Chocolate can flatten the wrong wine and make the right one sing. There is one rule that does most of the work: the wine should be at least as sweet as the chocolate. After that, it comes down to five easy matches.
The one rule
Sweetness is the problem. A dry wine next to sweet chocolate tastes thin and sour. A sweeter wine stands up to it. So as the chocolate gets darker and less sweet, you have more choices.
Five matches
1. White chocolate and Moscato d'Asti
Creamy, sweet white chocolate loves a lightly fizzy, sweet Italian wine with peach and flower notes. It is also low in alcohol, which makes it a gentle end to a meal.
2. Milk chocolate and tawny Port
Tawny Port is aged in barrels, so it tastes of caramel, nuts and dried fruit. Those are the same flavours you find in milk chocolate, so the two blend together.
3. Dark chocolate (about 60 to 70%) and ruby Port
Ruby Port is young, fruity and sweet, with red berries that suit dark chocolate. A ripe, jammy red such as Zinfandel also works if you would rather not open Port.
4. Very dark chocolate (80% and above) and Banyuls
Banyuls is a sweet red fortified wine from the south of France, made mostly from Grenache. It has dark cherry and cocoa notes, and its sweetness takes the edge off very bitter chocolate.
5. Chocolate with sea salt and sparkling wine
If you do not like sweet wine, try a dry sparkling wine. The bubbles refresh your mouth between bites, and a pinch of salt on the chocolate brings out its sweetness. This one is a matter of taste, so try a small piece first.
How to taste
- Take a small piece of chocolate and let it melt on your tongue.
- Take a small sip of wine while the chocolate is still there.
- Notice whether the wine tastes fuller or thinner. Fuller is a good match.
Keep both at room temperature, except the sparkling wine, which should be well chilled. Cold chocolate tastes dull.
General pairing suggestions: tastes differ, so trust your own. Please drink responsibly.
