Wine & Chocolate

A few weeks ago I shared with you my enjoyment of wine & cheese.  Today, it's the sequel...wine & chocolate.
Have you ever wondered what chocolate is best served with which type of wine?  If you're like me you'd eat any kind of chocolate with any kind of wine and you'd call that in itself a success.  But can you imagine what properly paired chocolate and wine would be like?  Hmm, I'm not sure if my palette can handle this?  Bring on my two favourite food groups...(yes, I said food groups)

How to Pair

Pair lighter chocolates with lighter wines; darker chocolates with full-bodied wines.  Go from light to dark in your tasting session, starting with milk or lower percentage cacao chocolates and their corresponding wines.


Pairings for Milk Chocolate
Merlot
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
Dessert Wines

Pairings for Dark, Bittersweet and Semisweet Chocolate
Zinfandel
Syrah
Tawny Port
Armagnac
Cognac

If you're looking to pair up Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Sangiovese reds, they need to be well-aged to suitably pair with darker chocolates.

Another important note is that the wine should be just as sweet if not sweeter than the chocolate you are serving.  Otherwise, the taste can become bitter or sour.


Tips courtesy of allchocolate.com
Photo courtesy buzzle.com