Wine and Chocolate: The Perfect Pairing

This month’s top picks from the Lodi Wine and Visitor Center
compiled by MICHAEL PERRY

There’s a certain amount of romance associated with pairing wine and chocolate, but is it really an ideal match? Like any pairing of wine and food, there are no absolutes, and only you can decide what tastes just right to you.

In this pairing, we tasted a small amount of the chocolate to gain an understanding of its flavor. Then we tasted the wine to understand what it was about. We took a small amount of the chocolate and let it warm up in our mouth, then added a small amount of the wine, and chewed and gurgled to combine the two. When combined, the wine and chocolate create an experience that neither could offer alone.

Chocolate Characteristics:
Semisweet Chocolate – nutty, spicy, earthy, fruity, and caramel flavors with a hint of sweetness
Bittersweet Chocolate – bitter, roasted, fruity, woody, earthy, and nutty flavors

Benson Ferry Port
*With Semisweet Chocolate (Cadbury Royal Dark Chocolate)

Produced from traditional Portuguese varietals and aged in oak barrels for eighteen months, this Port offers aromas of intense blueberry, blackberry, licorice, and spice. It combines rich fruit, sweetness, structure, and “grip” in a style that encourages both winter savoring and chilled summer sipping. Delicious now, this Port should develop beautifully in the cellar. ($25) www.bensonferry.com
 
Pairing Notes: What a treat. The chocolate seemed to accentuate the mature fruit qualities in the Port. The Port’s sweetness did not overpower the chocolate, and the two together gave the pairing wonderful, sweet, fruit flavors. There was also a rich mouth feel created that led to a lingering spicy, slightly bitter, but pleasant finish.

Mettler Family Vineyards Epicenter 2006 Zinfandel
*With Bittersweet Chocolate (Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Intense Dark Chocolate)

This full-bodied Zinfandel has a pretty, black cherry color. Earthy aromas and dark berry fruit, oak, and spice enhance the berry and spice flavors. This structured Zinfandel has moderate tannins and drinks well now, but will also cellar nicely. ($23) www.mettlerwine.com

Pairing notes: This was an interesting pairing. The bitter chocolate mellowed the fruit qualities of the Zinfandel in a positive way, creating a soft, pleasant taste. The fruit in the Zinfandel seemed to moderate the bitterness of the chocolate. The strength of this pairing was a rich, spicy, bittersweet finish.

vMv 2006 Merlot
*With Both Chocolates

This 100 percent varietal Merlot is cherry-red in color. The strength of the wine is its wonderful aromas of black and red cherry. A medium-bodied wine with tannins to match, the wine has smoky oak and cherry flavors that lead to a long finish, inviting you to sample more. ($16)  www.vmvineyards.com

Pairing Notes:  The bittersweet chocolate’s sweetness and fruit seemed to accentuate the tart cherry aromas and flavors of the Merlot. One of the more pleasing elements was the rich mouth feel created by this pairing.

Pairing notes: The vMv Merlot also worked quite well with the semisweet chocolate. The pairing created a tart cranberry and cherry-chocolate flavor combination that was very appealing. The finish was long and featured mature fruit flavors, roasted nuts, and spice.

For more information: Visit the Lodi Wine and Visitor Center, and taste from a selection of over two hundred award-winning Lodi wines. 2545 W. Turner Rd., Lodi, (209) 367-4727, www.lodiwine.com