Wine to pair with Chocolate

Really bold and smokey Pinot oozing loads of ripe cherries and mulberry characters.

Country: USA

Region: California

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Amarone is one of Italys most famous and respected of wines. This cracker shows why it is held in such high regard. 

Lifted and perfumed aromas and flavors of black cherries, chocolate, coffee, and raisins, along with a note of almonds. Despite a formidable structure, the palate is velvety, spicy and elegant, with an extremely long and lingering finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Amarone

ABV: 15%

Grapes: Corvina

Christmas in a bottle!

Argentina has almost made the Malbec grape its own and on this evidence it's not difficult to see why. A port style wine, red purple colour of medium intensity, with light brown hues due to its ageing. Immensely concentrated, ripe plums, black fruits marmalade, dried figs and nuts. A rich, complex wine with final spicy notes like cinnamon, toasted almonds and leather.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

Grapes: 100% Malbec

ABV: 20%

Zuccardi combines forward thinking with a deeply rooted wine culture to craft wines of unique quality and identity. At the heart of this family winery is the drive to continually improve and with Sebastian Zuccardi heading up their 'Innovation and Experimentation' program, they are literally taking quality to new heights. After many months of building and many years of planning the breathtaking new winery, in Altamira in the Uco Valley, is all but complete. At 1100 metres above sea level with the Andes as it's stunning backdrop, a new chapter in the history of Zuccardi is beginning. This is one of the most exciting producers to work with. Their understanding of the soils and terroirs of the Uco Valley is reflected in their beautifully expressive wines.

A stand-out example of what high quality Bordeaux should taste like.

Plum, some bitter fruit, clove, cinnamon nose. Spicy up front and smooth, rounded fruit. Drinking well now so no need to lay down for any longer - the work has already been done so enjoy while you can!

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Montagne St Emilion

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Chateau Corbin is one of the oldest estates in St. Emilion, dating all the way back to the 15th century. More recently, bringing Chateau Corbin into the modern era, in 1924, Chateau Corbin was purchased by the Great Grandparents of the current owners, the Cruse family. The beautiful chateau was constructed in the 1800’s. During the late 1990’s, Anabelle Cruse and her sisters purchased the shares of Chateau Corbin from the other family shareholders and took over complete ownership of the estate. 

Anyway, more importantly, what does it tate like and is it worth the money? We always bleieve that one of the great things about wine is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we're pretty safe in saying that this is a stand-out example of exactly what Bordeaux is supposed to taste like. Extremely smooth and from what is now known as one of the best vintages ever, this is one for thinking up a special occasion just to open it. 

The sweet wine of Valpolicella - red nectar in a bottle.

Deliciously decadent dessert wine with rich winter red berry flavours, notes of chocolate, spiced prunes and Christmas cake. Delicious.

Country: Italy

Region: Valpolicella

ABV:12.5%

Grapes: Corvina 60%, Corvinone 15%, Rondinella 15%, others 10%.

Food Match: Chocolate based desserts or cakes or just simply with a good chunk of good quality dark chocolate.

This Port has a beautiful red gold appearance in the glass. Expressing aromas of dried cranberry, raisin and rich plum. As well as notes of cedar and christmas pudding. 

On the palate this wine is lusciously balanced with flavours of candied orange peel and plum. Followed by a lasting, spicy finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca

ABV: 19.5%

Dense, spiced nose with intense blackberry and blueberry aromatics. The ripe fruit is supported with cocoa and spiced oak notes; intense to the finish.

Grapes: Odesa Black

Country: Ukraine

Region: Odesa

Food pairing: Excellent with beef and other red meats, and also grilled vegetables and chicken. Also fabulous with 70% plus dark chocolate after a meal.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C

ABV: 13%

Villa Tinta has been a family estate winery since 1998 when the winery foundation was laid and 500 hectares of family-owned vines were planted. The winery is situated in the Bolgrad district where winemaking was the source of life centuries ago.

Abundant bubbles of medium size forming crown. Pale yellow colour with green reflections.

On the nose fresh, clean and pleasant with good aromatic intensity, mainly primary aromas of fruit and floral.

Sweet on the mouth however well balanced with the acidity.

