More About Red Wine & Chocolate

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. I have been exploring the pairing of red wine and chocolate, and a friend reminded about a book that explores the health benefits of wine by Dr. Richard Baxter. Today we will further explore red wine & chocolate.

The book Age Gets Better with Wine, by Dr. Richard Baxter, explores the relationship between our health and wine. In one chapter the doctor explains that he feels red wine and dark chocolate, chocolate without sugar added, can go very well together because they share so many of the same polyphenols, which he claims create “harmonious flavor notes”. Both have been researched for their cardiovascular benefits. He makes it quite clear that once you add sugar and milk fats to the cacao it looses many of its polyphenols, which made a light go on for me. As I have been diligently tasting wine and chocolate together, I have recognized the chocolates with the highest amounts of cacao, and lowest amounts of sugar and milk fats, are the ones that seem to go best with my wine.  With Valentine’s Day right around the corner I recommend you go pure if you plan to serve red wine and chocolate to your sweetheart. Select a chocolate with a high percentage of chocolate no genache or sweet fillings please just really sumptuous dark chocolate. Like Giuttard’s Madagascar Chocolate and your favorite bottle of red wine. Allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth or temper as the chocolate folks say and savor it with your wine.  And thanks for joining me on today’s Vine to Wine.