Why not take the cocoa challenge and double your pleasure with a wine or spirit to pair with a little something from your favourite chocolatier?
After all, both treats can be fine, rich and distinctive, and wines that combine density and richness will taste twice as nice, not to mention a chocolate martini with a dark chocolate ganache, or a glass of fizz with a white truffle.
PLEASURE SEEKERS
Light and refreshing and great with everything, it’s not surprising prosecco’s popularity keeps growing and the bubbles keep flowing. To brighten the flavour of white chocolate, try Allini Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG 2014, Italy (£7.49, Lidl) which has a lovely soft, creamy mousse, classic pear aromas and a delightful touch of sweetness to the peachy fruit.
CRAFTY COMBO
Back in fashion and one of the craft beer movement’s key styles, porter dark beer has evolved into a beer rich with chocolate, coffee and caramel elements, such as Chapel Down Curious Porter, Tenterden, Kent (£36, 24 x 33cl, 4.4% abv, www.chapeldown.com). Brewed using chocolate malt, vanilla oak chips have been used to tame the bitterness and this mildly hoppy dark brew works like a dream with dark chocolate cakes and desserts.
EDITOR’S PICK
Nothing gimmicky about Pancracio Chocolate Vodka, Spain (£17.95, 50cl, www.31dover.com), an award-winning triple-distilled chocolate flavoured vodka from Cadiz made with cocoa beans from Venezuela, Brazil and Ecuador. A must in a mocha martini, it’s sprinkled with cocoa powder on the nose and the creamy, soft palate blends chocolate flavours with light peppery notes ending with a delicious choc-full finish. Lovely enough to sip on its own.
DARK VARIETY
A real find, The Exquisite Collection Australian Shiraz 2013, South East Australia (£5.79, Aldi) is a great value wine that pairs nicely with 70% chocolate bars and a whole bunch of other foods. Smooth, soft and spicy, with blackberry and blueberry aromas, hints of coffee notes, ripe dark fruits and a savoury finish. Try it with chocolate pasta and chilli pepper.
SIN WITH ZIN
Lodi in California is famed for its zinfandel (aka primitivo) and North Ritz Road Reserve Zinfandel 2012, California, USA (£9.99, www.virginwines.co.uk) is an easy drinking style with wild berry aromas and a hint of anise, ribbons of black cherry and plum with a hint of mocha and spice on the fruity finish. Enjoy with 60% dark chocolate or a lightly chilled chocolate mousse.
PORT OF CALL
Hotel Chocolat suggest you let a small amount of their dark chocolate melt in the mouth to release the flavours before taking a sip of Hotel Chocolat Special Reserve Ruby Port, Portugal (£16, 37.5cl, www.hotelchocolat.com). Utterly delicious, this is the style of port that’s dangerously easy to drink and should be enjoyed before a meal so you can savour the rapturous raspberry and blackberry fruit laced with spice.
SHERRY IS A SURE THING
A natural bedfellow with rich, chocolate desserts such as sachertorte (Austrian chocolate cake), Barbadillo – Pedro Ximenez – Jerez, Spain (£11.27, 75cl, www.thedrinkshop.com) is a rich, dark style of sherry that shows bold fruit notes of plums and raisins with flavours akin to a dense fruit cake with an opulent, syrupy mouthfeel and a flourish of raisins on the long, sweet finish. Decadent and sinfully delicious.