Pair a bittersweet, dark chocolate with a jammy syrah-especially an Australian shiraz-or an intense zinfandel. For example, if you’re serving milk chocolate or a chocolate truffle with a ganache center, try a light-bodied pinot noir or even a fruit-forward merlot. If you’re really not into sweet wines, try this: pair lighter, milk chocolates with lighter-bodied wines, and stronger chocolates with more full-bodied wines. If you really want the bubbly, go with a Champagne doux or Moscato d’Asti (a higher-end Asti spumante). A favorite of many sommeliers is Banyuls, a fortified wine made from grenache grapes in southern France. There are some excellent late-harvest white wines (like ice wine) and sweet red blends that won’t clash, but the real winners are the fortified wines like port, sherry and Madeira. A wine that’s slightly sweeter than the chocolate will be more successful. This is the best and simplest option, especially with dark chocolate. Here are a few guidelines to help keep your palate-and your guests-happy: And forget about the brut Champagne the acidity will ruin nearly any chocolate. Don’t pair a bittersweet dark chocolate with a big, tannic cabernet sauvignon or malbec, or your tongue will shrivel up like a raisin. The main thing to remember is to not double up on the polyphenols. So how do you match these seemingly star-crossed lovers? What wine goes with chocolate? Wine and Chocolate Pairings Many people prefer a sweet, rich milk chocolate over a bitter, 85% cacao dark chocolate…just as a lot of folks will gladly turn down a dry cabernet in favor of a sweet moscato. Your love of dark chocolate will hinge completely on your tolerance of bitterness. Likewise, the darker a piece of chocolate is, the more bitter it will be due to the higher cacao content (and less sugar to cut the bitterness). But red wines in particular can be dry in another manner, as the tannins from the grape skins are not only bitter, but astringent. (All wine is wet.) The drier the wine, the less residual sugar it contains. When we say a wine is “dry”, we mean the opposite of sweet, not wet. And they have one thing in common besides coming from the same class of chemicals: they taste bitter. There are many, many polyphenols in the plant world the ones in cacao (cocoa/chocolate) are mostly flavonoids, while the ones in grapes (wine) are mostly tannins. Polyphenols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other anti-bad guy properties that make the foods containing them good guys (again, in moderation). The real relationship wrecker here is a group of chemical compounds called polyphenols, which, ironically, are the things in chocolate and wine that are actually good for you. It’s a case of having too much in common. You’ve heard the old phrase, “opposites attract”? That’s a big part of why wine and chocolate pairings aren’t always successful, and can leave a bitter taste in your mouth…literally. Well, as it is with many relationships, it’s complicated. But are they? Do Chocolate and Wine Go Together? So with all of that in common, wine and chocolate should be a match made in heaven. They’re great fun for the holidays, they have a certain romantic je ne sais quoi, and they’re good for you (in moderation, of course). After all, wine and chocolate are much beloved…often by the same people. Pairing wine and chocolate is a pretty appealing proposition. Wine and Chocolate Pairings…with Cheese, of Courseĭo chocolate and wine go together? You bet they do! Learn how to host an incredible chocolate and wine pairing party…and don’t forget the cheese! Cheese is a natural with both wine and chocolate, helping them pair even better!
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