A Tasteful Pair

Wine and chocolate, two favorites that are even better together when you know the right combinations.

Jennifer Dowell, of Jennifer’s Chocolates in Wakefield has been a chocolatier for 16 years and she has discovered, through research and her own love of wine, how to pair the best choices to make the flavors pop. Kevin Gilmore, the wine manager at , teamed with Dowell for a Valentine’s Day tasting that was well received. I recently sat down with the two experts for an education of my own.

Seated at one of the window front tables at Jennifer’s shop on Robinson St. (she also has a kiosk location in the Wakefield Mall) surrounded by dishes of chocolate and bottles of wine the three of us had a wide ranging discussion about wines from different regions and countries, chocolate making, spices, fruits and why certain pairings just don’t work.

“You first have to think about the characteristics of the chocolate to discover what wine will work well with it” Dowell said. According to Gilmore, white wine is the hardest to pair with chocolate because of its acidity.

“Think of having a piece of fresh grapefruit,” he said, “and then biting into a piece of chocolate. I think I am open to any sort of pairings, but citrus fruits would have to be candied to work with wine.”

Dowell recommended always working from light to dark when eating chocolate. “If you start with the darkest piece it overwhelms your palate and you lose the taste of the lighter pieces,” she said.

Gilmore added that the pairings go beyond the visual. “It goes to sense of taste and smell,” he added. “Once you cross that line and realize that your palate and olfactory senses are artful and important then you understand all that goes into the choices.”

Gilmore brought along two reds, a dessert wine and a bubbly rosé. Reds work the best with chocolate because of the fruity and smoky flavors. Think about how raspberries, strawberries and apricots are often paired with chocolates and you begin to see how the combinations fit.

For the taste tests we started with White Chocolate Krispies paired with Lamberti Sparkling Rosé from Italy. The bubbly was slighty sweet and went down well with the creamy white chocolate. The combination of the bubbles in the drink and the crunch of the rice krispies tickled the palate. This was a light and airy treat suitable for hot summer afternoons or dessert after a heavy meal.

Next up was Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Pralines with five spices in the filling. Gilmore filled our glasses with Quinta Infatando Ruby Port from Portugal. This medium dry red had a fruity finish that worked well with the spiciness of the candy. The rich chocolate and creamy centers were a delightful snack.

Dowell brought out a dish of Espresso Squares for the next test. They were so dark I was expecting a slightly bitter taste with a hard snap, but instead found them to be very creamy and soft. These were paired with a South African red wine blend called The Left Bank. This was by far the richest of the wines, with a dark, smoky finish. There were hints of the darkest fruits – plums and cherries – with a hint of spice.This decadent combination would be a perfect choice for a special date or an evening by the fire.

For the final fusion of flavors we switched from chocolate to almond dipping biscotti. Dowell mentioned that she usually dips it in tea, but we all dipped it in the dessert wine that Gilmore provided, Favaois Moscatel Do Douro from Portugal. This wine was fortified with brandy as was the Ruby Port, but the caramel coloring and the slighty sweet taste made me think of cognac. At only $10 a bottle, this would be one to stock in the cupboard for after dinner sipping.

Dowell and Gilmore will partner for another tasting in the fall, in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, but you don’t need to wait until then. You can take your favorite wines over to Jennifer’s for some expert pairings or stop in and see Gilmore at Wakefield Liquors for some new suggestions to try. You can even match up several different choices and show off your newfound knowledge for company. After all, the only thing better than wine and chocolate is wine, chocolate and friends.