Chocolate and Wine – The Ultimate Indulgence

Can wine go with chocolate? Can two indulgent, much-loved products marry? Or is this the marriage made in hell?

Chocolate and wine – probably two of the items hitting the top of the list of indulgent everyday treats. But can they go together? Get it wrong, and it’s a teeth-screaming disaster on a major scale, jarring every tingling nerve. Get it right, and the world will be a sweeter and better place… a fusion of perfection, indulgence, decadence, and downright lusciousness.  If the match is right, it’s pure hedonistic, abandoned delight.

A simple rule; you need to balance the sweetness levels. The sweetness of the wine should always match, or be sweeter than, the type of chocolate dessert. And with chocolate, that’s not always easy.

As if levels of sweetness weren’t enough, it’s all about the type of chocolate, or chocolate dessert. I took this task very seriously, of course; to bring you my best recommendations I had to go through the pain of research, for the greater glory of perfecting the art of matching chocolate and wine. Several gooey desserts, and many Leonidas chocolates later, I’ve got my favourites, and some well-learnt new ideas.

At a very basic level, Chocolate can kill many of the more delicate, sweet white wines, from German Riesling, to lively Muscats, simply because it will overpower and dominate. Save these glorious wines for fruit-based desserts.

Chocolate, quite frankly, is an irresistible, sensuous, gorgeous brute – full on, unashamed, dominant and potentially overpowering.  At the risk of venturing into Fifty Shades territory, it veers from the flirty, playful temptress, which is white chocolate, to the Alpha male; the dark, brooding Montezuma-style chocolate which will beguile your senses, and take control, leaving you irresistible to its charms, albeit in different guises. Add the right wine to this, and it’s an ecstatic ascent to heavenly satisfaction.

White chocolate

So it’s all about which chocolate, or which chocolate dessert… let’s start gently, with white chocolate, which is a relatively easy match, as it contains no cocoa solids; it’s the creamy, rich texture that you need to match.  The frothily light, sweetly grapey, and downright refreshing Fontanafredda Moscato d’Asti Moncucco, is a perfect, romantic, seductive match with strawberries dipped in white chocolate, or will also manage to stand up to the lightest of white chocolate and raspberry-rippled mousse or parfait.

Milk chocolate

Riesling, and the more citrusy styles of sweet wine, are amongst my favourites, but are easily overpowered by chocolate. However, stick to the less intense milk chocolate, or balance with a fruit flavour, and they will work harmoniously. The soft, fluffy, textured layers of a milk chocolate mousse, cake, or Easter egg would work well with the rich, bold, dried apricot and citrus style of The Stump Jump Sticky 2010, which is made predominantly from Chardonnay.

Orange and chocolate are delightful partners, and this is where the tangerine and candied peel character, and mouthwatering, yet sweet, freshness of Peller Vidal Ice Wine 2013 comes into its own. Made in miniscule quantities from the luscious nectar of frozen grapes, the citrus flavours in both wine and chocolate will lift the entire experience. Sweet Rieslings from Australia would also work here.

Red fruits, especially raspberries are simply glorious with chocolate, and here I like to ring the changes, and bring in the opulent, plummy, berry fruit flavours of sweet red and amber wines.  Try Bertani Recioto Valpolicella 2011, made from the concentrated juice of semi-dried red grapes, which balanced delightfully with both chocolate and raspberry torte, and, even a more unusual, beetroot and chocolate cake.

Dark chocolate

If your chocolate of choice is darker and richer in cocoa solids, or if you bring honey, caramel or nuts into the equation, the journey of choice would lead to richer, Muscat-style ‘sticky’ wines. Chocolate soufflé with salted caramel was a sublime match made even beyond celestial skies, with the unctuous, brooding, mellifluous gorgeousness of Skillogalee Liqueur Muscat, with its brown sugar, toffee, and candied hazelnut tones. This is also a great bet with oozingly rich, decadent chocolate fondants.

Port, especially Tawny is always great with intense, pure chocolate truffles.  However, I must share with you one of the most heaven-sent matches of them all, which may just surprise you.  It takes a bold wine to stand up to the sheer intensity and irrestistible, beckoning power of dense, dark chocolate, be it in the form of a truffle, a chocolate nemesis, or a dense gooey, dark chocolate torte – step up the equally dark, brooding and droolingly-glorious La Luna Pedro Ximinez, with its thick, dark, treacly colour, and  luscious, viscous, toffee,  muscovado, mocha and dried apricot fruit richness. Yes, it is a Sherry. And it is about as perfect as you can get with the very best and darkest of chocolate. I need say no more. Try it. Be seduced.

By Angela Mount