Pairing chocolate with wines
Print Edition
Pairing chocolate with wine is a delicious idea that can create an unforgettable sensory experience.
A bite of chocolate and a sip of sparkling wine make for a perfect day, according to Philippe Daue, chef chocolatier of Pacific Rim & China of Godiva (Shanghai) Food Trading Co.
Until the end of March, visitors to Godiva Chocolate Café at Xintiandi can enjoy the Belgian chocolate with suggested wines in combinations designed by Daue.
“My job is to explore people’s taste. Chocolate is something special that gives you a good feeling. When paired with wine, it indulges people in a fresh experience,” Daue says.
“Both chocolate and wine have origins in certain agricultural areas. Sometimes we can match origins with each other to achieve a perfect match,” he adds.
For the optimal tasting experience, Daue suggests starting with lighter wines and finishing with more full-bodied wines.
The first step is to test the wine’s bouquet. Twirl the wine in a glass and breathe in all of the aromas in a long, smooth whiff.
Then take a look at the chocolate and note the details, sheen, and if possible the perceived flavor.
“Take a small bite and let it rest on the tongue for 10 to 15 seconds. Notice how different aspects of the chocolate’s composition melt at different times, and your senses highlight multiple flavors throughout the experience,” says the chef.
“Then, take a sip of wine and sense the balance and complexity of the chocolate and wine on your palate. Start to move the chocolate around your mouth and lightly bite,” he continues.
Among the matches recommended on Daue’s menu is Choco-Black Velvet, a mix-and-match of dark beer and sparkling wine. With chocolate, one can enjoy three flavors at one time.
Sparkling Strawberry Fizz is a cocktail presented together with white chocolate. Full of romantic touches, it’s hard not to get dizzy with the bubbles and the chocolate.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and Crémant de Bourgogne allows strawberries to meet rich chocolate and wine. The tender flavor of the fruit is mixed with the excitement of wine and the aroma of chocolate.
Sparkling Orange Spritzer features white chocolate cream and liqueur. “Dark chocolate is intense and rich. The wine it matches is also strong and solid. White chocolate goes better with champagne or sparkling wine,” he explains.
In Asia, Daue says, “people prefer the taste of less sweet, more fruit, more nuts, and we cater to it in a very specific way.”
He says his life is all about chocolate. “Chocolate is a mood lifter. A glass of sparkling wine with fruity aromas is a pleasing complement to chocolate in the winter.”
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