This post could be either an appetizer, dessert, or just a snack. It is chocolate and wine! Now, I’m not a chocoholic, but I’m married to one; so I understand how important it is to those of you who are “hooked” on chocolate. Wine does actually pair well with chocolate. In fact, I recently did a Wine & Chocolate pairing event with a group of ladies who discovered how well these two go together. The chocolate I will be using is Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and Hershey’s Dark Chocolate, both of which can be bought at the Clinton Hannaford for a very reasonable price. I will also spend some time talking about a variety of wine & chocolate pairings, in case your favorite is something else.
All of the wines I chose are available at Clinton Wine & Spirits at either the high end of Billy’s or the low end of Steve’s price range. Of course, you are always welcome to go with something more expensive, if you like. In general, I pair reds with chocolate, more on some unusual options later. The lighter the chocolate, the lighter the red; and vice versa. Peanuts tend to pair well with Pinot Noirs, in my opinion. So, for cholate with nuts or other “stuff”, I would go with a Pinot Noir like the Oregonian A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir (2021) or the French Burgundian Maison Chazy Mercury Les Bussieres (2019). For regular milk chocolate, I would go with a Bordeaux blend like Chateau Gigault Cuvee Viva (2015). Finally, for you dark chocolate lovers, I would go with a good Napa Cab. Sauv. like Charles Krug’s Cabernet Sauvignon (2018).
Why do reds tend to pair well with chocolate? Chocolate tends to be somewhat bitter and contains tannins, as well as its “sweet qualities”. This lends it to pairing well with a variety of reds, depending on the amount of each element mentioned above. As I stated earlier, peanuts tend to pair well with the high acid & tart cherry taste of a Pinot Noir. The low acid & high body of a Cab. Sauv. pairs well with most chocolate: a Bordeaux blend for the mellower kind and a “strong” Napa Cab for the heartier kind. If you are really up for something different, try a dessert wine with chocolate (especially if it has a high cacao content). A Canadian Icewine, like Inniskillin, or even a good Port, like Taylor Fladgate (which I will profile soon), can go well with chocolate. When I did my recent Wine & Chocolate pairing event, I gave a few of the ladies these options and they were pleasantly surprised. It’s definitely worth a try!
If you’re a true chocoholic, you’ve already had a piece while reading this or are going for one now. In any case, I’m done here. Next week, I will start another “Wine Regions of ?” Education blog. Check it out to see where I go. Cheers!