Ispend quite a lot of Easter-time licking chocolate out of my molars, and using every reflective surface to check that my teeth haven’t dissolved. When chocolate is necessary, so is a wine that cleanses the palate, to drink alongside and to complement its flavours.
Chocolate is one of those foodstuffs that really coats the palate, which can make it difficult to enjoy anything much else; its sweetness can also ramp up the perceived bitterness, alcohol and acidity in a wine, and make it taste disagreeable. And it’s those factors that make people think chocolate is rather limited in terms of wine-pairing options.
“The myth of chocolate being a hard pairing is crazy,” says Penny Vine, assistant head sommelier atthe Clove Clubin London, a restaurant known for its imaginative pairings. “It works well with about half a dozen things, but not much more than that, and, because you’re limited on choice, it’s actually really easy to pair.”
We are, of course, talking mostly sweet wines here: sauternes, madeira, muscat, tokaji, sweeter rieslings – pick your poison. For dark, bitter chocolate, a deep, rich red is often recommended, because those fresh vegetal notes work with the coolness of the chocolate. Vine also has an unexpected failsafe in her sommelier arsenal: a blanc de noirs champagne (meaning white from black), made with the black champagne grapes pinot noir and pinot meunier. “Not all of them work, though,” she warns. “You need the really vinous, ripe-fruit styles that have the richness of red fruit character and enough creaminess and weight. It’s a failsafe, because it’s not just delicious on its own, it helps a chocolate dish to be delicious as well.” For creamy, milky white chocolate, meanwhile, a demi-sec champagne would also work well, something low acid but with a breadth of flavour (Sainsbury’s hasa good own-label one).
And, of course, there’s port, which can be paired well with chocolate in pretty much all of its forms. It’s a classic for a reason. Styles will obviously differ from house to house, but the darker a chocolate, the more intense the port needs to be. Think ruby with milk andLBVwith something darker.
Or, if you want to leave out the guesswork completely (or are of the opinion that it shouldn’t just be the kids who get chocolate crucifixion gifts), I recently came across Taylor’s nifty little gift set at aMentzendorfftasting, featuring four ports and four chocolates: Fonseca Bin 27 with 70% dark chocolate, 2019 LBV with 58%, 10-year-old tawny with milk chocolate, and dry white port with white chocolate. I don’t have kids, but consuming this in its entirety while a particularly fiendish egg hunt ensues is definitely something I see in my future.
Samos Vin Doux Greece 75cl£10 Waitrose, 15%. Greek sweet muscat with hazelnut brittle, chocolate and freshness.
Bleasdale Langhorne Creek Sparkling Shiraz£12.76 The Wine Society, 13.5%,Deep, dark fruits in this off-dry Australian sparkling red.
Taylor’s Miniature Port & Vinte Vinte Chocolate Gift Pack£22 (4 x 50cl) Tanners Wine Merchants. Four miniature Taylor’s ports paired with single-estate chocolate.
Utopia Ice Cider Patience 2022£28.50 (375ml) Basket Press Wines, 9.5%. Tarte tatin in a glass: I really enjoy this with any caramel-based desserts and chocolates.