As we all know wine and chocolates pairing is just like peanut butter and bread. Imagine wine with chocolates on some occasion! How does it sound? So cool. No? Both of these products have so many similarities and they go perfect together. But pairing them accurately is one tough job and quite challenging, only professional people can make it perfectly or you need to have complete guidance for it.
Wine and all the chocolates are considered as antioxidants in nature, their texture is quite the same, even the sour and sweet levels. And while pairing these two things, we need to make sure both of them have similarities, otherwise it will ruin the pairing and would not work. And if you blend them right, the chocolaty and wine will bring out the perfect and beautiful combination.
Best Wine and Chocolate Pairing
So how are you going to pair them?
Have a look at our guide and pair them correctly, we are sure that you would not regret! This season is absolutely a perfect season to host a Valentine’s Day party and invite your guests to check them out for the perfect chocolate and wine combinations all together.
You will provide or keep different glasses for each wine, so the guests know which are red wines and the white wine bottles. Napkins, knives (to cut chocolate bars), wood platters and appetizer plates (if you are keeping appetizers) are all you need for your party. For these kinds of pairing parties it is important to put up some notes on bottles and chocolates, what ingredients they have and which pairing is best for each wine. Always remember you will start your party with less cocoa solids, and then finish it on the heavier cocoa ingredients, that is a dark one. This is the basic point you need to remember for making it an awesome chocolate and wine party.
Ask your guests to go slowly and read the notes carefully, emphasizing on utilizing each wine and chocolate so they know how the combination tastes like. And if some chocolates left behind you can give them as gifts, it will build up your relationship with your guests and they will remember this day. Another tip for you is to keep more milk and white chocolates. Why? Because dark chocolates are bitter in taste, so most people prefer to have milky and white ones with wine. This would not waste your money nor your time and you can utilize all of them.
Combination of Wine with Milky Chocolate
Milky chocolates are usually combined with light or medium bodied wines. Milky chocolates are creamy in nature and smooth, also rich in taste. Because of its creamy texture and taste it goes perfect with white wines. Red wines are usually suggested for milky chocolates, they make compliment flavours. Many drinkers prefer milky chocolates with wine over some other category of chocolates. Pinot Noir /Syrah/ Madeira/Riesling type of similar wines goes well with milk chocolates, which are fruity, rare sweet and medium/light bodied.
Pinot Noir and Syrah are considered as the late harvest wines with very less tannins in it that just feel smooth and silky. Rutherglen Muscat is one of the sweetest wines around the Globe and it is manufactured in Australia, perfect for creamy and delicious chocolates. Muscat is sweet enough not to be overpowered by milky chocolates. Sparkling rose is another great pairing. Why? Because the wine’s sweetness, bubbles and fruitiness compliments each other in a classic way.
Buy wine online by searching out some stores near you. There you can find some of the best combinations as well. What else is needed? Here you go!
Combination of Wine with Dark/Cocoa Chocolate
Dark/Cocoa chocolates contain less sugar and more cocoa solids, also rich in antioxidants and have minerals. The ratio of milk in dark chocolates is very less, only around 10-30 percent, so it is bitter in taste. Keep full bodied wines if you are planning to add dark/cocoa chocolates on table. Dark chocolates have many other health benefits, so you can have these chocolates anywhere any time. We need to balance its bitterness while pairing up with wine. If the liquor is not tannic enough, then it will leave a weird flavour.
Dark chocolate is quite technical to be combined with. Sauvignon/ Cabernet Franc/ Zinfandel/ Sherry/ Some best red wine blends are best for dark/cocoa chocolates with firm structure. Cabernet is such an amazing pairing if it’s done right, it is bold in tannis and has dark flavors. Port style red wines have the capacity to balance the dark ones. Original ports have cinnamon spice which amazingly pairs up with chocolates which have a high cacao percentage. Chinato is another best wine that goes with this chocolate, it contains exotic spices. As we know if the wine is drier, it will be less sweet.
Combination of Wine with White/Ivory Chocolate
Here comes the last white chocolate. These chocolates are self explanatory itself. It is said to be completely different from the other two chocolates. This chocolate does not contain cocoa solids at all in it. So, it is pale in colour and it is basically made of sugar and butter. So, factually it is not a pure chocolate because the brown part in it does not exist at all. White wines are normally considered to be combined with white chocolates, and it is quite tricky. But we have got you!
Pinot Gris is a nice combination because of its fruity taste, it balances the sweetness in white/vanilla chocolate. Ice wines which are normally known as Riesling and Blanc, tastes like oranges and pineapple, pairs up perfectly with these chocolates. Beaujolais is another light bodied wine, it tastes like grapes and has other varieties as well. Sparkling wines go well with these kinds of chocolates, they taste perfect with cream.
Wine Combination with Flavored Chocolate
Some flavoured chocolates are available as well, like nuts chocolate, caramel, fruit chocolate, ginger chocolate, mint chocolate and others. Orange Muscat is a classy combination with ginger chocolate, you would not regret trying this. Mint chocolate pairs up great with these two Sauvignon and Syrah wines. Caramel chocolate is known to make the best pairing with aged wines.