Regardless of how you celebrated February 14, you most likely indulged in a few bites of chocolate. Hopefully there are a few sweets still tucked away so that on this Wine Down Wednesday you can enjoy a decadent chocolate and wine pairing.
If you love wine and you love chocolate, this partnership should be a perfect pair, yet the blending of these two powerhouses does deserve some pause and reflection. When pairing wine and chocolate it’s important to make sure that they complement each other, rather than compete in an epic battle of commanding flavors on your palate. A trick to accomplish this is by choosing a wine that’s softer and sweeter than the chocolate. Now, this doesn’t mean you can only drink syrupy dessert wines, but it does mean you should choose a wine that’s jammy and fruit forward, for example. Another tip is to think about certain fruit that could work with a type of chocolate and then pair a wine that has a similar flavor profile, like a Sauvignon Blanc with balanced citrus flavors that would complement a zesty lemon truffle.
Here are a few more pairings that you can try at home:
Dark Chocolate
Having more than 50% cocoa, this chocolate is bursting with antioxidants and other health benefits. Ghirardelli and even Trader Joe’s make delicious bars of this rich dessert.
Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry: This fortified wine (wine that’s had a distilled spirit added to it) is one of the world’s sweetest and thus a great match.
Dolcetto: Hailing from Northern Italy, this red wine has a cherry, fruit-forward profile so pair it with a chocolate covered cherry or dark chocolate bar enhanced with cherries.
Milk Chocolate
With around 40% or less of cocoa, this chocolate sits in the middle of the pack and is made by a variety of famous brands like Hershey’s and Godiva.
Ruby Port: Thanks to its fruit-forward flavor, this port will pair nicely with a fruit infused bar that will bring out the berry in the wine.
Tawny Port: Bring out its nutty and caramel flavors with a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
Demi Sec sparkling wine or Champagne: These sweet bubbles pair well with a cinnamon or caramel infused chocolate like a caramel truffle.
Zinfandel: For red wine fans, try a jammy, fuller body Zin pairing.
White Chocolate
Some chocolate enthusiasts might scoff at this treat since it’s technically not made of cocoa but from cocoa butter. However, it does have a loyal following thanks to several popular brands like Lindt and Cadbury.
Sauternes – Made from Bordeaux’s white grapes, this wine tends to be sweeter with caramel, citrus and tropical fruit flavors so pair it with a Ghirardelli caramel square or a fruity truffle.
Moscato d’Asti – The Italian sparkling white wine from the Piedmont region is bursting with peach, orange blossom and honeysuckle flavors so it will complement the creamy texture of the chocolate.
Do you have a favorite wine and chocolate pairing that we didn’t list? Tell us about it in the comments! Did you try one of these suggestions and love it? We want to know.
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