Editor’s note: When Ryan and I visited Obidos in 2003, we had found a quaint little bed and breakfast run by a woman named Melana. Weary and hungry from traveling with our large backpacks filled with wine, we sat down in her living room decorated more like a cozy ski lodge than a traditional Portuguese home, and were each served a glass of Ginja. Brilliant red in color with a rich and pungent cherry aromas, we fell in love with this drink. Beyond its sweet and delicious flavor, we learned that it is customary to serve it to guests upon entry into your home. We bought a bottle that day, and savored it for over a year with friends as they visited our little Minneapolis flat. Although this beverage is not easy to find, if you are in Portugual, I highly suggest you pick up a bottle, or if you have already tried it, please let us know if there was label that you particularly enjoyed!

Most people are familiar with Ruby Port, the fortified wine which inherited its name from its lovely red color, renowned for its ripe fruit flavors and sweetness that pairs perfectly with the dark, bitter flavors of chocolate. So what if I told you that there existed another delicious and unctuous wine that still marries beautifully with chocolate but is indigenous to a small little Portuguese town in the core of Estremadura? Interested? Well, then look no further than the medieval town of Obidos, home to the sweet cherry liquor, Ginja.

Just a 45 minute drive outside of Lisbon, Obidos sits at the crest of a hill, surrounded by its very historical and picturesque castle, dating back to the 13th century when …

Question time for Catavino readers: Who out there loves wine and chocolate? Although this may sound like the most obvious pairing in the world, it’s not. In my many years of both selling and writing about wine, I’ve heard numerous debates on the subject, both for and against this rather contentious chocolate and wine pairing. But among the numerous voices, one element always remains consistent, people either love it or hate it.

Chocolate can dramatically range in flavor from being the sweetest substance on earth to a thick, bitter and earthy experience. When I was young, I hated chocolate with a passion. The only chocolate I was familiar with was that sticky soft icing on birthday cakes - overly sweet and flavorless. Likewise, I never really fell for candy bars, Hershey kisses or any other manufactured chocolate flavored treat out there. It wasn’t until college when my eyes opened to authentic chocolate. I believe it was Michel Cluizel’s chocolates that tipped the scales for me, when I realized that I really did like chocolate. Slightly sweet and intensely bitter with an earthiness that revealed dark fruits, minerals and exotic spices, I loved it. Like wine, it was not immediately apparent, but over time, it rewarded those with patience. I remember having an epiphany when I realized that pure chocolate could be so magical. And as a result, I started to explore cocoa as a spice, in moles, and dry rubs on beef. I’ve been hooked ever since.

Fast forward to my life with wine. When I started to explore wine, I really never thought to put chocolate and wine together. Chocolate, having tannins and often bitter, seemed an odd bed fellow for a dry Cabernet. Because my learning had taught …