In the USA alone, 58 million pounds of chocolate will be bought and consumed for Valentine’s Day. That’s a whole lot of love! And while much of it will be eaten on its own, those of us who love wine can enhance our pleasure by perfectly pairing our delicious confections. In general, the best accompaniment to anything sweet is wine with a high degree of residual sugar. If the sweetness of the wine and chocolate (or any dessert) are not matched, dry wine will taste bitter and the experience will not be enjoyable. There is one exception to this advice: Dark or bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage of cacao, 72 percent or higher, works with a bold red wine like Barolo or Napa Cab. Otherwise, stick to the sweet stuff.
Despite the fact that we do not think there are hard and fast rules to wine pairing, often drinking red wine with fish and white wine with meat, we do have one set of guidelines: Sweet wine made from white grapes, such as Sauternes, Tokaji or Madeira, goes well with white chocolate or lighter milk chocolate, especially with fruit, and sweet wine made from red grapes, such as Port or Passito Rosso is better alongside dark chocolate or darker milk chocolate, unadorned or with nuts or caramel. This advice works with dessert as well. Sweet white wine pairs best with flan, crème brulée or cheesecake, and sweet reds are a natural with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse or brownies.
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Château d’Yquem 2015
Image Credit: Château d’Yquem Probably one of the most sought-after sweet wines in the world, this gorgeous Sauternes is made from 75 percent Sémillon and 25 percent Sauvignon Blanc. Its sweetness comes from the botrytised grapes that were harvested during September and the first half of October. It has aromas of caramelized pineapple, lemon zest, lime pith and citrus blossoms. In the mouth there are flavors of mango, guava, pineapple and candied kumquat with a well-structured backbone of minerality and balanced levels of acidity that prevent the high sugar levels from becoming too overpowering. Pair with white chocolate or milk chocolate filled with fruit gelée.
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Quinta do Noval 2015 Vintage Port
Image Credit: Quinta do Noval A blend of the “Port” varieties including Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca this voluptuous vintage Port has aromas of dried plums, raisins and black olive tapenade. It is full bodied on the palate with flavors blackberry preserves, candied orange rind and a touch of anise in the post palate. It is drinking beautifully right now, but don’t hesitate to lay this bottle down for a few decades. Pair with dark chocolate (greater than 60 percent cacao) and dark chocolate filled with ganache.
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Gonzalez Byass Noe
Image Credit: Gonzalez Byass This delightful Sherry made with Pedro Ximenez is the color of strong-brewed English Breakfast tea. It has a nose of fresh and dried figs with a hint of toasted almonds. It is very smooth in the mouth with flavors of Mission figs, toasted hazelnuts and clove and there’s a touch of pleasant salinity in the vibrant finish. Enjoy paired with milk or dark chocolate with nuts, especially almonds or hazelnuts.
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Egon Müller 2012 Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese
Image Credit: Egon Müller The Scharzhofberger Vineyard is one of Germany’s most famous and the Müller family owns just about 25 percent of the vineyard where the grapes used to produce this ethereal wine are grown. It has enticing aromas of white flowers, white peach and kumquat. In the mouth it has a strong backbone of minerality with flavors of peach, nectarine and jasmine. It is made in an off-dry style with a bright splash of acidity in the post palate. Try pairing this wine with white chocolate and white chocolate dipped fruits like pineapple and candied orange peel.
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Taylor Fladgate 50 Year Old Tawny Golden Age
Image Credit: Taylor Fladgate Port wine aficionados have always had 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year-old Tawny Ports to choose from, but a new release to the market—a 50 year old Tawny Port—is sure to set Port lovers’ heads spinning. Copper colored in the glass with an amber rim, this enticing Port has aromas of dried plums, freshly ground black pepper, Christmas baking spices and pineapple upside down cake. It has great heft on the palate with flavors of caramel, butter toffee, caramelized orange peel and toasted almonds. There’s a splash of bright acidity in the post palate and the finish goes on for days. Pair with chocolate covered caramels and dark chocolate bars sprinkled with flakes of sea salt.
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Royal Tokaji 2017 Szt. Tamás Single Vineyard 6 Puttonyos Aszú
Image Credit: Royal Tokaji Amber colored in the glass this ethereal Aszú comes from one of Tokaj-Hegyalja’s renowned vineyards. It has aromas of canned peaches, dried apricot, honeysuckle and white flowers. In the mouth there are flavors of apricot jam, peach nectar and orange marmalade with bright acidity to balance the level of sugar. Pair with white chocolate or red raspberries freshly dipped in white or light milk chocolate.
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Quinta De La Rosa 30 Year Old Tawny Porto
Image Credit: Quinta De La Rosa This 30-year-old Tawny Port is made mostly from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. It is amber colored in the glass with aromas of dried plums, toasted hazelnut and mocha. In the mouth it has flavors of espresso bean, dried mango and chocolate covered caramelized orange peel. It is soft on the palate with great acidity to balance the fruit sweetness with a finish that goes on and on. Pair with chocolate covered espresso beans or dark chocolate covered almonds.
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Broadbent 1997 Madeira Single Cask Malvasia
Image Credit: Broadbent Grapes for this delicious single cask Malvasia were grown in volcanic soils on the island of Madeira in the North Atlantic. It was aged in 650-liter American oak casks using the traditional Portuguese technique of natural oxidation known as Canteiro. It is light brown in color with aromas of caramel, toasted walnuts and espresso bean. In the mouth it is syrupy sweet with flavors of dried raisins, prunes and Blackstrap molasses. There’s a pleasant touch of bitter almond in the long, long, finish. Pair with chocolate truffles filled with marzipan, ganache or coconut.
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Volpaia 2016 Vinsanto del Chianti Classico
Image Credit: Volpaia Golden amber colored in the glass this lovely wine has aromas of dried apricots, raisins and dried plum. In the mouth it is full bodied with flavors of dried figs, Medjool dates and peach nectar. There’s a touch of toasted hazelnut and fried Marcona almonds in the finish. Pair with dark chocolate covered hazelnuts and almonds, pralines or chocolate and caramel “turtles.”
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Feudo Montoni Passito Bianco
Image Credit: Feudo Montoni Made from partially dried grapes, this delicious Passito Bianco has aromas of caramelized orange peel, dried apricot and canned yellow peaches. In the mouth it has luscious flavors of orange peel, candied pineapple, peach conserves and a touch of dried sage in the finish. Pair with candied fruit dipped in white chocolate or white chocolate dipped marshmallows.
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Dal Forno Romano 2004 Vinga Seré Passito Rosso
Image Credit: Dal Forno Romano Deep ruby colored in the glass, this lovely Passito has aromas of raspberry jam, cherry cobbler, freshly ground coffee and dark chocolate. In the mouth it has notes of finely ground Christmas baking spices and flavors of dark fruit preserves and cocoa powder with just a touch of anise in the finish. Pair with dark chocolate or dark chocolate dipped caramels or fresh strawberries covered in dark chocolate.