Country: Spain

Region: Catalonia

Grapes: Vuira, Parellada, Xarello

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: Great as an aperitif or as a light accompaniment to white chocolate dessert like white chocolate cheese cake with raspberries, or just with plain white chocolate. 

This wine has an attractive shiny light ruby colour. It is both refined and very frank on the nose and palate. It opens to aromas of red fruits. Its silky tannins support the balance of a wine, such that it can be kept for some time (5 to 7 years) while remaining pleasant in its youth.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match:  Serves well as an aperitif for fresh and savoury tapas, soft-boiled eggs or roasted fish.

Maison Chanzy is a highly respected Burgundian producer, their wines are a classical demonstration of premium vineyard sites in Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.

Their range has been carefully engineered by winemaker Max Blondelle, whose primary task is to create wines that eloquently communicate their respective terroir, whilst remaining hands-off in his approach. As such, Chanzy are one of the few Burgundy producers to achieve Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3; the most highly regarded certification for agriculture in France.

Pinot noir is the heritage of Red Burgundy. The pinot noir grape was born in Burgundy and has carried the name since 1375. Pinot noir is the hereditary source to all of the great red wines from Burgundy vineyards. Pinot noir is jealously desired, but it is fragile and it requires very careful care during its vegetative period.

A fantastic stocking filler for a port and cheese lover!

White Port

Fine Ruby

LBV

6 Grapes Ruby reserve

10yo Tawny

This wine is luxuriously sweet and divinely tempting. Layers of coffee, After-Eight chocolates, black berries and prunes dominate but they are beautifully balanced with a firm structure of acid and fine grained tannins.

Country: USA

Region: Lodi

ABV: 15%

Grapes:  Mourvèdre

Food Match: It is a wonderful accompaniment to rich chocolatey desserts like chocolate mousse, brie with mango chutney, or salted caramel chocolate squares.

Deeply varietal nose of dark cherry-chocolate over crushed minerals with a leafy note. The palate is generously laden with dark plum and chocolate notes on a long, velveteen finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: Merlot

ABV: 12.5%

Food match: Baked mushroom stuffed with sundried tomato cous cous.

From Paarl vineyards grown on sandy loams, where picking early is crucial to finesse this tricky cultivar’s essential notes of blueberry, bramble and natural leafiness. An accomplished Merlot, correct yet moreish in the glass.

This dark, almost black wine has enormous concentration, resulting in very ripe seductive fruits like roasted aromas of plums, cassis and dark cherries and currant, toast, coffee and mocha. Perfectly aligned alcohol and lively acidity with an elegant smooth finesse. The sugar level is attractive and well integrated and the wine shows serious soft and ripe red wine tannin structure.

Food Match: The relatively low sugar level (compared to other Sweet Reds like Banyuls or Port) allows this wine to pair with main courses like roast beef, game, roasted duck, stews, Steak or smoked fois gras... and any kind of bitter flavours like coffee, nuts, bitter chocolate, smoky, toasty aromas...and fresh and mature cheeses...and simply by itself.

Fermentation is halted with the addition of grape alcohol retaining a natural sweetness of 70 g/l. Fermentation is controlled at 27-29ºC with indigenous yeasts used. Maceration for 30 days, both varieties are vinified together in stainless steel tanks. Not cold stabilised but undergoes a light filtration.15 months in French Oak.

 Country: Spain

Region: Montsant

Grapes: Grenache 70% Carignan 30%

ABV: 16.5%

Food Match: Black Forest Cake or 70% fine dark chocolate

Nestled in the rugged hills of the Catalan countryside, in the tiny village bearing its name, is the well-respected Celler de Capçanes. It was this wild Montsant landscape which first captivated Jürgen Wagner back in the early 90s, but the huge potential he recognised in this unique village co-operative that determined what followed. Pouring all his efforts into working with the growers to nurture the best from their vineyards and the most honest expressions of their terroir, Celler de Capçanes has established itself as one of the most engaging wineries in the area.

The rich-styled Malmsey is the most famous of the Madeira grape varietals, located today mostly in the region of São Jorge on the north of the island. The wine is matured in small oak casks, which are naturally heated for 10 years at the Blandy?s Wine Lodges in the centre of Funchal.

Country: Portugal

Region: Madeira

Grapes: Malvasia

ABV: 19%

A dark, rich, sweet style of wine.

Food Match: Chocolate Torte with vanilla Ice Cream