Chocolate and Wine?
posted by Kirstin in Snooth, Wine, Guest Bloggers
While its rumored that the gods (Zeus in particular) devoured chocolate and wine every hour, on the hour, I’ve never been a huge fan of the combo. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that I relatively enjoyed the two in the same bite. The countless other times I tried them as one, the acid was off, the chocolate was too sweet for the wine, or the wine was too full of itself to submit to the chocolate.
Then I had a Madiran and chocolate together. Mainly Tannat based, the Madiran had the stuff to lull the chocolate into submission. Dark and creamy, the chocolate was a sucker for the wine. Fierce and strong-headed, the tannic wine coated the chocolate from the harsh outside world (my tongue).
Since then, I’ve had a few other wines that I’ve liked with chocolate. The other was a big Cahors, also from Southwest France, but Malbec, instead of Tannat based. For the life of me, I can’t remember the other one, but I know that it was not a California Cab or Merlot, like what so many suggest is the best pairing with cocoa.
So in preparation of my weekly post on my wine and food pairing blog, my question is, what are the best chocolate pairings that you’ve had? The worst? And please, don’t just give me pairing suggestions that you’ve heard tastes good. I want to hear what you’ve liked and what made you want to throw the chocolate out of the window (but close to the house still so that you can claim it and eat it after your fit).
I’m asking because most of my wine and chocolate consuming pairing attempts have been failures, and with chocolate, I want happy conquests.
Kirstin Jackson Ellis works as a wine bar manager and wine and food consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes about wine and food pairing at Vin de La Table, her luxurious and lighthearted blog.
I like chocolate with ruby port. I have had a chocolate infused port and would have to say, that made me want to chuck it out the window - yuck!
I really like the Morandé Late harvest (Chili) with good Belgian chocolate mousse. I also like a Moscato D’Asti to go with that.
Did you try strawberries with a chocolate fountain? I preffer a really sweet wine to go with that, like the ones above or a Pineau de Charantes (red version).
Some people prefer dark chocolate, some people prefer sweet chocolate, I will always suggest dark chocolate.
Then again when I only want to eat chocolate (like a snack without the wine) I preffer sweet chocolate.
Just try and experiment with it, you will be surprised.
Enjoy your chocolate.
Ivan.
I find you can’t go wrong with a great dark chocolate and a powerful California Cabernet. We have had many many good chocolate wine combinations. I do not like to have Port or sweet wine. I think a very berry, overpowering red, with even some heavy oak and new world character can perform quite well with a more bitter and intense chocolate. We love Lindt, and their chocolate is good just about anything.
Some good ideas here, I’ll post my results on vindelatable.blogspot.com sometime next week. Until then, I’m still liking my port with chocolate.
Port and chocolate for me too. I love wine and sugary foods, but am notoriously bad at pairing them expertly. If i was paying attention i’d go with a dark, more bitter chocolate and pair it with a smoky Syrah, Zin, or maybe even a cab. Ports and dessert wines would work.
I have some crystallized ginger infused chocolate at home and i thought about having that with a Riesling. Will let you know how it goes.
@Ocean - yeah, i’ve had a few chocolate infused wines, and I have to say they have been universally unappealing
Random image, i know, but i’m showing off the new image support, and making myself hungry at the same time:
!http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2008/Chocolate.jpg!
Haha, I just posted one about wine gum to show off the images. We should start a post with only pictures of delicious food.
How about wine that tastes like chocolate?
This wine is lovely:
http://www.diemersfontein.co.za/pinotage.html