Whether Valentine’s Day makes you swoon or cringe, there’s no denying that a glass of rich red paired with a piece of decadent chocolate is a match made in heaven.
While some will debate the merits of pairing wine with chocolate, we think that it’s all about finding the right pairing. And doing so may be easier than you’d think!
Here are our top tips for finding a wine and chocolate pairing you’ll fall head over heels for…
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Choose quality chocolate with a high cacao content. We’re talking 60% cacao minimum. Not only will this make the chocolate taste better, but the sugar content will be lower. If you’re pairing the chocolate with a dry (read: not sweet) wine like Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s important to choose a dark or bittersweet chocolate so that the sweetness doesn’t cause the wine to taste harsh. Sorry, Hershey’s.
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Match the flavor intensity of the wine and the chocolate. Wines with delicate aromas and flavors, such as sparkling wines, pair well with white chocolate, which is not as robust as dark chocolate.
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Consider the other components of the chocolate, such as fillings, nuts, and fruits, to create pairings that complement or contrast with the wine. Milk chocolate with dried cherries is a complementary pairing with a wine like Pinot Noir, which expresses flavors and aromas of cherries and red fruits. White chocolate with nuts can contrast nicely with a fresh, bright sparkling wine as the wine’s refreshing quality balances out the richness of the nuts.
Wondering where to start? We created four simple, quick recipes to pair with four different wines. With just a few ingredients and a few minutes, create pairings that impress even the staunchest opponents of wine with chocolate.
Baldacci Pops Sparkling Wine
with white chocolate-covered strawberries
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh strawberries, washed and dried
16 oz. white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Directions:
Combine the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave the chocolate until melted, stirring frequently.
Dip strawberry into the melted chocolate until fully coated.
Place on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat for remaining strawberries.
Chill strawberries for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate coating has hardened.
Baldacci Carneros Chardonnay
with white chocolate bark with cashews or almonds
Ingredients:
16 oz. white chocolate chips
1 cup dry-roasted and salted cashews or almonds, chopped
Directions:
Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring frequently.
Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and chill for 15 minutes or until hardened.
Cut or break the bark into squares.
Baldacci Carneros Pinot Noir
with milk chocolate bark with almonds and dried cherries
Ingredients:
16 oz. milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup dry-roasted and salted almonds, chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries
Directions:
Melt the milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring frequently.
Add the nuts and cherries to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and chill for 15 minutes or until hardened.
Cut or break the bark into squares.
Baldacci 2019 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
with dark-chocolate espresso beans
Ingredients:
8 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60%)
1 cup espresso beans
Directions:
Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring frequently.
Add the espresso beans to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Remove espresso beans individually and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Chill for 15 minutes or until hardened.
Connect with us on social @baldacciwinery and share your creations with us!