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Be it an exhausting day at work, a bad day or an occasion to celebrate wine and an exotic chocolate box always seems to be the answer. Yes, the marriage between wine and chocolate is truly a match made in heaven if you master the art of how to pair them well. The right wine can complement the right chocolate and do wonders to your taste buds. However, if you don’t pick the right match it is definitely going to taste bad and is bound to ruin the divine combination and your dining experience. But don’t worry as we are here to tell you how to make the perfect chocolate wine pairings that will leave you wanting more.
Chocolate and wine are both flavorful elements. When combined they’ll try to compete and overpower each other. That’s why it is important to find a balance and let one of them be the hero of your palate. So, pick a wine that is sweeter than the chocolate you choose and always have it first so that it doesn’t taste sour or bitter. Let the wine win, so that your dinner can be a winner too.
The first thing to keep in mind while pairing these two magical ingredients is to look at same styles, weights, and texture. Lighter and less flavored chocolates should be paired with lighter bodied wines. Likewise, concentrated dark chocolates go well with denser wine types. Vintage red wines filled with rich fruit notes and sweet chocolates are the most marvelous combination there is.
Lighter chocolates like white and milk are sweeter, creamier and milder than the dark variety. Just remember light goes with light and vice versa. So, if you are planning a meal with many wine and chocolate options make sure you serve the more elegant combos first and move on to full-bodied wine and strong chocolate duos later to avoid palate fatigue. If you consume dark chocolates first the bitter flavonoids released will ruin your taste buds for lighter chocolate samples.
White chocolate: Although it is cocoa free, buttery, creamy and mellow white chocolate tastes blissful with aromatic white wines such as Gewurztraminer, Malvasia and Moscato. Furthermore, its sweet flavors of vanilla, milk, caramel and cream blend in beautifully with sweet wines such as late-harvest Riesling but also with Cava or Champagne.
Milk chocolate: Made of half chocolate and half cream, milk chocolate has less cocoa as compared to sugar. The milk content makes it milder and sugary which is why it should be combined with fruity red wines with lower alcohol content. Late harvest red wines, Ruby Port and Rutherglen Muscat are the most sought out wines for the same. And if we think about a Spanish wines, a Sherry Cream would be perfect for this match, offering a great balance between sweetness and good acidity.
Dark chocolate: Now let us look at what works with 70% to 100% cocoa-rich dark chocolate. The chocolate’s intense earthy, roasted, ashy, woody and nutty notes call for deeply flavored wines. Tawny Port and red wines with good spiciness such as an Australian Shiraz or Mencia from Bierzo (in Spain) can be wonderful wine choices for this combination.
Yes, your delicious hot chocolate can now be made with wine and trust me when I say it’ll elevate your old favorite drink to a whole other level. So, go grab your hot chocolate mug, pour in some milk, red wine, chocolate chunks and top it with lovely roasted marshmallows for that extra touch and sip away.
Well, you read it right. As if wine and chocolate weren’t good enough already, you can now add sumptuous champagne and create the perfect sinful libation ever. This cocktail known as chocolate velvet contains wine, champagne and yummy chocolate. Oh wait, it is cocktail ‘o’clock yet again.
Your jaw dropped yet again, didn’t it? Well, this drink is truly possible. If you are not a wine lover and want to pair your scotch with chocolate, then all you have to do is shake up some superior quality whisky such as Macallan 18, red wine and dark chocolate in a cocktail maker and dive into slurping on this wonderful combination.
The greatest inventions generally happen through repeated trial and errors. Therefore, the most essential tip is to keep on experimenting with the choices at hand. Try out a mix and match approach. Understand what suits you and work out pairs accordingly. Everyone’s palate preferences differ, so keeping the above tips in mind start playing and trying something new. Eventually, you’ll find your remarkably appealing and favorite chocolate pairing for sure.
The key is to understand that there’s no universally right match. The options in front of you are limitless. Take these ingredients with the highest fan base, find that synergy of a well-paired union and indulge on their guilty pleasures. And never forget to ‘Wine a little and laugh a lot’.
Author’s Bio
“Jessica Smith has been writing for a few years now. She is a writer by day and reader by night. She was a very quiet child but writing always inspired her and that is why she began writing in her free time. She loves reading, be it a newspaper, a book or anything. She also loves cooking, traveling and dancing. She wants to be a successful writer as writing is her passion.”
