Chocolate and wine tastings are becoming more and more popular and for good reason. Exploring the synergy of these two luscious creations is simply joyous.

You can use as many wines as you like but we suggest at least 3 to go with a milk, dark and white chocolate but don't limit yourself and try flavoured chocolates such as orange, mint or why not add a savoury salted caramel chocolate to your tasting.

Here are some suggestion on how to host your own tasting from Stéphane Sanchez, Waitrose Cellar Specialist.

Wine and Chocolate matches

Milk Chocolate Try with a dessert wine such as Campbells Rutherglen Muscat it feels like a sultana chocolate with a creamy, spicy vanilla lift!

Dark Chocolate Try with Terre di Faiano Primitivo Appassimento, it will expose the wine's concentrated red berry fruit and adds layer to the finish.

White Chocolate Goes best with young port, try Cockburn's Special Reserve Port the white chocolate will soften the intensity of the port and give it a creamy feel.

How to host your own wine and chocolate tasting.

1. Preparation: Your chocolate should be served at room temperature, whilst the wine should be served according to variety - red wines at room temperature and white or rose chilled

2. Taste the wine: Swirl the wine around in the glass before smelling it to help open up the complexities of the aromas. Swirl the wine around your mouth and if you can, draw in air at the same time. Think about the flavours, textures and how the wine develops.

3. Try the chocolate: Take a bite size piece of chocolate and like you would with wine, smell the chocolate taking in the aromas such as spice, fruit, vanilla etc. Then look at the colour and finally place the chocolate in your mouth and allow to dissolve. You should start to pick up the flavours of the chocolate

4. Now try the wine: While you still have a small amount of chocolate left in your mouth, take a sip of the wine and swirl around your mouth, making sure that the chocolate and wine blend together.

5. Repeat: Remember to cleanse you palate between tastings.