Generally, Sherry might not quite resonate well with the idea of being paired with chocolate at first sight. But we are pretty sure that people with an immense love for wine are open to experimenting with this baby and might be just surprised with the end results. The consumers who appreciate and love this wine understand just how delightful it really is and how beautifully the wine pairs with a legion of recipes.
Manzanilla
Manzanilla Sherry is pretty similar to a Fino style Sherry but paler in color. It is dry, very light bodied and crisp on the tongue.
You should serve it chilled and it goes perfectly well as an aperitif.
- This Sherry type blends well with a smokey dark chocolate.
- When it comes to dense, dark chocolates with intense flavors, you need to choose a full-bodied wine. And nothing better than Manzanilla fits the bill.
Fino
Fino can be a great companion to dark chocolate.
- Dark chocolate gives off a rather bitter taste. It will take over your taste buds, especially considering the high amount of cacao in it.
- To balance the bittersweet chocolate taste, Fino with its aromatic nuts and, or almonds can do wonders.
- Sip it really slowly, if you want to enjoy this pairing.
- You could even try drinking Fino Sherry with your favorite dark coffee.
Amontillado
Amontillado is in between Oloroso and Fino Sherry in terms of color and body and is off-dry. It has a nuttier attribute due to the loss of Flor during the aging process.
This also makes a wonderful aperitif and can be a great companion to milk or a dark milk chocolate peppered with hazelnuts, almonds, and/or sea salt.
This is an easier chocolate to pair with wine.
- Milk chocolate lovers know that a great truffle includes half chocolate, half cream.
- Keeping this mind, it is quintessential that you pair up the smooth and creamy mousse with a light-bodied wine and Amontillado Sherry does an incredible job in that.
Palo Cortao
Palo Cortado is a more rare type of Sherry that starts its life as a Fino and progresses into an Amontillado where the yeast dies off naturally.
This Sherry is dry with a brick-like color and has an intense flavor and aroma. Fine and elegant with citrus peel, this complex Sherry has roasted nuts and tangy-salty notes.
This one needs a chocolate low on sweetness.
- Essentially, a high percentage of dark chocolate with complementary notes of fruits and nuts goes well.
- Florentines or dark chocolate-covered gingers or apricots would be a brilliant choice too.
Oloroso
Oloroso Sherry has a fairly nutty and toasted taste, which makes for one of the most gratifying wine and chocolate pairings ever.
Oloroso does not have a layer of Flor (yeast), as they are fortified earlier on. This full oxidative aging means these dry wines are richer and denser bodied and are dark in color.
- Chocolates with a caramel center, nougatine, pecan praline, or marzipan would work really well.
- Sweet and salty demands a wine that will either be congruent or complementary. So it is substantial that you choose a wine that goes well with caramel.
Cream
Cream Sherry is Oloroso or Amontillado that is sweetened with PX grapes. It is dark in color and is smooth and crisp and works great as a dessert Sherry.
- It is a wonderful companion for caramel chocolates, salted chocolates, or peanut butter cups.
- Cream Sherry’s sweetening tinge totally balances with the salt in these chocolates and would go equally well with simple chocolate-covered raisins or coffee beans.
Pedro Ximénez
Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherries are made from the class of the same name, where the grapes are sun-dried and raisinated.
It is very sweet almost syrup-like nectar that is frequently described as Christmas pudding in a bottle. Its flavor has caramel undertones with date, fig, and molasses aromas.
- Due to the sweetness of PX, it is best when you pair it with dark chocolate with a really high content of cacao in it.
- This bittersweet medley would make a wonderful finish to a meal.
Moscatel
Made in a similar way to PX, from the Moscatel de Alejandria grape, Moscatel Sherry does not come off as sweet.
This rare Sherry is incredibly thick and is pretty dark in color.
- Moscatel Sherry has notes of honey, grapes, marmalade, and flowers and you can pair with chocolate-covered citrus peels or simply dark chocolate.
- Where there is sweetness, we like to flirt around with some dark chocolate and bask in the glory of this concoction.
Wine and chocolate are the two most incredible blessings and we just cannot imagine our life without them.
Pairing them up is only a matter of time and courage. We did it and will do it again because it is simply delicious and we just can’t get over it!
This article was originally published on 18th december 2018.
