Pairing Wine and Chocolate

Filed in archive Food and Wine on January 14, 2008

It's funny that I have so much trouble pairing up my two favorite indulgences: wine and chocolate. I've learned that Banyuls pairs incredibly well with dark chocolate, as does a Brachetto d'Aqui such as Rosa Regale (which you all know I love). But beyond that, I admit that I've not been successful pairing these two treats. I saw an article in the Toledo Blade this week that explains the basics, so I'd be wise to take note:

"Sweet wines go well with chocolate. Red zins can be paired with dark chocolate," he said. But he wouldn't pair fruitier wines like shiraz or merlot with dark chocolate. For those, a milk chocolate would be better.

According to Ghiradelli, a young cabernet, Madeira, or Tawny Port might be paired with an espresso chocolate. A crunchy toffee chocolate pairs with zinfandel, cream sherry, or Drambuie.

With Valentine's Day a little over a month away, I have time to do some taste-testing so I can really "wow" my husband with a great chocolate-and-wine combination.