Published: February 08, 2008
The Secret To Making Wine & Chocolate The Perfect Valentine's Day Match!
By Rocco &squot;Boss Hog&squot; Loosbrock
Yes, it's true; most experts out there will desperately try to persuade you not to even try combining wine with chocolate. Most will tell you that it simply can't be done.
I'm here to assure you that with the proper information, understanding and conscientious effort, you can have wine and eat chocolate too, while scoring big points with your sweetie and creating a magical, romantic and intimate Valentine's Day experience that you'll both remember for a lifetime.
I was once right there where you are. Concerned and confused. Why would the critics and advisors so savagely and severely "pooh-pooh" what naturally seemed to me to be the obvious perfect Valentine's Day match made in heaven? Chocolate + Wine = Happiness. Right? The truth is; these well meaning experts have their reasons for their warnings.
You see, most chocolates found on the market these days tend to be severely overly sweetened with way too much sugar. Meanwhile, most good, premium quality wines tend to be "NOT" very excessively sweet.
This creates a situation where all that sugar, plus the milk found in most chocolates will coat one's palate, prohibiting the taste buds from being able to perceive the complex subtleties of the wines innate character. The coating on the tongue blocks out what would otherwise prove to be a very satisfying and enjoyable, full fruity "nose," flavor and after taste.
That means, due to the characteristic levels of tannin, acidity and alcohol that is naturally a part of a fine wine, instead of tasting all of the utterly awesome levels and dimensions of complexity and flavor, the sugar and milk make the wine taste merely dry and sour. This is experience.
Meanwhile, due to the massive amount of sugar found in most chocolates, while the candy tends to make the wine taste almost like a glass of vinegar, the wine, simultaneously causes the chocolate to taste like nothing but a tablespoon of sugar and nothing else.
Logical Conclusion: These two traditionally treasured and tempting taste treats tend to be a terribly troublesome "tag-team" tandem together. Meaning: After a couple sips and bites, it all begins to taste like ..., well..., like something you normally wouldn't ever want to eat and drink, let alone on Valentine's Day when you're desperately trying to impress your mate.
However, I have a very easy and effective way to masterfully create a most pleasurable and memorable experience for that "Special Someone," as well as yourself, with these helpful hints to carefully and competently combining chocolate with wine.
First of all, smartly choose a sweeter, fruitier wine, something like a nice Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Sparkling Wine or Champagne to go along with a less sweet chocolate, like a rich, decadent, deep "dark chocolate," which is far more sexy and seductive than typical, cliché', everyday milk chocolate anyway. Dark chocolate is only about half as sweet as "milk chocolate," and you don't have to worry about the milk factor coating the tongue. Who in the world wants a milky, coated tongue on Valentine's Day, anyway?
Be sure to match lighter, more elegant flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines. That means the stronger the chocolate flavor; the more full-bodied the wine should be served. So a bittersweet chocolate tends to pair well with a more expressive, "in-your-face" Cabernet or delightful little California Zinfandel.
Now "white chocolate" tends to be a lot more mellow and buttery in flavor, so it naturally matches up well with a nice dessert wine such as a rich and velvety Port or classic and classy bottle of Sherry.
OK, for all of you out there thinking to yourselves, I know my "Honey" has a real "Jones" for milk chocolate, and nothing else is ever going to do, fear not, there is a solution! Get yourself a playfully palatable Pinot Noir or a light bodied and flavorful Merlot and I can safely assure you that all will go completely according to plan, at least with the wine and chocolate. As for the rest your special celebration, I leave you two exactly how you want to be left, completely on your own. Cheers!
Copyright (c) 2008
Coastal Vineyards Premium Wine Club
www.cvwine.com
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Rocco Loosbrock is CEO and Chief Connoisseur of Coastal Vineyards Premium Wine Club, located on the beautiful "Gold Coast Of California" and now, for your convenience, right here on your very own computer. To learn more about wine and how to find those premium quality, specialty, small production wines still produced for the art and love of it, come visit http://www.cvwine.com
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