Chocolate Lovers' Weekend at the IUWT

Happy New Year from the Indiana Uplands! 2014 was a remarkable year and we’re excited about what’s in store for 2015!

Just like you, we’re longing for the return of summer and the opportunity to sit outside on a warm summer evening with a glass of wine, gazing across fields of vines. But we also believe in the beauty that winter has to offer and have some great upcoming events to help beat those Winter Blues!

When we think about Valentine’s Day, we think of wine (because we’re always thinking about wine), but we also think about chocolate. And we know you do, too! On the weekends of February 7 & 8 and 14 & 15, the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail will be hosting a delicious Chocolate Lovers' Weekend at all 9 of our wineries.

Each winery will feature their unique twist on chocolate ranging from suggested wine and truffle pairings to a chocolately wine milkshake. Our tastebuds are already singing and we know yours will be, too!

Best Vineyards will offer guests:

• Candied Orange Peel Tidbits Dipped in Rich Chocolate
• Petite Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Panna Cotta w/ Blueberry or Strawberry Wine Reduction
• Chewy Brownie Bites with Sea Salt and Caramel

Brown County Winery will feature a chocolate milkshake made with their signature Black Raspberry Encore, plus chocolate ice cream sprinkled with chocolate shavings!

Butler Winery will be serving "various assorted chocolate items" for guests to choose from and will include a baked item, traditional chocolate truffles, and an unusual, but yummy, surprise!

French Lick Winery will be offering little love bites of 3 different flavors of our homemade fudge to pair with wine:

• Himalayan Salted Caramel to pair with our Crema Dolce
• Dark Chocolate to pair with any red or our Cherry
• Chocolate Cheesecake: you decide which wine you like to pair it with!

Also available will be their Broken Hearts fudge because how do you mend a broken heart? With wine and chocolate, of course!

Huber's Orchard, Winery & Vineyards will feature complimentary chocolate pairings with every wine tasting with 4 specially made chocolates from Schimpff’s, a Jeffersonville, IN chocolatier. Huber Wine Club members will also have a bonus chocolate made by Cellar Door Chocolates in Louisville, KY, that uses Huber's newly released Bourbon. Live music will also play in the Garden Room from 1-5p.m. each Saturday and Sunday of Chocolate Lovers' Weekend.

Oliver Winery will offer handmade chocolate truffles from Bloomington chocolatier Peacetree Mountain Truffles. Guests can choose 2 chocolates to pair with their wine tasting from Dark Chocolate Balsamic, Milk Chocolate Strawberry and White Chocolate Passion Fruit. Additionally, they will offer samples of delicious chocolate sauces by Best Boy and Co. on February 7 & 8, and by Stone Wall Kitchen on February 14 & 15.

Owen Valley Winery will serve the following 4 selections during the Chocolate Lovers' event:

• White Chocolate Mousse swirled with Strawberry Wine Syrup
• Triple Chocolate Ghirardelli Brownie Bites with a Barrel Reserve Zinfandel Reduction
• Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
• Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds

Turtle Run Winery will serve custom-made Chocolate Turtles, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and the very decadent white chocolate with their signature wines. Tippy and Tipsy are sure to make an appearance, too!

Winzerwald Winery will offer Free Tastings of 3 wines with 3 chocolates, and will feature a lineup of Organic Free Trade chocolates from Lake Champlain Chocolates:

• Cherry Dark Chocolate
• Toffee & Almond & Sea Salt Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate
• Granola & Cinnamon Milk Chocolate
• Chocolate bars will be available to purchase for your Valentine!

*Plus Save $1.00/bottle on all 6 featured wines.

Mark your calendars for our spectacular Chocolate Lovers' Weekend and prepare to indulge!