Chocolate and Wine pairing

[aguynamedrobert]

Has anyone done any wine and chocolate Pairing before? I work with chocolate but am not very into wine....although I would love to work with a sommelier to pair them one time and get a feel for the two working together....has anyone done this yet?

-Robert
www.chocolateguild.com/vb

[cape chef]

Strictly talking about dessert wines, Port, whether vintage, Tawney or Ruby as well as LBV's work beautifully with chocolate. Also Madeira's. The key to the match up is the type of chocolate that's highlighted. Bittersweet, unsweetened, semisweet, white, milk etc. All these chocolates offer different levels of bitterness and tannins. I recommend doing a tasting. With that said, many dry reds go with chocolate, but this becomes a bit more of a challenge. Complete contrasts work well when really thought out. Example, Port with Stilton, Sauterne with Foie gras. Here we match savory, fatty and salty with sweet. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind is that the wine HAS to be as sweet or sweeter than the chocolate or you have the toothpaste orange juice syndrome.

[castironchef]

I'm rather partial to a nice tannic cabernet with chocolate.

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by castironchef

I'm rather partial to a nice tannic cabernet with chocolate.

What attributes do you find coalesce with a big tannic Cabernet and chocolate? Also, what type of chocolate (not brand) are you eating with the wine?

[castironchef]

I, regrettably, don't have the talent of writing about or describing tastes, especially when it comes to wine. I am not one of those tasters who can describe "cola, winter melon, fig, etc." when tasting wine. I taste wine, not those other things (with minor exceptions).

When it comes to chocolate, I prefer dark/bittersweet. Thus, I prefer a stronger, more full bodied wine to compliment it.

To me, neither the dark chocolate nor the tannic red wash each other out, as it would with either milk chocolate or a light, fruity red. Further, while both have strong flavors, they seem to "reset" my taste buds, making the next taste of the other one "fresh."

I hope that the above makes sense.

[aguynamedrobert]

I see that a few of you have a good amount of knowledge when it comes to pairing specific wines with chocolate(In the broad terms of chocolate). Has anyone Paired certain wines with chocolate from different origins around the world? Actually paired the unique flavors of those chocolates with the wines? Just throwing it out there because it has not been done much yet...

Robert
www.chocolateguild.com

[AprilB]

I'm not a professional wine sniffer by any means but I know what I like.

They have a fine selection of very dark bodied wines as well as Cabs that are great. Certain Aussie Pinot Noir's and Yellowtail Shiraz both hold their own against other strong flavors. I don't know of the Pinot but I know there are a few available here that have a nice fruit undertone.

The shiraz is great but it also has a strong chocolate undertone of its own. (depending on the year)

I like a burgundy for drinking but really dislike the "thin" tart types. (my tastebud definition...)

I think the idea of pairing wine with chocolate is on the surface odd, but makes tons of sense. How many gourmet gift baskets do you see with truffles, chocolate covered fruit and bottles of fine wine? Heaps.

Anyway...this is an interesting question.

April

[m brown]

champagne and truffles= wonderful

cab sav and medium dark chocolate = heaven

port and 72 % dark chocolate= omg

don't forget truffle fudge brownies and scotch = there are no words

raspberry double chocolate chip cookie and rose champagne = get out of jail free card

milk chocolate and iced vodka = ohh
vodka cuts the sweet and fat... just for fun, like an interactive chocolate martini

so, yeah, chocolate and wine/spirits they kind of can work

[Myplaceoryours]

I'd like to pair a Vin Santo (a dessert wine) with dark chocolate.

[Jim]

Rosa Regale (used to be Barchetto di Aqui) from Banfi is a fantastic sparkling that goes superb with chocolate.

[m brown]

I am a lucky girl, Banfi is right down the steet and I have had the pleasure of cooking there, touring and tasting.
The rosa regale is wonderful and really festive with the desserts. At our truffle and champagne tasting we always offered it and it always was a hit!

[Jim]

Well, I no longer like you!! Delaware has very tight controls over the quantity of specific brand imports... and Banfi has a very, very small limit. As such, Rosa Regale is nearly impossible to get. Next time you go there, perhaps you could send me a cork or the label from the bottle!

[Ted Hudgins]

I've had some interesting attempts at matching red wine & chocolate with varying degrees of success. Port is good, depending on the type of port and the chocolate, as Cape alluded to. Robert Parker has gone on record (and I agree) that the only wine to go with chocolate is a late harvest grenache from Southwest France called Banyuls.

On a related note, I have enjoyed Mole Poblano and big, powerful zinfandels on a number of occcasions.

[Culprit]

Because pairing "wine" with "chocolate" involves mating a wide range of wine with a wide range of chocolate (there are countless combinations) this can get pretty complicated. This web site:

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/mai...ine2.asp#chart

includes a guide that I sometimes use when I'm uncertain. It may help answer your question(s)

[Myron]

I understand that your question deals with pairing wine and chocolate but I would like to add a bit of a twist for you to consider. Dark chocolate pairs beautifully with good Scotch whiskey (Johnny Walker Black Label or, if you're feeling a bit full in the wallet, Johnny Walker Blue Label would be my first two choices) Because it is a liqueur based on a Scotch whiskey foundation, you might also want to consider Drambuie with dark chocolate.
There are other liquor and liqueur considerations (e.g Southern Comfort) but those I've listed here are some of my favorites.