate high in cocoa solids, ideally 70% or higher.

Spellbound Petite Sirah from California, $9.99 (regularly $14.99), Pennsylvania Fine Wine & Good Spirits; Item #8576;  sale price through Feb. 26.

Marnie Old is a local sommelier and wine author known for practical advice with real-world relevance. Check her out at MarnieOld.com or follow her on Twitter at @MarnieOld.