| Rethinking red wine and chocolate | | | | By: Kelly Magyarics |  Page 1 of 1 |
Chefs pair them on expensive tasting menus. Wine educators use them in wine tastings and classes to demonstrate food and wine pairing. Wineries serve them as part of multi-course wine dinners. But do red wine and chocolate really work together, or are they just a kitschy forced pairing?
In my tasting experience, I've found that chocolate CAN pair with red wine, but with the following guidelines. Give them a try, see if you agree with them, and then try your own pairings:
* Pair milk chocolate with a New World, jammy merlot. The chocolate really works with the blackberry flavors in the wine.
* The higher the fat content in the chocolate, the more tannic wine it will pair with--the fat in the chocolate will soften the wine's tannins. (This also explains why we enjoy steak with tannic wines like Cabernet Sauvignon--the fat in the meat softens the tannins.) So, reach for some quality chocolate with a higher milk and fat content (Vahlrona, Lindt's, Godiva), instead of a Hershey bar, to enjoy with a glass of red wine. Once you do, you'll never go back.
* Pair dark, bitter chocolate with an Old World, more restrained wine like Bordeaux. The coffee aromas and flavors of the wine will go with the bitter chocolate better than a fruitier wine.
* What about white chocolate? I've never been a fan of this type of candy, which to me isn't chocolate at all. I definitely think that red wine won't work with it. I'd stick to a Brut Champagne.
About the Author:
Kelly Magyarics is a wine educator and writer living in Northern Virginia. Her company, Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting, conducts interactive, educational wine tastings for private and corporate events in the Metro DC area. She is also a featured speaker for the Washington Wine Academy. Kelly holds both an Intermediate and an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust), is a graduate of the Windows on the World Wine School, and completed a series of Master Classes offered by the Sommelier Society of America. Kelly can be reached through her website, which is www.trywine.net.
Website URL: www.trywine.net
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