A witness’ observation:
Here at Lake Side Emotions, there were more purchases of red wine than of Champagne for Valentine’s Day…
And many of the purchasers were carrying gift bags full of chocolate!
What do we think about pairing red wine with chocolate?
Some put this association out there as a business “motto,” but –
I think a common misperception is that red wine and chocolate are a perfect pairing.
A properly balanced red wine has both acidity and tannin. Tannin in chocolate, namely dark chocolate, plus wine tannin results in too much tannin. The mouth begins to feel too dry, obviously an unpleasant feeling. In addition, the acidity in the wine along with the chocolate results in perceived bitterness.
Another issue is that chocolate has sweetness, and when chocolate is paired with dry wines which are, as we know, much less sweet than the chocolate, the wine is made to taste sour. Milk chocolate, being even sweeter than dark chocolate, poses an even greater problem.
As a result, the unpleasant combination of flavors and the unpleasant mouth feel indicate that red wine and chocolate are not a good pairing at all!
Forget the romance of the concept – it just doesn’t work. There’s also the option of buying a sweet, dessert style wine – that would pair better with the chocolate.
So, for next Valentine’s Day, forget wine and chocolate.
And bring your other half a Champagne from a great producer instead, that will make her feel so special.
