WINE PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE

When we think of pairing wine and food, we tend to think savory. We think of the classics like red meat with red wine, or fish and white wine. However, when the meal is over, people tend to move on to different alcohols like brandy.

The classic European wine producers have their methods of pairings. The French regularly attach wine-braised meat stews with a bold red wine. They will similarly attach a mineral-forward white with a cream-based dish, something like a Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc. 

Italians like to pair some lighter, peppery red wines with some of their signature dishes, like pizza. The pepperiness of the red wine is a real highlight of their productions and cuts through the fattier, more savory dishes. Their white wines are incredible to pair with their immense pasta traditions as well.

When we think of these legendary cuisines, we never think of chocolate and wine pairing. The country best known for chocolate is probably Switzerland, which doesn't have a big chocolates with wine tradition.

In this piece, we will investigate what wine goes with chocolate, some ideal chocolates with wine ideas, and focus on what wine to start with.

Brachetto d’Acqui

The delicious semi-sparkling red wine is created in Piedmont, Italy. On the nose, you will get some candied, floral aromatics. The taste is a sweet, soft, delicately carbonated wine. 

Due to the sweetness and floral notes of this wine, we recommend pairing it with dark, complex chocolate. Something like a truffle, with a rich center, encased in delicate cocoa powder.

Late-Harvest Red Wines

Port-style wines such as Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, and late-harvest Syrah are also some of the best wines that pair well with white chocolate. They have had longer to ripen on the vine, and the result is a seriously full-bodied wine. 

These would go really nicely with dark, but also milk chocolate. Something that is a bit sweeter would cut through the deep fruity flavors of the wine. Some milk chocolate can be mass-produced and of low quality, so we recommend splashing the cash on some good stuff.

Recioto Della Valpolicella

Recioto Della Valpolicella is a delicious red wine that is produced in Italy. It is an intense, sweet wine, from the north-eastern region of Italy. It is one of the harder to find varieties, and so makes this chocolate and wine pairing difficult. 

Traditionally, this wine is paired with local Italian pastries. Running with that theme, not-too-sweet chocolate would pair nicely. Darker chocolate, perhaps sprinkled with sea salt could work wonders as a combination.

Vin Santo Del Chianti

Vin Santo del Chianti, which is also referred to as Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice is a sweet wine from Tuscany. It possesses sweet flavors of cinnamon and cherries that go perfectly well with dark chocolate. 

Some darker chocolate with hazelnuts inside, or perhaps some dried fruits would go fantastically. The dark fruit notes of the chocolate would go wonderfully with this sweet, zingy wine.

Port

The original Port wine produced in Portugal is a fortified sweet wine. There are so many varieties, but it does tend to be quite sweet. Some drier ports would go excellently with milk chocolate, something to create deep levels of sweetness.

Chinato

Chinato is actually an aromatic wine and it has delicate notes of cherry that have been dusted in exotic spices. Chinato also pairs exceptionally well with white chocolate.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about chocolate and wine pairings with us. We hope this guide gives you some ideas of what wine goes with chocolate, and how you can approach pairing them for yourselves!