Chocolate & Wine

Wein und Bitterschokolade

Silky finish, incomparable sweetness, fine spices - wine or chocolate? Both can be described very well with these enjoyable attributes. And because these flavor components not only harmonize very well with each other in terms of taste, but even enhance each other, the combination of chocolate and wine promises completely new pleasurable experiences - you will simply melt away!

Facts

  • 1544

    was the first time, when chocolate was drunk at the Spanish court

  • 7 Euro

    costs a kilogram of cocoa beans

  • 48 %

    cocoa mass is founded in dark chocolate

The Chocolate Side of Wine

For a long time, the combination of chocolate and wine was considered incompatible. Admittedly, harmonious combinations of dry, fresh white wine with the melting and sweetness of chocolate are rather rare. The troublemaker in this relationship is the acidity of the wine, which can be pointed and dissonant in such a pairing.

Real Seduction Artists
But the liaison of chocolate with the melting and lush power of a noble sweet wine such as a Beerenauslese or even a Trockenbeerenauslese is truly seductive. Red wines are also a welcome companion to chocolate. Basically, the sweeter the chocolate, the sweeter and milder the acidity of the wine should be, so that the delicate balance is maintained.

A little gourmet tip from chocolate maker Eberhard Schell: Initially, you should taste the wine on its own. Then melt the chocolate in your mouth and sip the wine again. And then: just enjoy! Another sip of wine enhances the taste experience.

Chocolate is looking for Wine

Milk chocolate impresses with its silky finish and mild sweetness. Milk chocolates with a cocoa content of 32 to 49 percent harmonize perfectly with strong white wines from the Pinot family, but also with Riesling. The wines should also have a melty, creaminess, a subtle acidity and fine fruit notes. Mild Auslesen made from Riesling or Pinot Gris grapes, for example, are a good match. When it comes to red wine, varieties such as Lemberger, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Cuvées, that are low in tannins but can have a light vanilla note, are suitable.

Dark chocolates with 55 to 75 percent cocoa are wonderfully combined with fruity wines that bring some residual sweetness. Even sweet wines and fruity red wines like to enter into a liaison with these semi-sweet dark chocolate types, especially if they contain fruit.

Lovers of dark bitter chocolate containing up to 85 percent cocoa, swear by the pairing with dense, expressive red wines with smooth, but clearly perceptible tannins: dry Dornfelder and Lemberger, aged in barrels or wooden barrels, result in a wonderful balance with bitter chocolate.

A "Dream Wedding in White" - comes to mind if you let white chocolate melt on your tongue together with a fine fruity Riesling ice wine. The harmonic play arises here through the sweetness and finesse in both the wine and the chocolate.

No Problem when Choosing a Partner

Regardless of whether the chocolate is whole milk, dark bitter or nut: an aromatic wine goes with almost every sort. Particularly harmonious are Traminer, Muskateller and Scheurebe.

Chocolate maker Eberhard Schell: "Aromatic varities such as Traminer, Muskateller and Scheurebe combined with the right chocolate, achieve the best possible taste."

Eberhard Schell, Schell Chocolate Manufacturer

 

How does the wine get a chocolate touch?

Like vanilla or tobacco aromas, chocolate notes are usually created by aging and maturing the wine in barrique barrels. Among other things, roasted aromas are responsible for this, which arise from the toasting of the wood and are reminiscent of roasted cocoa beans.

More recipe ideas

with pears, beans, parsley root and black walnuts Venison medallions

with pears, beans, parsley root and black walnuts

  • 12 Stück Rehmedaillions (a 80g)
  • 30 Gramm gebratene Speckstreifen
  • 200 ml Bechamelsauce
  • 3 EL Sonnenblumenöl
  • 8 kleine Petersilienwurzeln mit Grün (alternativ Knollensellerie)
  • 6 - 8 breite Schnippelbohnen
  • 1 große Birne
  • 4 - 6 schwarze Walnüsse
  • 100 ml Wildfond
  • 2 EL Butter
  • 2 Stängel glatte Petersilie
  • nach Geschmack Salz

Preheat the oven to 180 °C top and bottom heat. Clean, peel and trim the parsley roots. Clean the beans and cut into diagonal pieces. Blanch the parsley roots and beans separately in boiling salted water and rinse immediately in iced water.

 

Cut the walnuts into eighths and warm in the game stock. Wash the unpeeled pear, cut into eighths, remove the core and cut into thin slices. Fry the venison medallions on both sides in oil, then finish cooking in the oven for approx. 3 - 5 minutes.

