The holidays are here! It’s time to treat ourselves to delicious tastes. How about some wine, chocolate and fudge?!! YUM!!! Thank you to thekitchn and Wine and News for their help with this article.
thekitchn’s Recommendations
Here are thekitchn’s chocolate recommendations:
- Milk chocolate and Merlot – They argue that “Milk chocolate is so iconic with its creamy and sweet flavor. It deserves a wine that matches its smooth, widely adored status…This equally smooth, fruit-forward wine offers soft, round tannins that enhance the chocolate’s velvety texture and creates a harmonious balance between sips.”
- Dark chocolate and Claret – Claret is a British version of a red Bordeaux blend. thekitchn says that “Dark chocolate is rich and bittersweet, which is why it works so well with a darker wine like a Claret. Its bold tannins round out the chocolate’s slightly bitter notes, plus, its intense cherry flavors really pop.”
- White chocolate and Riesling – Riesling’s “refreshing acidity helps balance white chocolate’s creamy richness without overwhelming its delicate sweetness.”
- Chocolate with berries and Pinot Noir – Pinot’s “bright red fruit notes and smooth, earthy undertones enhance milk chocolate’s sweet, creamy texture — all while balancing out the infusion of juicy berry flavors.”
- Milk chocolate caramel and Chardonnay – “With its sweet, gooey richness, caramel chocolates are a natural complement to a buttery Chardonnay.”
- Chocolate with coconut and Gewurztraminer – The writer highlights that the wine has a “subtle sweetness that complements the tropical nuttiness of coconut.”
- Milk chocolate peanut butter and Zinfandel – “The wine’s ripe fruitiness brings out the sweetness of the milk chocolate, while simultaneously cutting through the richness of the peanut butter.”
- Milk chocolate hazelnut and Prosecco – Hazelnut chocolate has origins that date back to Turin, Italy, in the 1800s, so “pair a wine made from Italian grapes like prosecco with an iconic Italian chocolate like hazelnut. Prosecco famously has a crisp, bubbly texture that cuts through the rich, nutty flavor of hazelnut chocolate for spirited contrast between sips.”
Wine and News’s Fudge Recommendations
Wine and News focuses exclusively on fudge. Before going into their recommendations, they talk about why fudge and wine pair so well together. “The sweetness of fudge can be complemented by selecting wines with the right level of acidity and tannins to cut through the richness and provide a refreshing contrast.”
Here are their recommendations:
- Dessert wines – “Dessert wines such as Port, Madeira, and Sauternes are classic choices for pairing with fudge. Their inherent sweetness and intense flavors can stand up to the richness of the fudge.”
- Sparkling wines – The effervescence and subtle sweetness of these wines can “lighten the experience and add a festive touch.”
- Fortified wines – They talk about fortified wines such as Sherry and Tawny Port bringing out “the chocolatey aspects of fudge. Their higher alcohol content and complex flavor profile make them suitable to pair with the dense sweetness of fudge.”
