Pairing Wines And Handcrafted Chocolates
Chocolate and wine. Some people may not be aware of this interesting combination. However, this pairing is not as farfetched or obscure as you may think.
As a matter of fact, people who enjoy fine wine and gourmet chocolates will undoubtedly find similarities between both. Both have be described as having fruity or nutty undertones no to mention the fact that both wine and chocolate connoisseurs have an infinite vocabulary of words to describe both products.
Also, both can are made with a wide combination of ingredients that make them more complex and intriguing. So, it would seem natural that chocolate and wine should go together.
However, the experience felt by tasting both wines and chocolate should not be taken lightly. There is a certain level of knowledge you need to have in order to enjoy the full experience of luxury chocolates and handcrafted chocolates, because just like fine wine, you should savored each morsel and know exactly with which wine to combine it. Here's an overview of wine and chocolate pairings that you can use when first indulging in the experience.
As a general rule, wine is paired with chocolate just as it would be with food. All this means is that light chocolate should be paired with lighter wines and heavier chocolates should be paired with heavier wines or spirits. Another good rule is to remember that a chocolate should be paired with a wine that is just as sweet as or slightly sweeter than the chocolate you are tasting.
Dark Chocolate and Semisweet Chocolate
Semisweet chocolate has strong, complex flavors, with hints of nutty, spicy, floral, earthy notes that later leave a balanced aftertaste, while dark chocolate can have bitter, roasted, fruity, earthy, or nutty notes.
These types of chocolate taste perfectly superb when paired with strong, red wines. Bordeauxs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marsala and Merlot would all go nicely with dark and semisweet chocolate. The cocoa butter in these chocolates helps decrease the astringency and dryness of some of the stronger red wines which makes the taste more enjoyable.
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate has a greater percentage of sugar and smaller percentage of chocolate liquor. What this mix does is make a final product is sweeter and milder than dark or bittersweet chocolate. Due to its sweetness, milk chocolate needs to be paired with sweeter wine or the wine may be too tart.
Milk chocolate can be paired with Vintage Blac, Moscato, Tawny Port, and Hungarian Tokaji. Tawny Port is the strongest match you can use with milk chocolate.
White Chocolate
White chocolate is much milder than true chocolate because it does not contain chocolate liquor. As a matter of fact, white chocolate has cream, milk, honey and vanilla notes.
If you'd like to pair white chocolate with a delicious drink, your best bet is to pair it with a good champagne or Riesling. In general, any sweet or white wine will go well with white chocolate.
As a matter of fact, people who enjoy fine wine and gourmet chocolates will undoubtedly find similarities between both. Both have be described as having fruity or nutty undertones no to mention the fact that both wine and chocolate connoisseurs have an infinite vocabulary of words to describe both products.
Also, both can are made with a wide combination of ingredients that make them more complex and intriguing. So, it would seem natural that chocolate and wine should go together.
However, the experience felt by tasting both wines and chocolate should not be taken lightly. There is a certain level of knowledge you need to have in order to enjoy the full experience of luxury chocolates and handcrafted chocolates, because just like fine wine, you should savored each morsel and know exactly with which wine to combine it. Here's an overview of wine and chocolate pairings that you can use when first indulging in the experience.
As a general rule, wine is paired with chocolate just as it would be with food. All this means is that light chocolate should be paired with lighter wines and heavier chocolates should be paired with heavier wines or spirits. Another good rule is to remember that a chocolate should be paired with a wine that is just as sweet as or slightly sweeter than the chocolate you are tasting.
Dark Chocolate and Semisweet Chocolate
Semisweet chocolate has strong, complex flavors, with hints of nutty, spicy, floral, earthy notes that later leave a balanced aftertaste, while dark chocolate can have bitter, roasted, fruity, earthy, or nutty notes.
These types of chocolate taste perfectly superb when paired with strong, red wines. Bordeauxs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marsala and Merlot would all go nicely with dark and semisweet chocolate. The cocoa butter in these chocolates helps decrease the astringency and dryness of some of the stronger red wines which makes the taste more enjoyable.
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate has a greater percentage of sugar and smaller percentage of chocolate liquor. What this mix does is make a final product is sweeter and milder than dark or bittersweet chocolate. Due to its sweetness, milk chocolate needs to be paired with sweeter wine or the wine may be too tart.
Milk chocolate can be paired with Vintage Blac, Moscato, Tawny Port, and Hungarian Tokaji. Tawny Port is the strongest match you can use with milk chocolate.
White Chocolate
White chocolate is much milder than true chocolate because it does not contain chocolate liquor. As a matter of fact, white chocolate has cream, milk, honey and vanilla notes.
If you'd like to pair white chocolate with a delicious drink, your best bet is to pair it with a good champagne or Riesling. In general, any sweet or white wine will go well with white chocolate.
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