Chocolate and wine have both complex flavors and notes. Both the cacao bean and red wine are rich sources of the antioxidants flavanoids – so why not enjoy both at the same time …
To experience the true flavour of chocolate and wine, pay attention to your senses of sight, smell, touch and taste.
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Procedure – Swirl, sniff, sip, swish, smile
- Swirl the wine in the glass. Oxygenate the wine bringing out its full smelling potential. Catch the bouquet.
- Sniff the wine. Ignite the senses. Note the flavor components.
- Sip the wine. A small sip.
- Swish. There are over ten thousand taste buds in the mouth; by simply swallowing the wine without a dedicated swish first, the taste buds located on the back and sides of the tongue will be left out of the whole enjoyable wine tasting experience.
- Take a bite of the chocolate.
- Let the chocolate melt on your tongue. Detect the different flavors.
- Sip a little more wine and swirl together with the chocolate. Send your taste buds into a tale spin.
- Smile and enjoy . . .
- Repeat if necessary!
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Notes
These notes may occur:
- Bitter.
- Roasted.
- Earthy.
- Woody.
- Nutty.
- Spicy.
- Floral.
- Fruit.
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Match-making
Some general tips:
- Match lighter-flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines, and more intense-flavored chocolates with more full-bodied wines. “Lighter” chocolate doesn’t refer to white and milk versus dark chocolate, but the overall flavour of the piece.
- Go from light to dark in your tasting session.
- The chocolate shouldn't be sweeter than the wine.
- Try pairing white chocolate with Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Muscat and Sherry.
- Try pairing milk chocolate with Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and dessert wines.
- Try pairing dark chocolate with Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon (well-aged), Pinot Noir (well-aged), Armagnac and Cognac.
A couple of sessions should help you find your own personal palate preferences when it comes to pairing chocolate and wine.