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Wine and Chocolate Pairings - Trying To Figure Out New Combinations


Andelman

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I am just trying to get an idea from the resident wine experts regarding the pairing of chocolate and wine. We are working on a project involving the pairing of different wines with our chocolates.We are hoping to develop new flavors of bonbons that might be paired with certain varietals. I have done a fair amount of online research on the subject, along with the obvious tasting on my own. There seems to be mixed opinions regarding what goes with what, and whether you can pair chocolate with dry wines (red and white). Pairing with sweet wines is a no-brainer, and I know that can work on various levels and flavor profiles. I am more concerned about the drier wines. I would just be interested in what others might have to add regarding the topic based on their past experiences.

Thanks in advance!

-jason

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Some simply say that the bitterness and tannins in chocolate counter against the tannins in red wines. I would think that a lighter style of chocolate presentation would require something along the lines of a softer, toned down red with little to no tannins. I remember hearing someone say to me a long time ago 'Go ahead and eat a mouth full of almonds and drink a big glass of Cab.' I thought it odd at the time but once you try it, you realize what food items have copious amounts of tannins that you might not ever realize.

Still need to talk with you about some chocolates for our Lallier Tasting next week.

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I am just trying to get an idea from the resident wine experts regarding the pairing of chocolate and wine. We are working on a project involving the pairing of different wines with our chocolates.We are hoping to develop new flavors of bonbons that might be paired with certain varietals. I have done a fair amount of online research on the subject, along with the obvious tasting on my own. There seems to be mixed opinions regarding what goes with what, and whether you can pair chocolate with dry wines (red and white). Pairing with sweet wines is a no-brainer, and I know that can work on various levels and flavor profiles. I am more concerned about the drier wines. I would just be interested in what others might have to add regarding the topic based on their past experiences.

Thanks in advance!

-jason

I always, always, always save some Red Bordeaux or Côes du Rhone Rouge for my chocolate mignardises. Although it's counter-intuitive, dry, red wine (with healthy acidity) is my #1 choice with chocolate. Okay, Banyuls is up there, too, but I've shocked just as many people in my life with the dry red - chocolate pairing as I have with the aged Burgundy - sushi pairing. You don't want something so young that your palate is overwhelmed by a savage mouthful of oak, berries, and tannins, and you don't want something so old that the earthy, mushroomy component has stepped to the fore; you want a medium-aged red (3-10 years) with medium body (12-13.5% ABV), and a semi-sweet chocolate will work perfectly - the chocolate will magically taste sweeter, and the wine will magically taste fruitier. It's one of the great, synergistic food-wine pairings, and very few people know about it.

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(Full disclosure, blah blah blah).

In Piemonte, the traditional accompaniment to chocolate is Barolo Chinato, a digestivo made with Barolo wine, a little fortifying spirit, sugar, quinine, and other aromatics. The quinine bitterness acts as a more complete palate cleanser for the richness and intensity of dark chocolate. We import the Cocchi Barolo Chinato, which uses some softer aromatics like ginger, cardamom, and cocoa to balance the wine and quinine spice. Available at good retailers in Washington, DC.

(Full disclosure, blah blah blah)

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Thanks for all the info.

Jake, I am sure that the Barolo Chinato would be a great complement to the chocolate. I'll have to get my hands on some of it ( I assume Ace carries it?)

I am really more concerned about pairing with dry wines and need to look at things in more generic terms. I mean, could you pair say a flavored milk or dark chocolate centered bonbon (i.e. truffle) with say a Merlot or a Chardonnay, or is that just complete nonsense? We have certainly done plenty of pairings of our bonbons with different wines at wine shop events, and I just wonder if the pairings are really working, or if it marketing hype in order to sell wine and chocolates. :)

We have the ability to produce bonbons with a multitude of different flavor profiles, both starting with the base Valrhona chocolate and then adding different infusions, nuts, etc...The idea is to pair these different bonbons with different wine varietals. For example, the Raspberry bonbon (made with fresh raspberry puree and Manjari, a very fruity chocolate) would match perfectly with a fruity Merlot, or something along those lines.

