Chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon- Dispelling the Myth

I have never been particularly fond of rules.   All my life I have rebelled against them in some form or another, they were even the reason that I became a chocolatier in the first place.    One fine day I was searching for something different to provide my wine club clients with and I kept coming across the topic of wine and chocolate tasting.  And the overall general verdict was that it was difficult and it was just better to stick with the traditional sweeter wines.  My reaction of course was to ask,” but why”?  And then I set out to prove everyone wrong. 

One of the general rules I kept running into was the pairing of chocolate with cabernet sauvignon.  Cabernet seemed to be the “go to” wine for chocolate, mainly because it is usually a full bodied wine with lots of structure.  Theoretically this should hold up to the weight and flavours of the chocolate.    Theoretically.

A few months ago I facilitated an impromptu chocolate and wine tasting and was confronted with this cabernet is the golden rule syndrome.   I was trying to find a new wine to pair with a chocolate I had and the sommelier kept insisting that we try it with the cabernets that they had.  I was sitting in front of the table, reveling in the smoky, leathery notes being released as I rolled the chocolate around in my mouth, when she started rhyming off all traditional rules of pairing chocolate with wine and pulling out cabernets from the cabinet.  The words being spoken couldn’t have been memorized better.  I rolled the chocolate around in my mouth again, the leather and tobacco notes dancing on my taste buds.  I dubbed it my gaucho chocolate.  It needed a fruit y wine to bring out the underlying fruit notes so that it would balance out.  The Cabernet, unless it was a fruit forward one, would end up creating a duel in the mouth, each one trying to “one up” the other, resulting in a bitter ending overall.  I watched with amusement as she tried each cabernet with the chocolate, and the disappointed looks afterwards.  The wine was either bringing out the bitterness of the chocolate or flattening it completely.  This seemed to only reinforce her belief that chocolate and wine are a difficult pairing and discouraged her from exploring further.

So how did the cabernet/chocolate rule come into being?  I am not exactly sure, however when looking at chocolate and wine trends I can probably take an educated guess.  (However I am always open to learning more and if anyone has an insights I would love to hear them.)  Chocolate and wine pairing is a relatively  new concept and the place where it is really starting to take off at the moment is the state of California.  Napa Valley.  Here, in general, the Cabernets are usually more fruity from what I understand.  (I unfortunately do not have access to California wines where I am but have spoken to many sommeliers that know the wines well.)  Yet, still well structured.  Therefore I can see why they would be a good pairing for chocolate.  I experiment a lot and do many wine and chocolate tastings.  Yes, it is such a rough life that I lead, no?  J After examining all of my notes, what I have found is that there is one general factor in common to a decent pairing:  Fruit.  Overall it is a fruitier wine, yet one that has good body and structure that has the potential to make a good pairing with a dark chocolate.  The fruit in the wine eases the tannins and bitterness in the chocolate and brings out the other hidden flavours in it.

As far as varietals go, I cannot really say that there is one particular varietal.  However I can comment that where I am in Argentina, the Malbecs are standing up very well to the flavor profiles found in chocolate.  Malbec itself is a varietal that is now coming into its own in the international culinary and tasting circles.  And I can say the same thing for its role in chocolate and wine pairing.   Even Scharffenberger, one of the leading fine chocolate manufacturers in North America has added it to their contest this year as an adventure ingredient.  Can I say it is the go to wine for chocolate?  Not really.  If I were asked to create new guidelines on dark chocolate and wine pairing, I would say just look for a fruit forward ,well balanced and structured wine.  And then experiment with different varietals.  However I do recommend Argentine Malbecs as a varietal to experiment with, I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Do I think that Cabernet should be taken off the list?  No.  There are many Cabernets out there that also pair beautifully with a dark chocolate.  The underlying key, as with any food and wine pairing, is to taste the chocolate and then select a wine that will complement its flavor profile or add an interesting contrast to it.  This will take you down many more interesting paths of discovery and sensory pleasure.

Within the world of tasting there are many guidelines that you learn when starting to pair different foods and beverages.  Guidelines, in any form, are usually there to guide and help you as you are starting off in whatever endeavor you have chosen.  However, what I have discovered, especially in the world of food pairing, is that these guidelines are somehow taken and turned into “rules”.  And it is here that I become greatly saddened, when individuals stop tasting, experimenting and experiencing and instead use rehearsed rules.

Food and wine are one of the greatest joys and pleasures on earth, and as humans we are highly privileged to have the ability to experience them as such.    It is through creativity, experimentation, curiosity and risk that the “borders” of food and wine are constantly expanded.   I firmly believe anything is possible, in any area of life, if you only just set out and try it.