Cheers!

Valentine’s Day is almost here.  Chocolate and wine are often the duo of choice.  Pairing wines with chocolate can take some experimentation on your part, but once you find what you like, life is good.

Try matching  lighter, more elegant flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines. The stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be.  For example, a bittersweet chocolate tends to pair well with a bold California Zin or even a tannin-driven Cab. The darker the chocolate the more tannins it displays.  When you pair a  darker chocolate up with a wine that has big  tannins, the chocolate will often cancel out the wine’s tannins on the palate and allow more fruit to show through. Wines with strong fruit notes, are good matches for fruit-accented truffles like the recipe I’ve included below for you.  However, before you try the recipe –or purchase some truffles locally, here’s a few suggestions for wine and chocolate pairing for you.

Banyuls,with its cherry and berry flavors, pairs nicely with the fruit flavors in chocolate.

Cabs bring out cherry-pepper-grape notes. With its heavier tannins, it may be a better match with dark chocolate.

Merlot, a softer red than Cab, can also partner well. Try it with milk chocolate.

Ruby Port brings out cherry and chocolate flavors.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLES
Compliments of FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars 

8-1/2 oz. Dark Chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

6 to 7 tsp FIORE Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup Cocoa Powder

Place the chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water to melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally but watching carefully so as not to burn the chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate into a small shallow bowl, and stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Put the bowl of chocolate into the refrigerator to cool until it has hardened, about 1 hour. Remove the chocolate from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until it is easily moldable.

Pour the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop (or teaspoon), scoop a round of chocolate into the palm of your hands. Roll the chocolate into a round ball.

Place the chocolate ball into the cocoa powder and roll it around to completely coat it. Repeat with the remaining chocolate.

Truffles stay fresh in a sealed container in a cool area. If left at room temperature, the truffles will soften. They can be refrigerated – they will need to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Makes approximately 36 truffles.

*If you do not have Raspberry Balsamic, you can substitute any “fruit-flavored” Balsamic Vinegar in place of the Raspberry Balsamic.