Wine & chocolate seems strange to some, but the right wine with the right chocolate is a beautiful thing. There is so much exploration to do, since there are so many interesting taste combinations to discover – nuts, fruits, types of chocolates – it really is an endless experiment. We’ll give you some pairing tips to keep in mind, then some fun wines to discover.
Tips for Successfully Pairings Wines with Chocolate
Here are a few simple rules – not hard and fast, but more like guidelines:
- Chocolate is very complex – just like wine. For pure chocolate, you’ll find some subtle flavors which are inherent to the region, the cocoa content, and the fat content. It is best to do some experimenting to find the best wine and chocolate combinations for you. Try to detect some underlying flavors of the chocolate, then the wine separately. Play with the matches.
- In general, try to keep the wine sweeter than the chocolate. However, some dry wines with strong flavors will also work, depending the prevalent flavor notes of the wine. For example, wines such as Argentinian Malbec with a mocha undertone works well with chocolates having mocha flavors.
- More elegant chocolates with lots of layers of flavor typically match better with lighter-bodied wines; likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be. For example, a bittersweet chocolate tends to pair well with an intense California Zinfandel. Some folks use Cabernet Sauvignon with tobacco and leather undertones with bittersweet chocolate – but it is not our favorite matching.
- Sparkling wines of all sorts work well with chocolate – if in doubt, open some Processo, champagne, or Asti Spumante.
- If you have several types of chocolates, always work from light to dark. Start with a more subtle milk chocolate and end on a dark or bittersweet.
- White chocolate is a completely different animal. It is fatty, tends to be more mellow in flavor, and can have a pronounced aftertaste. Try a light to medium bodied Sherry (semi-dry), Orange Muscat, or Asti Spumante.
Neuhaus chocolates
A few words about our favorite chocolates. There are many European brands from Belgium, Swiss, and Italian that are worthy of sources. Our favorite is Neuhaus, which will be delivered in perfect condition every time (www.neuhauschocolate.com). We also love Maison du Chocolat in NYC, which is one of the premier Paris chocolatiers.
New York City has so many great choices – Jacques Torres, Max Brenner (also in Philly), Vosges Haut-Chocolat, and MarieBelle’s, to name a few. Some of these folks will ship.
Norman Love chocolates
We were introduced to Norman Love’s chocolate at the Maritana Grill on St. Pete’s Beach, FL. Their chocolates are almost too beautiful to consume – but they are amazing when you take a bit. They are worthy of the praise they get from a lot of chocolate fans – www.normanloveconfections.com.
We also received some Harry & David’s chocolates during the holidays – and found that they were quite good. And, of course, they ship.
Chocolate dipped strawberries
One last note – there are many folks who make their own chocolate ganache, and dip their favorite fruit. Go for it – you then have total control over what’s in your chocolate mix. There are great, simple recipes on the Food Network website, and elsewhere. But you can also cheat by purchasing pre-made dipped berries – as long as the fruit is high quality, they are a good match for many of the wines on the next pages.
