Wine and Chocolate

[arianne]

For three years I've been attempting to find the necessary information on pairing wine with types of chocolate, and have had limited success. I really want to give a wine/chocolate or wine/dessert party, but need much more information than I have. Can you help? Preferably using some US wines.

[hotwine]

Hi, Arianne, and welcome. You'll find some discussions on this subject in past postings under this same (Wine/Food Affinities) forum; look at those from the last 100 days. However, specific types of chocolates to be paired with specific wines have not been discussed. And I could find no mention of that under Wine Spectator or Robin Garr's Wine Lovers Page (www.winespectator.com and www.wineloverspage.com, resp.). In general, Banyuls, Muscats (esp. Moscato d'Asti), Tawny Ports and other fortifieds, such as Sherries and Madieras, and Champagnes, can all work with chocolates, if not cloyingly sweet.
Why not gather a few bottles of each of those wine types, an equal number of types of chocolates, together with your like-minded friends, and have a tasting? You can work out the pairings among yourselves, and post your tasting notes here on the board for all of us to learn from.

[Randy Caparoso]

Arianne, my favorite "chocolate" wines:

1. Banyuls (any producer from Southern France)

2. 15 or 20 Years Old Tawny Port (any producer in Portugal)

3. Tokay (any producer in South-East Australia)

4. Capacanes "Pansal del Calas" (Spain)

5. Justin "Obtuse" (Paso Robles, California)

6. Callaghan "Spirited Syrah" (Arizona)

All tried-and-true!