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.

Lacrima

posted by Kirstin in Wine, Guest Bloggers, Food

After a blind(folded) tasting, no one debating whether Lacrima’s delicious or complex. It’s clear by this point that it’s one hell of a grape. Rather the question is, what color is Lacrima?

Swirl it around in the glass, and it evokes scents normally devoted to Gewürztraminer. Lychee. Roses. Swirl the glass again and the orange blossom and peach scents released will convince you that you’re drinking muscato. Suddenly, you detect the pungent scent of dried strawberries. Then, actually sipping the wine provides you with floral notes, berry rich acidity and… light tannins?

Translating to tear in Italian, the red grape Lacrima is an ancient varietal indigenous to the Marche region of Italy. It’s traditionally produced in the “governo Toscano” method, which is a second fermentation most often including the must of dried or partially dried Lacrima grapes. Some Lacrimas also go through carbonic maceration.

After fermentation, Lacrima is treated like any other red wine, consumed in Italy, and some are sent to the rest of wine drinking world. Once it arrives in the new world, however, few know what to do with it on the dinner table. With characteristics ranging from rose and orange blossom to peach and dried strawberries, the grape does not
immediatelydirect itself to one particular food.

Without such direction, I would do one of a few of things.

1. Drink it with fresh chevre or mildly aged goat cheese. The Lacrima would bring out the fresh lemony and floral nature of the vibrant cheese and the chevre would know to leave well enough alone and let Lacrima be the star.

2. Sip the Lacrima with a crisp, roast chicken. Simple, and juicy on both the food and wine end.

3. Enjoy the wine with a cooked tomato dish with lighter meats like pork, veal, or chicken, or fresh fish. Herbs like rosemary and sage won’t compete with the floral flavors in the wine with fish or light meat or poultry.

4. Go the distance with artisan salamis. Fennel salami, sopresetta, coppa, drooling,……The juicy, bright acidity wine would highlight the luscious fattiness in the meat..

Even if you haven’t tasted Lacrima, as I hadn’t a month ago, what would you imagine eating it with?

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.