Chocolate with dry red wine?

In another thread Richard Fadeley and I were debating the merits of serving dark chocolate (his example was 70% cacao) during wine tastings. I thought it was a bad idea because even though I've 'survived' some matchings of chocolate dessert and dry red wine, I've never found it to help the wine and have usually found it to be a struggle. However, Richard is a wine educator and tells me that he consistently teaches courses where he pairs dry red wine (Bordeaux, Burgundy) and dark chocolate to almost universal acclaim.

I remain skeptical, but before ceding to his experience I thought I would ask the rest of you for your experience?

In my experience, it's as you say. Not terrible but not something that enhances either wine or chocolate.

I'd be happy to be disabused of this, but so far....

We love it, but the dry red wine is best when acidic such as Sangiovese.

I'm firmly in the "OK, but doesn't do the wine any favors" camp. In fact I don't even like Port with chocolate; I think it ruins the Port experience. For me Port goes best with bleu cheese, chocolate with Banyuls or Recioto, and dry red wine with appropriate non-dessert foods.

Regards,

John

Ah....dark chocolate and Amarone. One of my favorite after-dinner treats.

Best
Rogov

Dr Parces wine maybe, otherwise bleh! IMHO

Ah....dark chocolate and Amarone. One of my favorite after-dinner treats.

Best
Rogov

Ok. But that's a rare niche. What about Bordeaux/Burgundy/non-dried-grapes wine?

[David M. Bueker]

It seems to work with modern Bordeaux, but how different is that from Amarone these days.

Dark chocolate and banyuls is my favorite, but banyuls is hardly a dry wine. I have had limited good experiences with dark chocolate (70%) and bordeaux or a CA cab. Mostly I find that chocolate and dry red wine don't really do each other any favors and it is just an OK match. I have never tried amarone and dark chocolate but I think it would definitely be worth trying.

We love it, but the dry red wine is best when acidic such as Sangiovese.

Wow. I've heard that from some Italian wine fans and I wouldn't have thought that the more acidic grapes would be better. I can see the Amarone matching being much smoother. But, I guess there is something I'm missing! Perhaps the astringency in both the chocolate/acidic wine somehow works well together?

I never promote wine and choco tastings...but in my long career in wine it's one of the most discussed and asked about topics, so I've done quite a bit or research into it, worked with some people who have done it and done it well, and done more than a few myself.

My take? I can honestly say that I've never had a wine/chocolate pair that did anything whatsoever to enhance the taste of the wine. Most of them achieve exactly the opposite, in fact. It's one of the most difficult things to do, putting wine and chocolate together so that one doesn't wreck the other.

I strenuously avoid, whenever possible, using high tannin wines (unless of course it's a teaching situation) with chocolates. I try my best (again, unless it's instructional in some way) to avoid using sweet chocolates or milk chocolate. I refuse to use white chocolate, since it's not chocolate anyway.

The best match (i.e., do as little harm as possible) is a high cocoa fat content, generally 70% or higher. Flavors are fine, and sometimes advisable, as they add aromatic or savory elements that could increase or improve the wine match.

Having said all that, I will also say that the average non-geek can go wild about wine and choco---it seems to be an irresistible combination---and when I used to participate in those seminars, they would often be the first ones to fill up/sell out. And when Fetzer Vineyards used to do a big gala Wine and Chocolate Day at their (now sadly deceased) Valley Oaks Ranch, hundreds of people would turn out and spend hours relishing both the chocos and the wine. It was always a major event.

And who the hell am I to tell folks like that they shouldn't enjoy what they're enjoying?

I've never had a wine and chocolate pairing that I thought was even mildly interesting. I agee with John that it kills Port, and I don't think it really does that well even with Banyuls. However, it seems to have become cool to enjoy a Cabernet and chocolate combination. I just bite my tongue when it's discussed. Just a passing fad, I hope.

in my long career in wine it's one of the most discussed and asked about topics, so I've done quite a bit or research into it, worked with some people who have done it and done it well, and done more than a few myself.

My take? I can honestly say that I've never had a wine/chocolate pair that did anything whatsoever to enhance the taste of the wine. Most of them achieve exactly the opposite, in fact. It's one of the most difficult things to do, putting wine and chocolate together so that one doesn't wreck the other.

That sounds like good sense!

Precisely because it agrees with me

Ok. But that's a rare niche. What about Bordeaux/Burgundy/non-dried-grapes wine?

I've never liked such combination.

It might have to do with expectations? You can say all you want to about the pairing, but it will remain one of my (and associates) favorite pairings. I can understand that if you go into a situation with preconceived notions you will probably come out of it with the same results. You can not unequivocally tell me that I'm wrong and vice-versa. This might be like white Zinfandel, you either like it or you don't, but there is nothing wrong with either camp. I drink wine every night, finish each night with dark chocolate, would not have it any other way, and everyone I know agrees with me, but that does not mean we are "right". This is maybe a Republican/Democrat kind of thing. Again, one of the "sweet mysteries of life". But it remains one of my favorite pairing, and it's supposed to be good for you too!