A few years ago my daughter and son-in-law went to a wine and chocolate tasting hosted by local wine expert Bart Springer, while my husband and I baby-sat.

When they got back to the house, the two of them were brimming with excitement, and my son-in-law, Chris, who has become quite a decent winemaker since then, couldn't wait to demonstrate some of what they'd learned in the class.The next day, we all went to a local winery, and while there, Chris bought a box of fudge to go along with the wine we were sampling. He cut off a piece, gave it to me and told me to let it melt in my mouth a bit, then chew it slightly and get it over my teeth and tongue.That sounded pretty odd to me. After all, if you give me a piece of chocolate I'll down it so fast I hardly stop to chew, let alone let it melt.When I finally slowed down and got the hang of it, I was amazed, not only did the chocolate taste amazing, so did the wine. Each complemented the other perfectly. It's a treat I'll give myself every now and then with a sweeter, dessert wine.I'd never tried pairing chocolate, especially dark chocolate, with a dry wine, so when the folks at Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi approached me with their Cabernet Merlot and a recipe for chocolate bark (Seriously, who wouldn't love my job?), I thought I'd give it a try.To say the recipe is easy is an understatement. On top of that, you can use any type of nuts or dried fruit that you like. I used pecans and sliced almonds that I toasted in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.For the fruit, I used a generic bag of mixed dried fruit that I rough chopped into smaller pieces, about one-quarter inch each, but some were smaller and some larger. Chopping dried fruit results in a sticky knife, and after awhile, you find yourself saying, "Good enough."The hardest part was waiting the two hours for the chocolate bark to set up.When it was ready, I took a small sip of the Cabernet Merlot. I like sweet things, so the dryness of the wine wasn't initially appealing. I took a small taste of the chocolate, and fighting my inner child, let it rest on my tongue until it began to melt, then I took another sip of the wine.It was a wonderful combination and I found that the more I focused on what I was tasting, the more I noticed the true flavors. I was even able to detect an oaky nuance to the wine I hadn't noticed before. Not only that, but the flavors of the fruit and the nuts in the chocolate, enhanced by a sprinkling of sea salt, really came to life.It was not just a tasty snack, it was an experience, and one that I highly recommend.California Chocolate BarkYield: 10-12 servings4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips12 ounces dark chocolate chips1 cup whole roasted nuts (your favorite)1 cup of your favorite dried fruit (figs, apricots, cherries, cranberries)2-3 tablespoons sea saltSpread a large piece of parchment paper over a sheet pan.Chop nuts and halve or quarter dried fruit based on its size.Add all chocolate to a microwave proof bowl. In 30-second intervals, microwave the chocolate, quickly remove and stir, then return to the microwave for 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted, about 3 minutes.Acting quickly, pour the melted chocolate out onto the parchment paper in a rectangle.Allow the chocolate to rest for about 30 seconds, then sprinkle nuts and fruit over the chocolate.Let chocolate cool for another two minutes, then sprinkle sea salt over top. Set aside for about 2 hours or until firm.Do NOT put in the refrigerator to speed firming the chocolate will gray.Chop or break the bark into pieces.Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one week and serve at room temperature with Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Merlot.