 

In the meantime, toss the beans and parsley roots in melted butter and season with salt. Arrange the vegetables with the black walnuts and pear slices on large plates. Place the medallions on top, garnish with game stock, Béchamel sauce and bacon strips.

 

Tip: You can make your own black walnuts. To do this, prick the walnuts all over with a fork or skewer and place in water for 10 days. Change the water every day so that the tannic acid can drain off. Boil the nuts 3 times in salted water until they are deep black. Simmer with bay leaves and peppercorns for approx. 20 minutes until soft. Layer in preserving jars and cover with syrup. The nuts can be kept for approx. 1 year.

  • Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
  • Pinot Gris (trocken)

with pumpkin and white wine sauce Pasta with pumpkin and white wine sauce

with pumpkin and white wine sauce

  • 750 Gramm Butternut-Kürbis(se)
  • 3 kleine Zwiebeln
  • 2 Zehen Knoblauch
  • 1 Becher Crème fraîche
  • 250 ml trockener Weißwein
  • 500 ml Gemüsebrühe
  • 25 Gramm Parmesan oder ähnlicher Hartkäse
  • 400 Gramm Spaghetti oder andere Nudeln
  • nach Geschmack Salz, Pfeffer, Zucker
  • 4 EL Kürbiskerne, evtl. gehackt
  • nach Belieben Muskat, Thymian

Sauté the garlic and onions until translucent. Dice the butternut squash and add, season with pepper and sugar. When the cubes are still firm, pour in the white wine and vegetable stock. Continue cooking until the squash is firm to the bite.

 

In the meantime, cook and drain the pasta.

 

Add the thyme, nutmeg, salt and crème fraîche to the boiling pumpkin, bring to the boil and thicken. Stir in the parmesan and season to taste. You can also crush some diced pumpkin to make the sauce sweeter.

 

Arrange the pasta on plates and top with the pumpkin sauce.

Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

  • Scheurebe (trocken)

with goat's cheese Courgette and chanterelle salad

with goat's cheese

  • 2 ganze Zucchini
  • 3 EL Rapsöl
  • 1 kleine Schalotte
  • 300 Gramm Pfifferlinge
  • 1 Msp. gemahlener Piment
  • 2 Bund Rucola
  • je 1/2 Bund Kerbel u. glatte Petersilie
  • je 3 EL Walnuss- u. Rapsöl
  • 4 Stück Ziegenkäse-Taler
  • 1 Prise Zucker
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Salad:

Wash the courgettes and slice thinly. Place in a bowl and mix with the oil.

 

Heat a grill pan and fry the courgettes in batches until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, place in a bowl.

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<p>Peel and finely dice the shallot. Clean the chanterelles, wash if necessary and pat dry. Depending on size, cut in half if necessary.

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<p>Sauté the shallot in a pan until translucent. Add the chanterelles and fry vigorously for 3 minutes while stirring. Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Add to the courgettes. Wash the rocket and spin dry.

 

Dressing:

Wash the herbs, shake dry. Pluck the leaves, blend finely with both types of oil and vinegar in a blender or with a hand blender. Flavour with salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over the courgette and chanterelle mix and mix loosely with the rocket. Arrange on plates, sprinkle with goat's cheese.

  • Pinot Blanc (trocken)

Stuffed, with paprika and pecorino Schnitzel rolls

Stuffed escalope rolls with paprika and pecorino

  • Nach Belieben Pinienkerne, Basilikum, Knoblauch
  • 8 Stück dünne Schweineschnitzel á ca. 75g & Holzspießchen
  • 1 Glas rote geröstete Paprika
  • 100 Gramm Pecorino-Käse
  • Nach Bedarf Olivenöl, Salz, Pfeffer

Roast the pine nuts and leave to cool. Pluck the basil leaves and place in a blender with the finely chopped garlic, olive oil and pine nuts and blend gently. Finely grate the Parmesan and mix in. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Wash the meat and pat dry. Drain the paprika in a sieve and finely grate the pecorino. Season the escalopes on both sides with salt and pepper and spread 1 tsp of pesto on each. Cover the escalopes with paprika, leaving approx. 3 cm free on one narrow side of each piece.

 

Spread the pecorino over the paprika. Roll up the meat from the coated side and pin in place with wooden skewers. Grill the escalope rolls on the barbecue for 20-25 minutes, turning if possible, and indirectly for the last 10 minutes.

  • Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
  • Lemberger (extra brut)
  • Portugieser (trocken)