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February  Wine Tasting – Wine & Chocolate

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 7pm EST / 5pm MST

Some say it can’t be done, pairing wine with chocolate, but if you choose the right wine to complement the right chocolate it can be a remarkable pairing opportunity, whether you are pairing the sometimes subtle, creamy nuances of delicate white chocolate or the lively bold tones of dark chocolate with a favorite wine,

Wine and chocolate have a lot of similarities to each other. For one, they’re both considered aphrodisiacs and they both contain flavanols (antioxidants). Despite these striking similarities, it’s somewhat challenging to pair wine and chocolate together. 

We will observe these Tips for Great Chocolate and Wine Pairing:

  • Start with a wine that is slightly sweeter than the chocolate or chocolate-themed dessert.
  • Opt for a similar style and weight. When pairing wines try to match lighter, more elegantly flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines; likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be.
  • Taste from light to dark chocolate or light-bodied to full-bodied wine. By starting with the more understated nuances of white chocolate and ending with dark or bittersweet chocolate, you will keep your palate from starting on overdrive and missing out on the subtle sweet sensations found in more delicate chocolate choices (and wine).

White Chocolate

White chocolate is not technically a “true” chocolate because it doesn’t contain cacao (the brown part with all the flavanols), but it ends up being one of the few chocolate-like sweets that will match with dry red wine! Woohoo!

Recommended Wine with White Chocolate: Moscato d’Asti.  Since white chocolate is delicate enough to match with white wines, a Muscat Blanc or Moscato d’Asti delivers flavors of peaches and cream with floral notes of roses. Sparkling wines make the pairing have extra creaminess.

Milk Chocolate

A good milk chocolate is usually about half chocolate and half cream–like those amazing ganache chocolate truffles dusted in cocoa powder. The extra fat from the cream makes milk chocolate one of the easiest “true” chocolates to pair with wine.

Recommended Wines with Milk Chocolate: Brachetto d’Acqui: A sweet sparkling red wine from Piedmont, Italy. It is also an excellent pair with chocolate mousse!

Dark Chocolate

The polyphenols in dark chocolate mirror those in wine and give both a somewhat bitter taste. It’s also the part of the chocolate that gives you all the health benefits! The bitterness in dark chocolate is what we will want to balance out with a properly selected wine pairing.

Red wines with some residual sugar usually do great alongside a darker chocolate. Many value red wines display a profile with anywhere from ~10–60 grams per liter of RS. Look into value brands of Merlot, Shiraz (like Jam Jar), Malbec, Red Blends (think Ménage à Trios) and Zinfandel.

Purchase the Wine

You will need to prepare for our online, interactive tasting session by obtaining the following moderately priced ($15 – 30/bottle). 

If you are not able to find these particular wines, you may substitute another wine but it should be from the same growing area and in the same ‘style’ and price range as the ones listed below:

The wines below can be obtained from www.totalwine.com

Saracco

Saracco Moscato di Asti

Asti, Piedmont, Italy- Absolutely enticing, the bright, brisk, effervescent, and beautiful Saracco Moscato di Asti offers a perfumed fragrance that never ends.

Notes of fresh apricot and honeysuckle abound. This delicate Muscat drinks well with fresh strawberries, peaches or by itself.

Brachetto

S. Orsola Brachetto d’Aqui

Italy- Made from the red Brachetto grape grown in the provinces of Asti and Alessandria.

Sweet, creamy, delicate, exquisitely structured acidity and body, all with the taste of strawberries! The sweet and delicate flavor make it excellent company for fruit, dessert and at all times.

Decoy Merlot

Decoy by Duckhorn Merlot

Sonoma County, CA-

A lovely Merlot that has aromas of plum, cedar, and notes of baking spices. Layers of fresh strawberries and raspberries saturate the palate.

The finish is soft and smooth with well-integrated tannins providing very nice structure.

Tasting Glasses

Make sure to have three identical clear wine glasses with stems. This will ensure a consistent experience for comparing the wines.

Learning Environment

  • A computer equipped with a camera and speakers (and/or a headset)
  • A table with a white background
  • A pencil or pen to complete your tasting form
  • A glass of water
  • Water, a spit bucket, wine opener (or Coravin if you have one)

Try Some Food with your Wines!

We will send you 3 fine chocolate bars to use in the pairing.

If you would like to extend your pairing experience, try some other chocolate desserts of your own and discuss the pairing success with the group!  Some Classic Suggestions –

  • Chocolate Mousse
  • Brownies
  • Flourless Chocolate Cake
  • White Chocolate Blondies
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Chicken with Mole Sauce
  • Chocolate covered strawberries
  • Chocolate Truffles
  • Oreo’s!!!

Wine Geek Members (INCLUDED)