An exquisite fondue dinner coupled with two excellent wine selections is the perfect way to spend a romantic evening at home.

The opener of a three-course meal was melted Emmentaler and Gruyere Swiss cheese. The simmering cheese offered a potent aroma and a distinct flavor. Borderline bitter in flavor, the cheese was an ideal contrast to dip crisp Granny Smith apples and garlic and parmesan-crusted Italian bread.

The first bottle of wine was a 2000 De Loach Chardonnay, a full-bodied beauty grown in California’s Russian River Valley.

The creamy, somewhat nutty wine had a sweet citrus flavor with a finish that provided a buttery apple flavor. The delectable white, served perfectly chilled, provided a harmonious contrast to the strong flavor of the cheese.

For the second course, diced steak and pork cubes and shrimp were placed on the skewers to be cooked in chicken broth.

The wine I brought for the evening: A 2005 Penfold’s Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet.

A deep, dense red in the glass, the Australian blend was sweet and jammy up front. It had a rich, plum-like flavor and wasn’t overly tannic. Widely available, Penfold’s does a tremendous job of producing quality “everyday” wines under $10.

As I washed down my shrimp, steak and pork with a taste of the wine that contains a combination of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra fruit, I noticed subtle hints of dark chocolate flavor.

The incredibly tender shrimp was the highlight of my evening. I didn’t mind the fact that my red selection somewhat overpowered the shrimp, and an overindulgence on the small sea creature almost caused me to miss the third and final flight of chocolate fondue.

Strawberries, peaches, frozen cheesecake and stale marshmallows were stuck on the skewers to meet hot dark chocolate.

Surprisingly, the Penfold’s production withstood the opulently robust flavors of the dessert course.

We all agreed; we couldn’t have asked for a finer evening.