As a rule, chocolate is considered to be a "wine enemy", which means that one has to be particularly careful when choosing a wine to go with it or, in extreme cases, that chocolate does not go at all with certain types of wine due to taste disharmonies (see Wine with Food for more details). The fact that "wine & chocolate" are considered incompatible in this country is due to the preference for sweet milk chocolate in Germany and Austria. With bitter chocolate, on the other hand, there are many more possible combinations. There are a few basic rules for choosing the right chocolate and wine. The most important is: only high-quality chocolate and fine wines go together.
The quality of chocolate depends on a high proportion of cocoa, as little or no cheap foreign fats (palm oil, coconut fat) as possible and also only a little sugar. The higher the cocoa content (at least 50%) in the chocolate, the drier the wine may be. A dry red wine goes best with dark chocolate. Sweet white chocolate (the cocoa powder is removed from the cocoa mass during the production of this type of chocolate) or milk chocolate is best served with sweet wines. Some red wine varieties prove that red wine and chocolate harmonise very well. Especially wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta, Merlot, Syrah and Tempranillo are often characterised by a bitter chocolate aroma. Wine seminars are also offered on the subject of "chocolate & wine". See also under caramel.
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Image right: by PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay
