She loves me, she loves me not. It’s complicated, we know. Win over your true love this year with red plus black – a full-bodied red wine paired with some delicious deep-dark chocolate. You’ll earn points for a gift filled with flavor, fun, and good health. Now, that’s something to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.

Dark Chocolate

Originally consumed without added sweetener, 13th-century Aztecs and Mayans cultivated cacao beans (unprocessed chocolate) into soothing, healing elixirs. Tell loved ones your gift of dark chocolate is not only for their happiness but for their health, too. Cacao, with contents of 85% or higher, can supply essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and copper and has been linked to benefits for our heart, mood, and brain. Rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, that dark chocolate heart with the pretty red bow might even reduce your sweetie’s stress or inflammation, although don’t love them too much- moderation in consumption is key.

Red Wine

With moderation, your lover’s heart may also benefit from a gift of Cabernet, Zinfandel, or any red wine. A 6oz serving contains strong antioxidants that may help prevent coronary artery disease, the precursor to heart attack. The Mayo Clinic reports that resveratrol, one of the most studied antioxidants in red wine, has also been shown to help prevent blood clots and blood vessel damage, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) and increase “good” HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein). Most of the power comes from the skin so that deep-colored red-skin grapes may offer more benefit than green-skin grapes. Remember, moderation is key with alcohol. How much resveratrol is needed for heart health remains unknown, and science now wonders if whole grapes offer the same benefits as red wine (no alcohol needed). More research is needed.

Paired Together

Both red wine grapes and cacao have high amounts of flavanols, plant compounds that support healthy bodies. Both also contain tannins or polyphenols, which is the reason dry mouth can strike after consuming either. The result can overwhelm one’s tastebuds. So, when paired together, consider a little sweetness to add balance. For instance, if your chocolate is 80% cacao or higher, try pairing it with a sweeter wine such as Port or Sherry, but for sweeter chocolate with a little less cacao (60% -70%), a full-bodied red like a Cabernet or Zinfandel can go really well.

At Epicurean Group, we are big fans of Valentine’s Day and love! Every day, our food is seasoned with love by chefs who care and love to celebrate extra-special on holidays. Here’s a selection of Valentine’s buffets from the past….