Few sensual pleasures go together quite so well as wine and chocolate. So, what better time to indulge in this decadent duo than at Easter?
The stellar pairing of wine and chocolate is every bit as delicious as red wine and steak or wine and cheese, even if it is a little misunderstood. But fear not, we’re here to clear things up and give you some simple tips on how to crack this tricky pairing.
How to Pair Chocolate and Wine
Let’s face it, Easter has for so long been about the children. But now our favourite treat has grown up, and with it so have the options. Many of us chocolate-loving adults now choose to pair wine with our chocolate treats for the ultimate indulgent experience.
Although it can be tricky to successful pair this delicious duo, chocolate and wine have a little more in common than you may think. They can both be sweet, they can both be bitter, they’re both acidic, and they even both contain flavanol antioxidants which help to lower blood pressure! So, without further ado, let’s drill down into how to make these two work in harmony together on your palate!
Virgin Wines’ Theory of Chocotivity
E= mc2, where E (Eat), m (my), c (Chocolate + Wine), 2 (pleasure multiplied)
Adding wine into the equation multiplies the joy. Simple!
There are however a few rules that will help you get the most from pairing chocolate with wine:
- Make sure that the wine is at least as sweet as the chocolate. If the chocolate is much sweeter than the wine, then the wine will taste bitter, and much of its natural fruit flavour diminishes. If the wine is much sweeter than the chocolate, it will mask the flavour of the chocolate.
- Another good way to look at it is to match flavour intensity. This balances the wine and the chocolate and is generally a useful aid for pairing strongly flavoured foods. Think of it like this: rich, dark chocolate equals bold, full-bodied red.
- The tannins in red wine give you a lip-smacking sensation and dry-mouth feel. Dark chocolate is also high in tannins, so match bitter-sweet chocolate with a bold or tannic wine.
- Chocolate and wine are both acidic in good measure, with chocolate hovering around pH5, and wine slightly more acidic, averaging pH3 (pH7 neutral). If both astringency levels are high, this will increase the sour notes in both food and drink. For this reason, don’t mix dry, acidic white wine with chocolate.
- On the other hand, acidity works to cleanse the palate, cutting through the fat. So, a bit of acidity is often a good thing.
Pairing Wine with Very Dark Chocolate
Wine: Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Vintage Port, Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone
Eghemon Pasimiento
Using a similar winemaking method to Amarone, the grapes are air-dried to concentrate the fruit flavours. With sweet spices and a Port-like quality, the rich red fruits in this blend are a perfect accompaniment to the bitter, richness of very dark chocolate.
Heranca Late Bottles Vintage Port
Heavy and rich, the taste of sweet fig, plum and blackcurrant in this fortified wine match the sugars and texture in dark chocolate sensationally!
Pairing Wine with Dark Chocolate
Wine: Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Amontillado Sherry, Vintage Port, Zinfandel/Primitivo, Chianti, Rhône
Fernando de Castilla Antique Amontillado
This slightly nutty, off-dry Sherry is an unbeatable match for dark chocolate. Expect notes of caramel, almonds and orange peel that complement rich, high cocoa content chocolate very well indeed.
Schola Sarmenti Primitivo
The grapes come from 65-year-old vines, and a small yield means greater depth of flavour. Its tannins are soft, but it packs plentiful dark fruits into the bottle. Mellow tobacco aromas, and a lick of chocolate and coffee are present on the finish, marrying beautifully to the real thing.
Pairing Wine with Milk Chocolate
Wine: Tawny Port, Merlot, Rutherglen Muscat, Pinot Noir
Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny
A Tawny Port packed with sweet plummy fruit and caramel softness, this one is truly heavenly with your favourite milk chocolate! Expect a complex palate of jammy black fruit and subtle oak nuances balanced by a crunchy red berry character.
Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot
This bold and sultry smooth Merlot is rich in flavour and the ideal match for milk chocolate. A palate of voluptuous plum and black cherry fruit flavours, fruitcake, chocolate and cedar will complement your chocolate snack superbly.
Pairing Wine with White Chocolate
Wine: Sweet Riesling, Moscato D’Asti, Tokaji, Ice Wine, Beaujolais
Hans Lang Hattenheim Hassel Riesling Beerenauslese
A bottle aged sweet Riesling, this German white vino is our number one choice for a sweet white chocolate pairing. It’s a luscious, honey-like wine with aromas of spiced apple strudel, honeyed apricots and a touch of citrus. Divine!
Araldica Moscato d’Asti
Because white chocolate has low tannins, it’s best to pair it to a low tannin wine. With a high sugar content and a honeyed palate, white chocolate is a kindred spirit. This delicate, lightly sparkling wine has a wonderful floral nose and ripe peachy, grape flavour.
Pairing Wine with Fruit & Nut Chocolate
Wine: Rutherglen Muscat, Ruby Port, Banyuls, Moscato D’Asti
Yalumba Antique Muscat
A super-ripe Muscat fortified wine that’s been oak-aged for many years, there really is no better match for chocolate infused with nuts and raisins than this multi award-winning Aussie dessert wine. Expect a perfect palate of liquefied raisins lashed with chocolate, nuts, caramel, spices and brandy.
Conte Di Campiano Sangiovese Rubicone
Not your average Chianti style, which tends to be delicate and refined. This is an indulgent, spicy red, with plentiful red cherry at its core, and the scent of raspberry and violets on the nose.
Pairing Wine with Mint Chocolate
Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc
Silenus Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
A part-Bordeaux, fruit-filled smooth and elegant Cab Sav blend with herbaceous notes, and being from the Coonawarra region you can expect a hint of mint on the palate too! No surprise then that this makes a fine complement to mint chocolate chip or a cheeky after dinner mint.
Pairing Wine with Salt Caramel Chocolate
Wine: Gewürztraminer, Tawny Port, Rutherglen Muscat
Cave de Turckheim Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive
One thing to remember is salt amps up the flavours it meets. This Classic Gewerts from the Alsace region is late harvest, so expect a ripe, and delectably sweet digestif. It’s got it all: rich stone fruits and spices, a honeyed texture, and a finish so long that you’ll be on your next sip before it ends.
