Wine with savory chocolate dishes

[jende]

This thread http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=98856&st=0 in the Cooking forum got me thinking about pairing wine with chocolate.

I know it's difficult and Port is usually suggested with chocolate desserts, but there must be pairings that work with savory dishes that contain some form of chocolate.

Thoughts?

[Rebel Rose]

I think it will also depend on what the "savory" ingredients are. Although I am as willing as anyone to indulge in port and chocolate on rare occasions, I generally steer away from pairing ports, California port-styles and late harvest with sweet desserts, as it's a sugar-sugar overload for me.

I like to pair Cali-ports and late harvest reds with nuts and savory cheeses, and conversely I would select a California syrah with soft tannins or a zinfandel with some slight RS to pair with a savory/chocolate dish. (Modern California syrahs have more of a sweet blueberry profile and less smoky character than CdP reds, which in my view isn't generally a good thing--except with chocolate!) Syrahs also exhibit a roast beef/bacon character that pairs well with savory elements.

[JohnL]

This thread http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=98856&st=0 in the Cooking forum got me thinking about pairing wine with chocolate.

I know it's difficult and Port is usually suggested with chocolate desserts, but there must be pairings that work with savory dishes that contain some form of chocolate.

Thoughts?

←

Most savory dishes use chocolate like a spice.

As such, chocolate often adds a bitterness element as well as a richness.

pairing a wine IMOP requires knowledge of each dish--the protein, the other ingredients and the cooking technique. How much the chocolate flavor is present in the taste of the dish is important--often it is very subtle.

I just believe there are no easy answers or generalizations here as there are with chocolate used in deserts for eg.