Although not all experts agree that wine and chocolate pair well, I say YES to wine and chocolate and I say YES they complement each other when paired correctly. Both have a wide range of flavors, textures, and sweetness levels, so I do admit there’s a bit to sort out before choosing the best pairings.
Wine Keys (to unlock the confusion that is 'cacao vs cocoa' and a few other terms)
cacao tree - tree that bears cacao pods filled with cacao seeds
cacao bean - fermented and dried but UNROASTED seed from pod of cacao tree
cocoa bean - fermented and dried and ROASTED seed from pod of cacao tree
cocoa butter - pale yellow fat extracted from cocoa beans
chocolate - products made from cocoa beans and/or cocoa butter
fermentation - yeast eats sugar = alcohol (simplified but will suffice for this topic)
tannin - bitter-tasting substance in cacao, cocoa, and wine, leaving dry feeling in mouth (again, simplified but works here)
Cacao seeds have long been revered worldwide. Xocalātl (Nahuatl, language of the Aztecs, word from which the English word chocolate is derived) dates back to 1900BC Mexico. Residuals in vessels confirmed that cacao pod pulp was fermented into alcohol. The ancient Mayans, and eventually the Aztecs as well, traded cacao seeds as currency. Cacao seeds arrived in Spain in the 16th century via explorers thus beginning a rapid spread through Europe and subsequently the world. Their hold remains strong today.
Growing and processing cacoa trees is detailed. They are highly sensitive to temperatures and water levels, growing only in tropical areas and responding only to extensive rainfall. The pods must be harvested at a precise ripeness level to ensure sufficient sugars for fermentation. After fermentation, the seeds are dried and cleaned, roasted and sorted, shelled and ground. Then conching (process to even and smooth) and tempering (process to stabilize and enhance shine) can take place. Of course there are endless possibilities for blending with sugars, milks, fruits, and flavors to produce endless marketable products. Chocolate can vary greatly in characteristics, as can wine. Let’s get down to specifics about how best to pair some of their characteristics.
Most often wine pairing is about contrasts. However, when pairing sweet items, similarities are the primary focus. Consider sweetness levels, tannin levels, and flavor intensity of the chocolate and choose a wine which matches or surpasses these.
Sweet chocolate will highlight a wine’s bitter flavors so choose a wine sweeter than the chocolate. Tokaj (dessert wine, Hungary) and Sauternes (dessert wine, France) work well as they are sweeter than most chocolates. You should consider these virtually safe for pairing with chocolates.
A rich and creamy chocolate dish, such as lava cake, can overpower a wine so choose a fortified sweet wine matched in flavor impact, such as ruby port.
Match the tannins in dark chocolate with, let’s say, a Chilean cabernet?
White chocolate contains cocoa butter, but no cocoa solids, hence no dark color. It has a buttery flavor and the similar flavor in a buttery California chardonnay works well.
If you wish to serve sparking, choose a sweet riesling (Germany) or a Moscato d’Asti (Italy) for most chocolates.
Choose a sauvignon blanc (citrus and stone fruit characteristics, New Zealand) for chocolate with light fruit flavors, cabernet franc (mint, France) for chocolate with mint flavors, and a zinfandel (blueberry, California) for chocolate with dark berry flavors.
Not surprisingly, I’m going to recommend a dry Champagne here as well. This contrast I find nice with virtually all levels of chocolaty, creamy, sugary concoctions.
My favorite? Tawny port and a square of hazelnut chocolate. These go well together because both the sugar levels and nutty flavors are similar. It’s a decadent combination that showcases wine and chocolate pairing at its best.
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