Which Wine To Drink With Chocolate?
Natural sweet wines (VDNs) bursting with sunshine, the nectar of Vin de Paille, mellow and spicy grape varieties... From sweet wines to dry wines, let's discover these dessert wines where everything is voluptuous. Learn more about the wine pairing possibilities.
Our selection for a perfect pairing
CHOCOLATE: A VARIED RANGE OF AROMAS
The range of wines can be as wide as the range of chocolates. Whether in bars or in an assortment of individual portions, praline, with hazelnut chips, filled with ganache, in truffles, in fondues or in the form of a chocolate dessert, chocolate plays on a combination of 5 characteristics: cocoa, aromatic, fondant, bitter and sweet.
There is a reciprocal composition with wine, cocoa contains tannins (polyphenols) which are responsible for the bitterness of chocolate and the astringent sensation in the mouth. The more bitter a chocolate is, the more tannins it contains. However, for a successful pairing, depending on the type of chocolate, you should combine milk and dark chocolate, and extra dark chocolate (minimum 75% cocoa content).
Too many tannins present can make the pairing quickly unlikable, harsh and the tongue rough. Dry red wines are therefore not the preferred pairing, unless you play on the bitterness of extra dark chocolate, which is not unpleasant. The sugar in milk chocolate would overwhelm the acidity of a dry white wine, and the strength of the cocoa would neutralise its smoothness.
Sweet white wines can be too nauseating with the sugar of chocolate and the match would be unsound with the bitterness of extra dark chocolate. At most, the sweetness of a Vin de Paille is preferred for its smoothness.
Of all the wines, it is the Vins doux naturels (natural sweet wines) that are best suited to chocolate, whether dark or milk. Port, Maury, Rivesaltes, Muscat Beaumes de Venise, honour these sweet wines which, with their alcoholic strength and their aromatic power focused on candied fruit, quickly lead to ecstasy when the chocolate melts on the palate.
PORT AND CHOCOLATE, THE PERFECT PAIRING
Rich and silky, Port wine emphasizes the complexity of the chocolate without overshadowing it. Aged Ports are preferable, as with age they replace the red fruit aromas with notes of sultanas, prunes, and roasted coffee and cocoa.
The advantage of Port wine: the wine stays good at least for one month once it's opened!
MAURY, A VELVETY NECTAR
The vins doux naturels produced in France are similar to Port wine. Head for Languedoc, the largest producer of VDNs in France with its Banyuls, Maury and Rivesaltes. Vinified in red, the Maury VDN from the Grenache grape variety, aged in glass bottles and left in the sun, are delicately fruity. These fortified VDNs are often little-known by the French, even though they are of excellent quality. They are a delight to gourmets every time they are tasted. We suggest the Domaine Lafage Doux Naturels wines (red or amber).
Maury Grenat - Domaine Lafage
Gourmets will readily admit that this Maury has it all! Its notes of ripe, magnificently expressive red and black fruit herald a palate of unrivalled indulgence. Honour to the Maury Vintage, which in its own style is remarkably intense.
Bottled quickly enough to keep the power of the fruit, the tannins are more present, but blend in with the powerful, intense character of the wine.
THE VINTAGES OF DOMAINE MAS AMIEL
Let's take a look at the leading name in the appellation, Domaine Mas Amiel , which also runs chocolate and sweet wine tasting workshops. They delight us with their vintage wines.
Vintage Charles Dupuy - Mas Amiel
A superb Grenache from Mas Amiel! A surprising VDN with exceptional length and powerful aromas. A fascinating combination with chocolate that you must try! The nose is rich with an intensive aromatic palette: black fruits, caramel, spices, eucalyptus, pepper, orange peel. On the palate, it is nothing but voluptuousness. A velvety nectar, with a subtle and magical balance. A wonderful taste experience.
THE PRECIOUS RIVESALTES
Vinified in white, these VDNs reach a surprising aromatic complexity and a hue that turns amber with age. They are also called "amber wines" in France.
These are real treasures, carefully made, matured and refined. The low yields of the vineyards and the fact that they are marketed only after a minimum of 5 years make them wines that are drunk sparingly.
The grape varieties Macabeu, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris are gorged with sunlight and released only after a long period in wooden casks. The maturing process gives the amber Rivesaltes fullness, finesse, richness and aromatic subtlety.
Intense aromas of dried fruits, candied citrus fruits, orange peel, vanilla, honey and chocolate notes. It will surprise by the tension on the palate and the persistant and elegant finish it provides.
Like with chocolate, the most appreciated is the richness of the aromas that remain on the palate for a long time... take the time to give it time.
Wines aged for 20 to 30 years in casks before bottling!
THE RICHNESS OF MUSCAT BEAUMES DE VENISE
Let's stay with the Muscat aromas which go very well with chocolate.
But this time, let's go to the Southern Rhône Valley in the Vaucluse: it is in Beaumes de Venise that a VDN is made under the appellation Muscat Beaumes de Venise AOC from the Muscat à Petits Grains grape variety.
Whether white or red, Muscats offer an exceptional richness of expression, with slightly animal notes, rosewood, lychee and fruity notes of orange, exotic fruit and flowers.
A real explosion of aromas! Its great persistence and freshness on the palate avoid crushing the texture of the chocolate.
Note that these VDNs can be kept for up to 3 weeks once opened. A good reason not to finish all the Easter or Christmas chocolates at once, and to spare your liver by making the pleasure last.
First seduced by its astonishing golden colour, our experts succumbed to the tasting of a most gourmet cuvée.
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Xavier Vignon
An appellation which deserves to be better known and which Xavier Vignon brings to light. With its aromas of white peach, honeysuckle and apricot, this ample and silky cuvée is the perfect companion to chocolate desserts.
FOOD & WINE PAIRING: RED WINE AND DARK CHOCOLATE
The aromatic complexity of cocoa and wine can echo each other: wine can contain cocoa aromas, and these are often structured wines with strong tannins and aromatic persistence.
However, the tannins in wine and chocolate do not mix well. This results in a rough mouthfeel that makes the taste buds tense. The wine should not overpower the chocolate, and vice versa.
It is a risky combination, but to find common ground, we will not play on the sugar, but on the bitterness. Yes, bitterness is not a defect in wine and should not be confused with bitter disease, caused by a bacterium that breaks down glycerine, giving an unpleasant taste of burnt oil. Bitter is an integral part of the fundamental flavours and balance of a wine. It appears on the back of the tongue and is most often appreciated at the end of the tasting.
So let's get to tasting! The best thing to do is to bite into the dark chocolate, which will serve as a support to reveal the aromas of the wine.
Only extra dark bitter chocolates with a high concentration of cocoa (minimum 75%) can be used with these wines. Spiced grape varieties are a good choice: Mourvèvre, Carignan, Carménère and Grenache. The tannins respond to the power of the cocoa bitterness.
As with wine or coffee, the flavours of cocoa differ from one region to another. Whether it is from the Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Colombia or Venezuela, connoisseurs will know how to choose the origin of the cocoa they are interested in. Adapting the cocoa content to the origin and the variety will above all reveal the characteristic flavours of the cocoa bean, not necessarily just its bitterness. The wheel of flavours unfolds! Everyone is free to vary the pleasures that the winemaker, like the master chocolate maker, strives to offer.
Now it's a good time begin to explore the whole range of aromas between wine and chocolate. Vinatis wishes you great taste experiences!
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