Chocolate and Wine... An ongoing controversy!

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Even before studying wine, some 20ish years ago, I have been a huge fan of Chocolate and Wine... at the same time. And not just on special occasions but any evening after dinner, it’s simply a fabulous dessert, a blissful combination... one that can spark joy into any day. I think Bacchus would agree.

Much as many of my peers in the wine trade, from within the Sommellerie to the humble winemaker, can be found indulging in this decadent pairing, this is not necessarily the view of many a critic, or others in the wine world. Some claim the combination of tannins from both the chocolate and the wine clash. For instance, a very cocoa rich chocolate of greater than 80% can make a very dry, tannic red wine feel unforgivingly astringent on the palate. It’s a matter of putting the right style of wine, with the right style of chocolate, of which there are many... so, great, right?!!

Lets take a look at what styles of each work well, and actually enhance each other. If you are a dark chocolate lover like myself, you could pair it with one of BC’s many luscious sweet, red, fortified (Port Style) wines, or a rich jammy Zinfandel or Malbec... many of the bigger reds that have a bit of residual sugar, it doesn’t have to be much. Additionally you can think about the nature of the nuts, candied fruit, etc. that you may love in your dark chocolate. Toasted almonds or hazelnuts will complement a red wine that has spent time in oak barrels with a medium to high toast and reds that exhibit coffee notes. Chocolate covered cherries are brought to a heightened level when served with a rich sweet, fortified red. I’d even put a dark chocolate with dried apricots and nuts with one of our late harvest sweet whites... yum!.

Milk chocolate, with lower cocoa content pairs wonderfully with BC's more subtle reds, varieties that exhibit cappuccino notes with lots of blackberry and cherry on the palate, like our Merlots and Syrahs... and white chocolate works well with off dry bubbles both red and white, young fruit forward reds and Ice Wine.

The possibilities are endless! Which side of the chocolate and wine debate do you sit on?!!

 By Wendy Vallaster