Wine with chocolate? Somehow you've heard it often, but never really dared. The combination of the two makes it delicacies makes perfect sense. Both products are natural products. Both the cocoa beans and the grapevines are fermented and this is what gives them their unmistakable taste. Fairtrade chocolate and organic wine, the perfect couple.
High quality products: Fairtrade chocolate and organic wine
For the enjoyment to be perfect, the quality be right. As with all foods, you should definitely take a look at the label when choosing wine and chocolate. Which ingredients were used and where do they come from?
The EU seal for organic wine, for example, guarantees that the vines are grown organically. These were not made with chemical in the vineyard Pesticides treated and only come into contact with natural yeasts and proteins, even during ripening.
Related topics: What is an organic honey: differences, standards and seals
The Fairtrade seal on chocolate, on the other hand, is a testimony to the fact that it deliberately avoided the exploitation of low-cost labor during manufacture. Anyone who decides to buy Fairtrade chocolate will help local farmers.
In addition, they are required to reinvest a quarter of their premium in product productivity and quality. Fairtrade chocolate is thus not only produced sustainably, it also tastes really good.
The right varieties for a successful enjoyment experience
But which chocolate is the right one? Premium varieties such as Arriba, Criollo, Nacional and Trinitario are particularly suitable for a particularly intense taste. On Forastero, because of their high entries the most cultivated cocoa variety, one should do without. Due to its relatively high acidity and the strong bitter substances, it is only limited for consumption with wine.
The cocoa content of chocolate plays the biggest role in the choice of wine. The more cocoa in Fairtrade chocolate, the stronger the organic wine should be. However, if this is too tannic, he can quickly overwhelm one when he meets the bitter notes of chocolate. Even very acidic red wines such as Sangiovese and Pinot Noir are not suitable for combining with sweet chocolate.
A better balance is usually obtained with grape varieties that are a bit softer than their chocolate counterparts. As with food and wine pairing in general, one can also consciously decide against harmony and strong contrasts. In this case, offer fruity white wines and sugary dessert wines for a successful mating.
Which wine is right for your favorite chocolate?
White chocolate
If you think about the consumption of chocolate to wine, the brightest version of the delicious cocoa creation is certainly not the first that comes to mind. Nevertheless, even white Fairtrade chocolate can be combined with organic wine. The sweet, buttery taste, which may be partly reminiscent of cream and honey, comes from the composition of cocoa butter, sugar and milk.
Due to the lack of tannins and the high sugar content, white chocolate can be enjoyed especially well with a fruity Riesling selection and Moscato d'Asti. For those who like something more colorful, choose champagne or fruity rosé.
milk chocolate
A low cocoa content and a creamy sweetness characterize the ever-popular milk chocolate. In it you will often find notes of caramel, vanilla and cream, which can unfold wonderfully in conjunction with strong white wines like Chardonnay. If these were aged in the barrel or longer on the yeast, they also develop clearly recognizable vanilla flavors.
Even a fruity Gewürztraminer can be combined very well with milk chocolate. If you prefer to try red wine, try fruity varieties like Merlot. Brave ones grab a sea salt mixed milk chocolate and enjoy this too dry young white wine.
Dark chocolate
If the chocolate has a cocoa content of more than 70 percent, the taste is quickly bitter and often accompanied by earthy or fruity aromas. The roasted and vanilla flavors of red wines matured in wooden barrels match this. While the European attacks on Bordeaux, Barolo or Tempranillo, the American grabs a bottle of Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. These are strong in the taste, but manage to keep a certain balance with their fruit flavors. The enjoyment of dry Rieslings and Chardonnays to dark chocolate should not be missed.
If Fairtrade chocolate has a cocoa content of more than 80 or even 90 percent, the remainder of sugar is rapidly disappearing. Then sweet wines like Portwein, Banyuls or Madeira are the perfect choice to counteract the bitterness of chocolate.
Stuffed chocolate
If your favorite chocolate contains a filling, you should concentrate on choosing the right wine accompaniment. The chocolate itself takes a back seat and leaves the stage filled with nuts, fruit or other delicacies. An example of a successful pairing would be about sweet red wines or Tawny Port to nuts. Dried cranberries harmonize best with fruity red wine, whose bouquet is immediately reminiscent of wild berries.
So you taste wine and chocolate like the pros
Once the choice of the right organic wine for Fairtrade chocolate has finally been made, of course it goes to the tasting. If several combinations are used, as with conventional wine tasting, you start with the brighter players and slowly work your way to the darker and thus more intense types of chocolate. But it is not enough to enjoy the chocolate as a side dish to the wine.
Chocolatiers advise tasting both products at the same time and experiencing a very special flavor explosion. This one tastes only the wine. Then let a piece of chocolate melt gently on the tongue and take a small sip. If the pairing of wine and chocolate has succeeded, then of course you can repeat this as often as you like.
