By Barbara Hay ~
Wine Pairings for Milk Chocolate:
A bar of good milk chocolate is usually about half chocolate and half cream—think ganache or chocolate truffles. The extra fat from the cream makes milk chocolate one of the easiest “true” chocolates to pair with wine.
Good wine choices for Milk Chocolate:
• Brachetto d’Acqui: A sweet sparkling red wine from Piedmont, Italy. It is also an excellent pairing
with chocolate mousse!
with chocolate mousse!
• Late-Harvest Red Wines: Port-style wines including late-harvest Syrah, Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah.
• Recioto Della Valpolicella: A very rare sweet red wine from the same region that produces Amarone in Italy.
• Ruby Port: The original Port from Portugal makes for a more spiced and berry-driven pairing
with milk chocolate
with milk chocolate
• Banyuls: The French “Port” has funkier earthier notes and for this reason will do marvelously with
chocolate truffles.
chocolate truffles.
• Lambrusco: A sparkling red wine, with delicate flavors of peach and strawberry.
Wine Pairings for Dark Chocolate:
The polyphenols in dark chocolate mirror those in wine and give both a somewhat bitter taste. It’s also the part of the chocolate that gives you all the health benefits! We want to balance the bitterness with a properly selected wine pairing.
• Vin Santo: Vin Santo has rich, sweet flavors of cherries, cinnamon, and a fine nuttiness.
• Port-style Red Wines: There are several single-varietal Port-style wines (coming from outside
of Portugal) that have ample intensity to balance dark chocolate, including Zinfandel (with
cayenne chocolate), Malbec (with ginger chocolate) and Petite Sirah (with coffee chocolate).
of Portugal) that have ample intensity to balance dark chocolate, including Zinfandel (with
cayenne chocolate), Malbec (with ginger chocolate) and Petite Sirah (with coffee chocolate).
• Port: Port from Portugal offers touches of cinnamon spice and is a perfect pairing with high
cacao chocolates.
cacao chocolates.
• Pedro Ximinez: The region of Montilla-Moriles in Spain makes this inky brown-black colored
Sherry. PX is designed to be enjoyed in exceptionally small sips. The wine adds nutty and raisinated
flavors to dark chocolate and pairs well with espresso.
Sherry. PX is designed to be enjoyed in exceptionally small sips. The wine adds nutty and raisinated
flavors to dark chocolate and pairs well with espresso.
Wine Pairings for White Chocolate:
White chocolate isn’t technically “true” chocolate because it doesn’t contain cacao but it is one of the few chocolate-like desserts that will pair well with dry red wine.
• Pinot Noir: Wonder of wonders! It is a shockingly good pairing!. The white chocolate acts as the fat that delivers sweet flavors of red cherries, strawberries, and raspberries found in the Pinot Noir. If you’re looking for a great alternative, check out Schiava.
• Beaujolais: A light-bodied red wine. The Gamay grape offers a range of flavors from red fruit and flower flavors to more black currant and blueberry flavors.
• Moscato d’Asti: White chocolate is delicate enough to match with white wines. Muscat Blanc or Moscato d’Asti both deliver flavors of peaches and cream with floral notes of roses. Sparkling Moscato d’Asti gives the pairing extra creaminess.
• Brachetto d’Acqui: When paired with white chocolate, delivers creamy raspberry notes with subtle notes of peonies.
• Ice Wine: Riesling and Vidal Blanc offer notes of pineapple, lemon meringue, and creamy candied oranges.