The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate & Wine Pairings

There’s a lot to love about pairing wine with chocolate. The luxurious textures, flavors and aromas of that dynamic duo bring out the romantic in all of us, whether we’re swooning over a bittersweet single-origin bar, or a heart-shaped milk chocolate from last February. With so many chocolate options out there – dark chocolate, dark milk chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and countless specialty infusions and add-ins – it can get a little overwhelming to decide which cocoa delight will partner best with your favorite bottle.

In this post, we’ll talk about the basic chocolate wine pairing rules to keep in mind, and suggest Bonterra wines to experience with each type of chocolate. Why? Because Bonterra wines are made at organic wineries with organic grapes, they taste like wine is supposed to: naturally pure and delicious. And because they’re also TRUE Zero Waste certified, you can feel great about enjoying them, with or without the chocolate. 

Basic Principles of Chocolate and Wine Pairing

A successful wine and chocolate pairing depends on a lot of the same factors you look at when pairing wine with other foods. Think about the texture, intensity and sweetness of the chocolate that you have.  Is it creamy, or does it feel a bit firmer and less rich? Does it have an intense flavor, or a mild one? Is it very sweet, or more bittersweet? 

Generally, you want a wine and chocolate pairing where the partners have similar textures, similar intensity, and similar sweetness. A mild milk chocolate would be overwhelmed by an intensely flavored red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, and a delicate wine like Pinot Grigio would disappear into an intensely flavored chocolate. Ideally, both the chocolate and the wine can shine when they’re together – just like with people.

You also want to think about the flavors in the chocolate, and the flavor notes in the wine. Are the tasting notes complementary, or do they clash? Picture having those flavors in the same mouthful. Would it work?

Choosing wines with clean, natural flavor profiles like Bonterra’s can make this flavor pairing easier. Will the Chardonnay’s creamy notes of ripe pear and fresh toast play nicely with this buttery white chocolate? (Absolutely!) 

Pairing Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate tends to be creamy and smooth, with a fair amount of sweetness but only medium intensity. So, the best pairings should be wines that fit a similar profile: medium-intensity wines with plenty of ripe fruit and a nice, smooth texture.

Bonterra Merlot’s rich, velvety mouthfeel and fresh flavors of strawberry and pomegranate would make a fantastic choice here. The wine’s medium intensity and body would meld beautifully with milk chocolate, and the bright red fruit flavors are a natural complement for creaminess. 

To elevate milk chocolate in a different direction, try a bottle of Bonterra Estate Chardonnay. This wine’s rich, creamy texture will match the milk chocolate well. If you’re wondering “What does Chardonnay taste like?” its ripe pear, citrus, and floral notes bring an unexpected dimension to enjoying milk chocolate.  

Pairing Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is a more intense experience, with bitter flavors and less sweetness than most milk chocolates. Many darker chocolates are also quite rich, making them a great choice for intensely flavored wines with robust tannins. Different types of red wine pair well with dark chocolate. 

Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural choice here. The deep fruit flavors and bold tannins align beautifully with the intensity of a rich dark chocolate.

Bonterra Zinfandel would also make a great partner, because its generous fruit and spicy flavors would add layers of complementary flavor to dark chocolate.

Pairing White Chocolate

White chocolate is the gentlest member of the chocolate family. Made only from cocoa butter and sugar, white chocolate brings us mild buttery flavors, rich textures, and typically a lot of sweetness. It needs a silky, medium-bodied wine that can stand up to that rich sweetness without dominating it.

Both our Bonterra Chardonnay and our Bonterra Estate Chardonnay would be strong partners for white chocolate. They have similarly creamy textures and buttery aromas, and offer a round richness that can go toe to toe with white chocolate.

Bonterra Pinot Noir could also make a dynamic pairing here. This wine’s silky texture and freshness would complement the rich white chocolate, and its marvelous berry, vanilla and oak spice aromas would bring new levels of delicious complexity.

Special Chocolate Pairings

Chocolate aisles are full of creative specialty flavors, incorporating dried fruits, nuts, spices, creams and cookies. These can make pairing a bit more complicated, as you’ll have several more flavors to factor into your chocolate pairing. 

A white wine, like our Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc would be a fun choice with citrus-infused chocolates, providing a sleek texture and ripe kiwi and melon notes to complement the chocolate’s primary flavors. This wine’s crisp acidity would help refresh the palate, too, providing a counterpoint to the sweetness.

Here are additional wine pairing recommendations for unique chocolate types:

• For chocolate lovers who enjoy a chocolate tasting experience, consider pairing chocolate truffle with a sparkling wine. The effervescence of the sparkling wine complements the creamy texture and bold flavor of the truffle.
• Sweeter chocolates, like milk chocolate with caramel fillings, can be paired with a sweet dessert wine. The sweetness of the dessert wine matches the sweeter chocolate and creates a harmonious balance.

Remember, the key to a successful chocolate wine pairing is to experiment and find the combinations that delight your palate. Enjoy the journey of discovering new flavors and perfect pairings.

Enhancing the Experience 

Pairing wine and chocolate can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. Remember that the best pairing is the one you like the best! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations and see which you prefer. Bonterra Vineyard makes a wide range of high-quality wines to pair with your favorite chocolates, and we hope you savor every mouthful – both wine and chocolate are meant to be enjoyed! 

We think you’ll find that a responsibly made, organically farmed wine will always leave the best taste in your mouth.