Wine and chocolate have been in a very healthy, longstanding relationship for centuries. They’re similar in many ways- made from a fruit, combined with other natural ingredients to take new forms, and revered all around the world. Every country that produces them has their own take, and we’ve turned them both into an obsession here in America.
Red wine and dark chocolate is probably one of the most common pairings of any two edible things in the entire culinary world, right up there with peanut butter and jelly, or pasta and cheese. Because red wines are usually made with dark fruits like cherries, plums, or raspberries, they constantly serve as an inclusion in chocolates. The fruit flavor of the wine replaces the need for fruit juices or can serve as an addition to whole fruit pieces that may be chopped up in the bar.
Raaka, a chocolate company in Brooklyn, makes a Cabernet Sauvignon dark chocolate bar with unroasted chocolate that is steamed over a vat of gorgeous Cab Sauv. This allows the cacao nibs to literally soak up the gorgeous flavors of the wine without altering the texture in any way.
There are also hundreds of recipes online for wine-infused chocolate truffles which are a delightful way to have your dessert and your wine at the same time.
It’s much less likely to find white wines in your chocolate for multiple reasons. First, they already have a decently high sugar content compared to red, which would make chocolate too sweet. It also has to do with the types of fruits that go into white wines, like citrus fruits and other bright, acidic elements that don’t exactly pair well with cocoa. However, there are companies infusing their chocolates with rosé like powerhouse candymaker Sugarfina.
You’ll also be less likely to find milk chocolate that is infused with wine. This has to do also with the sugar content but the texture as well. It makes sense really- would you want milk in your wine? Probably not. The darker chocolates are denser and richer which is what creates a better pairing with deep red wines.
And if you’re feeling really adventurous, chocolate-infused wine now exists as well…
