Seasonal Selections

Ideal for Valentine's Day

The ancient Mayans referred to chocolate as the food of the gods. Divinely decadent and delicious, chocolate has excited our taste buds for centuries.  Invariably linked with Valentine's Day, chocolate can elicit feelings similar to "falling in love" due to the release of endorphins from the brain. This arousal often results in an obsessive and compulsive pursuit to feed the addiction.

But there is chocolate and then there is CHOCOLATE. We're not talking about Oh Henry! and Twix candy bars.  We're talking about all natural, no preservatives or additives, just cocoa solids, cocoa butter (the two elements of the cocoa bean), and sugar.

Go one step further and you have single origin chocolates. Select beans from single plantations exhibit flavour nuances of the soil, climate, and other growing conditions (terroir) not unlike single vineyard wines.

The traditional wine pairing for chocolate is generally thought to be port.  But with the myriad of flavours and the different levels of sweetness, based on cocoa content, in the different chocolates along with the diversity of dessert wines available, a relatively new indulgence of chocolate and wine experimentation has emerged.  Consideration must be given to tannins, dryness, and richness of flavours of both the wine and the chocolate.  The fruitier the wine the better, and typically the wine should be at least as sweet as the chocolate with a crisp finish to cleanse and refresh the palate and prevent the build up of a singular sugary aftertaste.

The following single plantation chocolate and wine pairings were arrived at after a considerable amount of research (ie. lots and lots of tasting).

All chocolates were tasted and are available at Chocolate Exquisite, 11238 - 104 Avenue, 780.488.7852, www.chocolateexquisite.ca

St. Domingue (70% - Caribbean) - a dark chocolate with pronounced cocoa flavour, fruity, herbal, intense and lingering with nuances of mixed dried and black fruits.

Fabiano Recioto della Valpolicella, Veneto Italy ($42 / 500ml) - Masses of sweet fruit, delicate and floral nose.  Pungent and juicy on the palate with dried black cherries, figs and plums and a fine balance between acidity, tannin, sweetness that results in a truly delicious wine.

Alto al Sol (65% - Peru) - elegant and fruity dark chocolate with clean flavours of red berries, raisins, vanilla and coconut.

Marotti Campi Xyris, Marche Italy ($28) - Amazingly fresh red sparkling with aromas of roses and violets and flavours of fresh juicy red and black fruit and only a hint of grapey sweetness and fresh acidity on the delicious finish.

Arcongo (85% - Caribbean, South America & Madagascar) - A dark chocolate with strong and distinct taste, intense aromas, exotic fruit, depth, firm body and a seductive mix of floral and subtle herbs.

Capezzana Vin Santo Riserva, Tuscany Italy ($60 / 375ml) - Scents of dried raisins, candied apricots and orange peel. Opulent and soft with persistent length exhibiting dried apricots and honey.  Truly the wine of saints.

Concepcion (66% - Venezuela) - from a plantation in the valley of Barlovento, to the east of Caracas - shows hints of vanilla, honey, spice cake and caramel in a remarkable lingering finish with nuances of mixed dried and black fruits.

and

Mangaro Lait (50% - Madagascar) - perhaps the world's finest milk chocolate - notes of caramel, exotic fruit, sppice cake, honey and raisins.

Ceretto Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont Italy ($22 / 375ml) - Almost a default wine with the versatility to pair with the greatest variety of not only chocolates, but desserts in general.  Delicate flavours of orange blossoms, yet incredibly penetrating with a slight fizz and lingering flavours of fresh, sweet pear and peach on the bright finish.  The pairing results in a flavour explosion inthe mouth.

prices subject to change without notice

all wines subject to availability