White Chocolate

• White chocolate is tricky because it is technically not a chocolate, as it contains no chocolate liquor. Its creaminess and light flavors lend it better to pairings with white wines, particularly sweet white wines and sparkling wines, but it is not impossible to find a successful red wine match. A bold, fruit-forward zinfandel can provide a nice contrast to the buttery quality of the white chocolate.

Milk Chocolate

• Soft, rich and creamy, milk chocolate's relatively mild flavor pairs well with a number of wines. Fortified sweet wines such as Ports and Madeiras match the sweetness level and add their own fruity, nutty flavors. For non-fortified red wines, try light-bodied styles such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.

Dark Chocolate

• Dark chocolate's strength and intensity of flavor deserve a wine match that can hold its own. Tawny and vintage port have powerful nutty flavors that work well. Zinfandel has bold fruit flavors that stand up to dark cocoa, and merlot has a velvety texture that adds creaminess to dark chocolate. Any red wine with some sweetness to it works, as long as it has intensity.

Bittersweet/Semisweet Chocolate

• Banyuls, a sweet dessert wine from the south of France, is made from the grape Grenache. It pairs perfectly with chocolate, especially bittersweet or semisweet varieties. Reminiscent of Port, it is more delicate and less sugary-sweet, which keeps it from overwhelming the sweetness of the chocolate. Another wine that works is zinfandel, especially a late-harvest zinfandel with a little bit of sugar.