Pair It Like a Pro: Wine & Chocolate Master’s Edition

Wine and chocolate continue to hold strong as a tried and true pairing for a very good reason.

This dynamic duo screams indulgence and romance, creating the perfect opportunity to lavish your partner or yourself with the good things in life.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Now, we’re not food snobs in the least but there’s a big difference between enjoying them casually and pairing them with intention. Mixing and matching like a pro is what distinguishing noshing from creating an experience all of its own.

Whether you’re joining us at Grandview Vineyard this February or planning a cozy tasting at home, here’s what the pros know about creating unforgettable pairings.

The Foundation of a Perfect Pairing

To pair wine and chocolate like a true connoisseur, it’s all about balance. The key is understanding how sweetness, acidity, and texture interact. Here are the core principles:

1. Sweetness Matters: The wine should be sweeter than the chocolate. A dry wine paired with a very sweet chocolate can leave the wine tasting bitter. This is why dessert wines often shine with rich, creamy chocolates.
2. Tannins and Texture: Full-bodied red wines with higher tannins pair beautifully with bittersweet dark chocolate. The tannins mellow the chocolate’s richness to create more harmony on the palette.
3. Flavor Matching vs. Contrasting: To create a more seamless experience, try pairing citrusy wines with fruity desserts or play with contrasts by pairing wines like Chardonnay with chocolate-peanut butter cookies for something more unexpected.

Professional Pairings You Can Try

You don’t have to try to mix and match all on your own as we’ve done the work for you. Over the month of February, we’ll be featuring All Things Chocolate & Wine Pairings to explore many exquisite pairings with our guests. Just as a sampling of what you can look forward to at your next tasting:

• Cabernet Franc + Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake: The soft tannins in the Cab Franc balance the richness of the dark chocolate while amplifying the raspberry’s brightness.
• Naked Chardonnay + Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie: The wine’s smooth, buttery finish cuts through the cookie’s richness for a balanced bite.
• Blossom + Orange-Kissed Dark Chocolate Popcorn: Blossom’s citrus undertones play up the zesty orange notes, while the popcorn adds texture and fun.
• Precious Pink + Chocolate-Covered Strawberries: A classic pairing with a twist—this sweet rosé brings out the strawberry’s natural sweetness without overwhelming it.

How to Create Your Own Pairing at Home

Even if you’re not a professional sommelier, you can impress your guests (or yourself) with thoughtful wine and chocolate pairings. Here’s how to get started:

1. Choose Your Chocolate First: Decide whether you want to feature dark, milk, or white chocolate. Each has distinct levels of sweetness and richness that will guide your wine choices.
2. Match Wine by Intensity: Pair lighter wines with delicate chocolates and heavier wines with bold, intense flavors. For example, a light rosé complements white chocolate, while a deep red loves dark chocolate.
3. Experiment with Layers: Add textures like nuts, fruit, or caramel to the mix. For example, chocolate with sea salt pairs beautifully with wines that have a crisp, refreshing quality, like Naked Chardonnay or Riesling.
4. Taste with Intention: Start with a sip of wine, then take a bite of chocolate and let it slowly settle on the palette. This will allow the flavors to evolve together and turns pairing into it’s own incredible experience.

Elevate the Romance, Anytime

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply indulging in life’s pleasures, wine and chocolate pairings are about more than taste—they off an invitation to slow down, savor the moment, and share something special. How could we not be fully behind that?

Join us for our All Things Wine & Chocolate events. CLICK HERE to register.

Other Dates to Save

• Feb. 6, 6:30 PM: Rom-Com Trivia (Cheaters Never Prosper)
• Feb. 13, 7:00 PM: Valentine’s Dinner (Grandview Vineyard closes to the public at 5 PM)
• Feb. 18: Global Drink Wine Day (Grandview)
• Feb. 20, 6:00 PM: Yoga (Vendor) & All Things Wine & Chocolate Pairings (Grandview at 5:30 PM & 7:30 PM)
• Feb. 22: Open That Bottle Night (Grandview)
• Feb. 27: Girl Scout Cookie Pairing (Grandview, ticket release pending)
• Fridays & Saturdays, 6:00 PM: Free Live Music (Grandview)