If you’re in need of a little inspiration on what to sip while working through what the Easter bunny may have left for you then look no further! Pairing wine with chocolate has often been thought a bit of fool’s game or at the very least a sweet-toothed folly. BUT I’m delighted to tell you that through a LOT of very serious (and delicious) research I have some pairing suggestions for you which I think you’ll find surprisingly delightful AND they don’t just involve sweet wines. Much time spent examining this important subject has led me to realise that you have to start with the style of chocolate first.
STYLE FIRST
- Milk chocolate – Higher-quality or craft milk chocolate may have more in the way of cocoa solids giving a more concentrated ‘chocolate’ flavour, but the creaminess from the milk, or dairy-free mylk equivalent, is a key flavour component here, as is their tendency to be that bit sweeter.
Something like The Society's Exhibition Mature Medium Sweet Oloroso Blend would be ideal, it has enough sweetness to stand up to the chocolate, and long cask ageing adds a softness to match its texture. Madeira would work well too for similar reasons and its natural high acidity means it remains fresh enough to cut though even the meltiest of mouthfuls. This would be even better if paired with a milk chocolate that incorporates dried fruit and nuts. A tawny style Port like Dow's Tawny Port, 10 Years Old would also be really nice – the nuttiness of the wine echoing that of the chocolate.
- White chocolate – Made without cocoa solids but plenty of cocoa butter, white chocolate can offer flavours of biscuit, caramel and vanilla and even lean into delicate white blossom such as jasmine, so a sweet and nectareous wine is order of the day here.
Cabidos Vin Doux, Cuvée Saint Clément, Petit Manseng 2017 50cl, a late-picked southern French sweetie would be a great choice, as would the honeyed character of Loire speciality Coteaux du Layon Saint Aubin ‘Les Varennes', Domaine Cady 2022 where the lemony acidity of the chenin helps cut through the richness of the chocolate.
- Dark chocolate – Once you start getting into the 60% cocoa solids and above for dark chocolate, you can also move away from focusing on sweet wines and have some fun with red wine pairings! Because darker chocolate has less sugar and is more bitter, you do want to be a bit careful in choosing a wine that isn’t too high in tannin or alcohol as this can increase the perception of bitterness (although if that’s a taste you enjoy, then crack on!) but there are plenty of red wines that work very well with dark chocolate.
A plush and juicy red like the Gnarly Head Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2022 or The Society’s Sicilian Reserve Red provide succulence like a dollop of compote, or try a smooth and silky Rioja like López de Haro Selección del Sumiller Crianza 2020. Of course if you do prefer a sweet wine, you can’t go far wrong with an LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) or Vintage Port either and the Maydie Tannat 2018 50cl would be great too (death by chocolate anyone?!).
- Flavoured chocolate – a couple of honourable mentions for pairing to the popular chocolate flavours of mint and orange.
For dark, minty chocolate try something like the Whistler Wines 'Double Back' Barossa Valley Grenache 2022 with its fresh eucalyptus and liquorice notes and for a milk or white minty chocolate try the Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Domaine des Bernadins 2023, which, as well as being lusciously sweet, has a perfumed minty note too. For orange chocolate, especially if the flavour is coming from peel or orange oil, then my go-to would absolutely be Casa Ermelinda Freitas Moscatel de Setúbal with its lovely notes of caramelised citrus and barley sugar. For something a little fresher but still sweet and citrus driven, the Half Bottle of Quady Essensia Orange Muscat 2022 is a great option.
I hope these suggestions leave you a little more inspired, and now fortified too with the knowledge that you can indeed have your cake (or chocolate) and eat it. You can indulge both your love of wine and your love of chocolate with impunity, so here’s to happy pairings and do let us know if you come across your own winning combos too.
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