Wine and Chocolate Pairing

The key to a successful wine and chocolate pairing is to make sure the wine is sweeter than the chocolate. Otherwise, the wine can have a bitter flavor.

Pair lighter flavored chocolate with a lighter wine and bolder flavored chocolate with a fruitier, bolder wine.

White Chocolate Wine Pairings

Pair a sweet Riesling with white chocolate. Since Riesling is produced in a range of sweet to dry, look for Auslese or Spatlese on the bottle. You can also use the ABV (Alcohol by volume) to determine the sweetness levels. Look for an ABV of 8-10%.

Milk Chocolate Wine Pairings

Lighter reds pair well with Milk Chocolate like Pinot Noir, Merlot, even a fruity Syrah makes a nice match.

Dark Chocolate Wine Pairings

Dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage needs a stronger red to stand up to it. Look for a deep fruity Syrah/Shiraz to pair.

Pairing Order

If you plan to set up a wine and chocolate tasting, make sure to start with the lighter chocolates and wines and ending with the dark chocolate pairings. This will help your taste buds to shift easily from the light flavors to bolder flavors.

Wine and Chocolate Pairing Kit

If you’d like a little help with your chocolate and wine tasting, here is a pairing set all ready for you from wine.com. It includes a Pinot Noir which will pair well with the lighter chocolates. The Bordeaux is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon which will pair with the darker chocolates.

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