The combination of wine and chocolate is a practice that has won over lovers of good cuisine from all over the world. The apparent simplicity of this union can surprise you due to the complexity and richness of flavors it offers. Whether for personal enjoyment, celebrations or even enriching your own gastronomic knowledge, understanding this art is a step towards increasingly exploring the world of wines and the incredible gastronomic potential they have alongside strategic pairings.
Both wine and chocolate are appreciated individually for their intensity of flavor and great size when paired properly. The main skill lies in finding the appropriate balance between the flavor profiles and texture of these two elements.
For a successful combination, it is important to choose the right wines for each type of chocolate, such as:
Full-bodied red wines and dark chocolate: full-bodied red wines are characterized by complexity and firm tannins, so starting a tasting with chocolate between 50% and 70% cocoa is ideal. Thus, the tannins of both elements complement each other and bring an explosion of flavors in the mouth. Furthermore, more aromatic full-bodied red wines are also ideal for further expanding the aromatic palette of the tasting.
Lighter red wines, Tawny Port and milk chocolate: this type of chocolate is considered sweet and fatty, this factor is due to the high concentration of cocoa and sugar. In this case, one of the options is to choose a lighter, fruitier red wine with a light alcohol content, which is ideal for combining the aromas and offering a unique experience. Tawny-style Port Wine is also recommended for this type of pairing. As it is a great wine to accompany chocolate desserts, its versatility and smooth character make it a great option to pair with chocolates rich in cocoa, where its sweetness contrasts in perfect balance with the smoothness of the chocolate.
Sparkling wines, white wines and white chocolate: white chocolate is considered by many to be non-chocolate, as it is produced from cocoa butter, milk and sugar. The union of these three ingredients makes this type of chocolate sweeter and more striking in the mouth, making it necessary, for example, to pair it with white wines with high acidity, to create a delicate and authentic experience. Furthermore, the ideal is also to combine with sparkling wines, to perfectly balance the flavors on the palate.
This is the basis for any pairing between wines and chocolates. Still, it is important to highlight that, although there are guidelines, there are no inflexible rules when it comes to appreciating the complexity of flavors that this union is capable of offering, just as we must know that our most reliable guide is our own palate, or So, dare to try it! There is nothing better than bringing these two worlds together in a single experience and finding the magic of this harmonization!
Furthermore, you can experience an unmissable experience at Caminhos Cruzados : Tasting grapes and cocoa, an activity that invites everyone to appreciate the aromatic richness of chocolate combined with the fragrant palette of wines!
