PHOTOS: Sharing Wine With Your Valentine

For some of us grown-up folks, a Valentine’s Day dinner would not be complete without a nice bottle of wine.

But picking out that bottle could lead to trouble if you’re not a wine connoisseur. Or, if you don’t get the right advice.

Stephen DeLong, director of liquor operations for Northfield Liquors, 116 Fifth St. W., recently provided Patch with his recommendations for wines that lovers of fine food and fine spirits would enjoy. A gallery of his choices appear above.

In addition to passing along wine selections, DeLong provided a few hints to keep in mind when picking out wine not only for Valentine’s Day, but all year long as well.

• Champagne isn’t just for enjoyment before or after dinner. “You don’t see a lot of people drinking it during an entire meal, but it can be done,” DeLong said. He recommended matching Champagne, in particular a rose, with salmon or oysters on the half shell.

• In reference to red wines, DeLong considers pinot noir as the most versatile, as it can be served with fish, beef and salmon. “Pinot has a red, silky quality,” he said. “The layers of complexity are never-ending. A very enjoyable wine.”

• For an after-dinner treat, pairing port wine and dark chocolate, but don’t drink too much port, said DeLong. “A little big goes a long way.” For chocolate lovers, he recommended Trentadue Chocolate Amore, a red dessert wine with natural chocolate flavor added. The wine comes in a 375-ml bottle, which is half the size of a typical bottle of wine.

All of the wines recommended by DeLong that are in the gallery are in stock at Northfield Liquors.