Wine and Chocolate Pairing

As with food, when pairing wines with chocolate, match lighter-flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines, and more intense-flavored chocolates with more full-bodied wines. "Lighter" chocolate doesn’t refer to white and milk versus dark chocolate, but the overall flavor of the piece. Dark chocolates with delicate ganaches, for example, can be lighter in flavor than white or milk chocolate filled with intense caramel or with spicy or nut centers.

When pairing wine with chocolate, you can seek wines that have the same flavor notes as the chocolate (nutty, cherry, mint); or look for contrasts. As with food and wine matches, only you are the arbiter of what works best: There are no absolutes. Some people enjoy a fruity Cabernet or Zinfandel with chocolate, others find them too dry; some love matching Bourbon with chocolate, others find spirits too harsh. Most experts would recommend sticking with fortified wines because the sweetness and structure of the wines match well with chocolate.

The fun part of building a lists is that pairing decisions don’t have to be made in a day, in fact, they can’t be. There’s too much to taste; and over time, one’s own preferences will evolve as well. It’s important to recall that any wine variety—Cabernet Sauvignon, for example—offers a broad spectrum of choices, from light-bodied wines to heavy hitters. Leave the big, structured wines for food pairings (or to enjoy alone), and look for the lighter-bodied and fruitier wines that complement the fruitiness that is natural to most chocolate. Or, if you know your chocolate has a dark roast or naturally smoky flavors, think "smoky" and you might head for a single malt Scotch.

Chocolate and wine pairing is often seen as difficult and certainly some wines don't go well with any type of chocolate. But when done correctly, wine and chocolate pairing can be a very rewarding experience. Of course, taste is a very subjective thing but if you don't know where to start here are a few guidelines to some great wine and chocolate pairings

One of the most common mistakes people make when pairing wine and chocolate is that they pick a wine which is too dry. It is generally a good idea to choose a wine which is at least as sweet (if not sweeter) than the chocolate you are serving it with.

When pairing wine and chocolate, you should also keep in mind that light, creamy flavored chocolates tend to pair best with light bodied wines. For strong flavored chocolates (like Gourmet Dark Chocolates or Gourmet Chocolate Truffles), you should choose a full bodied wine. To make wine and chocolate pairing easier, try referring to the tables below

Cabernet Franc / Creamy Milk Chocolate

Cabernet Sauvignon / Dark Chocolate

Merlot / Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate

Pinot Noir / Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate

Sangiovese / Dark Chocolate

Zinfandel / Dark Chocolate

As you can see, red wines often match well dark chocolates but there are a couple of exceptions. Cabernet Franc with an extra creamy milk chocolate is a great wine and chocolate pairing.

Chardonnay / French Vanilla Chocolate

Pinot Blanc / Milk Chocolate

Riesling / Milk Chocolate

Sauvignon Blanc / Milk Chocolate

White wines are somewhat tough to pair with chocolates. While white wines have a light body which goes very well with milk chocolates, most are too dry to be served with chocolate. But there are some truly amazing combinations as well (like Chardonnay paired with French Vanilla.).

Champagne & Sparkling Wine / Almost Any Chocolate (Experiment)

Port / Dark Chocolate

Sherry / White Chocolate

Dessert wines don't really adhere to any "rules" about wine and chocolate pairings. Champagnes seem to go well with almost any type of chocolate, while Port and Sherry are on opposite ends of the chocolate spectrum.

CHILES (HABANERO, e.g.)

RUBY PORT

A fruity, fortified red wine will pair well with the heat of chile-infused chocolate

FRUIT

Fruit-flavored truffles, chocolate cherries, chocolate-covered fruit, dipped glazed or fresh fruit

Wines with strong fruit notes are good matches for fruit-accented chocolate.

Banyuls, with its cherry and berry flavors, pairs nicely with these fruit flavors in chocolate.

Cabernet Sauvignon brings out cherry-pepper-grape notes. With its heavier tannins, it may be a better match with dark chocolate.

Merlot, a softer red than Cabernet, can also partner well. Try it with milk chocolate.

Ruby Port brings out cherry and chocolate flavors.

Bonnie Doon Framboise, a dessert wine that is an "infusion of raspberries," made to go with chocolate.

Try Marsala or Vintage Port with citrus centers.

Orange Muscat.

A fruity Pinot Noir accents both the fruit and the fruitiness inherent in some fine couverture chocolate. A wine with milder tannins, it also is matches will with subtle creme fillings.

Liqueur-flavored chocolates can pair well with their corresponding liqueurs.

Cabernets and Zinfandels are a great match for chocolate mint cremes, mint thins, mint bars, and other variations of mint and chocolate—especially mint and dark chocolate.

Some California Cabs and Zins have pronounced minty nuances of their own. Your wine merchant should be able to direct you to those particular producers. For an even more interesting pairing, try some wines that are "minty" and some that aren’t.

Wine and chocolate pairings are interesting if nothing else. Many people swear by this unusual combination while others insist that it "can not be done". The only way to know for sure is to try it for yourself.

Gourmet dark chocolate often takes a back seat the wide-spread popularity of gourmet milk chocolate but don’t be fooled. Gourmet dark chocolate is every bit a treat to senses as any other gourmet chocolate treat.

Gourmet dark chocolate even makes a good gourmet chocolate gift idea for those who are health conscious. Gourmet dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more) has been proven in studies to actually be good for you! Gourmet dark chocolate has several essential nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium. It even contains the vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E. So, you can actually help protect your body against heart disease and high blood pressure by simply enjoying some gourmet dark chocolate. (U.S.-FDA Research Department).

The best part is that gourmet dark chocolate is a lot tastier than vitamin pills and nutrition drinks. Gourmet dark chocolate also contains cancer-fighting antioxidants and has even been compared to wine (which have been known for years to contain high levels of antioxidants).

Gourmet dark chocolate is delicious and good for you. You can’t go wrong! So, you can safely use gourmet dark chocolate as a gourmet chocolate gift idea to just about anyone. You can rest assured that you have not only given them a wonderfully delicious gourmet chocolate gift but also a gift that is good for them.

The best gourmet chocolate truffles are rich with a silky smooth palate. They also come in many different varieties. You can get gourmet chocolate truffles made from dark chocolate or milk chocolate. Dark chocolate truffles are the most popular though. The bitterness of dark chocolate balances very well with the sweetness of truffles.

Try them all, experiment.

           After all it’s Chocolate and Wine! Enjoy.

                 Baja Chocolate Lovers Bob (Chocolatier)

                              Contributing Author Steven Everett