Living the Good Life
By Jim Bogaty
YES Virginia, Red Wine and Chocolate!
Some say it can’t be done, pairing red wine with chocolate, but if you have the right wine to complement the right chocolate it can be a match made in heaven! There are a few pairing tips you must keep in mind. Nonetheless, chocolate is beautifully trendy and red wine handsomely in vogue, so it comes as no surprise that your winemaker should play a role at hoping to displace that cup of coffee with a Virginia glass of red wine.
Step one is to consider sweetness. Most chocolate desserts are downright sweet - especially white-and milk-chocolate style desserts. When pairing wines with chocolate, your best bet is to match lighter, more elegant flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines; likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be.
When chocolate's natural bitterness was a decided factor, match this up with a heavy-bodied dry, or near-dry, red table wine, such as a Virginia Cabernet, even a bold Virginia Norton Red wine will work.
Milk Chocolate RED Wine Suggestions. A Virginia Merlot or any lighter-bodied red will complement a bar of milk chocolate, a creamy chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake.
Dark Chocolate RED Wine Suggestions. Dark or bittersweet chocolates need a wine that offers a roasted, slightly bitter flavor itself, with perhaps a hint of its own chocolate notes and lots of spices. Cabs have a history of perfecting the dark chocolate match, resulting in an unparalleled tasting RED wine and Chocolate combination. A Cabernet Franc, Norton or Bordeaux style blend (Veramar Rooster Red) will more than fill your chocolate pairing expectations.
OTHER Sweets and wine. For other sweets and wine pairings try a Virginia Rieslings or a late Harvest Dessert Style wine. These also tend to hold up well to light milk chocolates and other fruity sweet desserts.
Cheers from Veramar Vineyard
Jim Bogaty
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