04 May Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Pairing Wine with Brix Chocolate
Although wine and chocolate seem like a cliché, the fact is that they do not pair easily together. Either the chocolate is too sweet or it is too bitter and dominates the wine. Chocolate, like wine, has tannins and tannin-heavy red can clash with a piece of dark chocolate. But, if you like dark chocolate and you like wine and you want them to work together, than the answer is Brix chocolate. I found harmony in a pairing of Brix Medium Dark Chocolate and a glass of McCay Cellars Syrah from Lodi. That is why pairing wine with Brix chocolate is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
Crafted to pair with wine, Brix chocolate is a single origin Ghanaian chocolate, known for its red fruit tones. The Ghanaian chocolate is mixed with confectionery chocolate to create four specific blends.
Extra Dark (70%) – Pairs with Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Barolo, Malbec, as well as Cabernet Franc, Touriga Nacional, Super Tuscans, Amarone, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, young Shiraz, Tannat
Medium Dark (60%) – Pairs with Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Chianti, Rhone, as well as Brunello de Montalcino, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Tempranillo (Rioja), Grenache/Garnacha, Carmenere, Primitivo, Mourvedre, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Baco Noir
Smooth Dark (54%) – Pairs with Champagne, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Vintage Port, as well as Prosecco, Brachetto, Beaujolais, Gamay, Baco Noir, White Port, LBV Port, Ruby Port, Aligote, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Gewurtztraminer, Semillon, Pinot Gris, Vidal
Milk chocolate(46%) – Pairs with Port, Sherry, Dessert Wines, Rose, Burgundy, as well as Late harvest wines, Madeira, Tokai, Sauternes, Muscat
I enjoyed my Medium Dark Chocolate with a glass of McCay Cellars Syrah from Lodi. A full-bodied wine with aromas of bright jammy red fruit, blueberry and spice, it has racy acidity and soft tannins. Paired with the chocolate, it evoked subtle flavors and nuances in the wine.
If you love wine and you love dark chocolate, as I do, pick up some Brix chocolate and open a bottle of wine and you will understand why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.