I just wonder if it can be done with tannic reds and whites (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling)??

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We have the ability to produce bonbons with a multitude of different flavor profiles, both starting with the base Valrhona chocolate and then adding different infusions, nuts, etc...The idea is to pair these different bonbons with different wine varietals. For example, the Raspberry bonbon (made with fresh raspberry puree and Manjari, a very fruity chocolate) would match perfectly with a fruity Merlot, or something along those lines.

I just wonder if it can be done with tannic reds and whites (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling)??

One way to find out ...

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i dont know much about chocolate or wine....

but for me, the  darker the chocolate (e.g. 80% cocoa) the less sweet the wine can be.  dry (and robust) reds with anything less that 70-75% and combined with sweet fruit makes my face do this:  :wacko:  this:  :(  and then: :angry:

personally, i've only tried ports with most truffles and bonbons and something like a brachetto for even sweeter milk chocolate desserts.

but I've had *very* dark, buttery, caramelized, rich chocolates that stand up to a late-harvest Pinot, an Austrailian Shiraz, a Grenache, Grappa, and a late harvest Argentinian Malbec.  voges haut has a bacon dark chocolate that i tried with the grenache and it was not too shabby.  I particularly liked the grappa pairing tho since it also helped settle my stomach.  i could also imagine a variety of whites working with chocolates that have savory and/or spicy profiles -- like curry, tumeric, ginger, chilis, etc. 

my pennies worth of a post.

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As a general rule I really don't like chocolate, even dark with dry wine. I would much prefer my square of really dark chocolate with a bit of port. Having said that, there have been (rarely) exceptions for me. One was a milk chocolate with sesame seeds that paired with a chardonnay. I had that at Damiani Cellars in the Finger Lakes many years ago (they no longer do chocolate and wine pairings). Black Ankle also does a chocolate and wine pairing every Valentine's day with the locally sourced artisanal truffles we carry. I don't remember the specific combinations at this point (we didn't do it this year since we were closed for a few months over the winter) but there have been pairings I have liked with some of our dry reds. But even those I am left thinking I would have rather just had it with our port.

My opinion aside, people do seem to enjoy it when we do it so it is possible, but I'm not sure there are any hard and fast rules - you just need to play around to find the right balance between the sweetness and other flavors in the chocolate and the acidity, fruit forwardness, flavors, etc. in the wine.

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Lately, I've been pairing chocolate desserts with Violet Fréres Byrrh Grand Quinquina, which is somewhat along the lines of Barolo Chinato. It is a Provení§al table wine with quinine and herb infusion, off dry and 18% alcohol. The importer is Haus Alpenz and the distributor locally is Williams Corner Wine in Charlottesville. The traditional French pairing for chocolate is Banyuls, which has become scarce in the local market.

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I am just trying to get an idea from the resident wine experts regarding the pairing of chocolate and wine. We are working on a project involving the pairing of different wines with our chocolates.We are hoping to develop new flavors of bonbons that might be paired with certain varietals. I have done a fair amount of online research on the subject, along with the obvious tasting on my own. There seems to be mixed opinions regarding what goes with what, and whether you can pair chocolate with dry wines (red and white). Pairing with sweet wines is a no-brainer, and I know that can work on various levels and flavor profiles. I am more concerned about the drier wines. I would just be interested in what others might have to add regarding the topic based on their past experiences.

Thanks in advance!

-jason

Chef Amand Weaver Page actuall taught a wine and chocolate class at CulinAerie a few years ago using chocolates from your shop.  At the time, she was a manager at Screwtop.  She is now a rep at Kysela Pere et Fil.  I can't remember the exact pairings but I'm sure she can chat with you about that.

Disclosure:  I used to assist at CulinAerie and am now personal friends with Amanda.

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