Owner of full service wine shop, Solo Vino, and wine expert for Minnesota Monthly's New Vintage, Chuck Kanski joins the Current's Morning Show to talk about wine trends in Minnesota and around the world.

As Valentines Day is creeping up on us, wine expert Chuck Kanski visits The Current's Morning Show to talk about romantic wine parings that will make your holiday that much more harmonious.

"Sometimes us men think we're going to be really romantic and have an incredible play of a special restaurant and outfit," Chuck says, "But the reality is if you don't have a reservation right now, you might want to Plan B it."

Chuck recommends pairing a simple pasta dinner with a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, and recommends La Valentina as the winery to get it from.

The grape that supplies the wine comes from "the back of the knee" of the boot of Italy. "The fruit profile is awesome," Chuck says. "A lot of plum notes, blueberry, licorice, clove, great aromatics, earthy...but kind of earthy in a good way."

He recommends the wine as a great paring for not only pasta, but pizza too. "It's one of my favorites," Chuck says.

If you are to go to a place that has great wines by the class, Chuck has some recommendations:

Meritage
Spoon and Stable
Bachelor Farmer
Gyst

Retailers that support and sell Montepulciano d'Abruzzo:

Plaza Discount Liquor - Alexandria
Mt Royal Bottle Shoppe - Duluth
Cash Wise Liquor - Duluth
Sunfish Cellars - Lilydale
Stinson Wine, Beer & Spirits - Minneapolis
Zip's - Minneapolis
Premier Wine & Spirits - Osseo
Cellars - Plymouth
Tessa's Office - Rochester
Team Liquor W&S - Shorewood
Yard Liquor - St Paul
Solo Vino - St Paul
Cub Liquor - West St Paul
Cellars - White Bear Lake