What to drink with chocolate ?

Chocolate is an irresistible treat that can pair beautifully with carefully selected wines. Whether you’re enjoying intense dark chocolate, creamy milk chocolate, or sophisticated chocolate desserts, there are wines that will enhance the rich and complex flavors of chocolate. Discover our selection of wines perfectly suited to accompany all your chocolate moments!

With dark chocolate, fortified wines hold their own: they combine the grapes' natural sugar with a higher alcohol level than a dry wine, so the bitterness of cocoa does not flatten them.

Fortified Wines: When Added Alcohol Keeps the Grape's Sugar

Fortifying, called mutage in French, means adding grape-based alcohol to grape must before or during fermentation: the yeasts stop and part of the grape sugar stays in the wine. EU rules class these wines as liqueur wines, with an actual alcohol level of 15 to 22%.

For the vins doux naturels of Roussillon, such as Maury or Banyuls, the alcohol is added during fermentation. Pineau des Charentes is made from grape must blended with Cognac.

Their sugar and warmth answer the bitterness of dark chocolate and stand up to the richest desserts. Serve them slightly chilled so the alcohol feels less prominent. For pairings by type of chocolate, dark, milk or white, see our article what wine to drink with chocolate.

What wine goes with dark chocolate?

Dark chocolate, with its powerful aromas and slight bitterness, pairs perfectly with robust and generous red wines. Opt for a full-bodied red wine with well-structured tannins, such as a Banyuls, Maury, or Port. These fortified wines, with their notes of red and black fruits, harmonize beautifully with cocoa and highlight the intense flavors of high-percentage dark chocolate.

For a more original pairing, you can also try a red wine from the Rhône Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon, whose rounded tannins and spicy notes complement the bitter and bold nuances of dark chocolate.

What wine goes with milk chocolate?

Milk chocolate, softer and sweeter, calls for smoother and fruitier wines. Sweet natural wines like Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise or Rivesaltes provide the perfect balance with their notes of candied fruits, honey, and citrus, counterbalancing the creamy sweetness of milk chocolate. You can also opt for a sweet white wine like Sauternes or Monbazillac, which adds a touch of freshness and elegance to chocolate desserts.

What wine goes with chocolate desserts?

For chocolate desserts like white chocolate mousse with raspberries, choose sparkling wines like a demi-sec Champagne or a Crémant. The bubbles bring a sense of lightness that contrasts beautifully with the rich flavors of chocolate.

From powerful red wines to sweet natural wines and sparkling wines, discover our best cuvées to pair with chocolate. Whether you're a fan of intense dark chocolate or indulgent desserts, enjoy our wines, delivered straight from the estate or château of your choice, at the best value for money.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wine and Chocolate

What wine goes with orange chocolate?

With orange chocolate, serve a fortified Muscat such as Muscat de Rivesaltes or Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. Its citrus and floral aromas echo the dessert, and its sweetness matches the chocolate's.

What wine goes with praline chocolate or a caramel dessert?

With praline chocolate or a caramel dessert, choose a fortified wine aged in contact with air, such as a Maury tuilé or a Rivesaltes ambré. This aging gives them notes of walnut, coffee and dried fruit that answer the toasted hazelnut and caramel.

What wine goes with a chocolate and red fruit dessert?

With a chocolate and red fruit dessert such as Black Forest cake, serve a young fortified red labeled grenat or rimage. Aged away from air, it keeps red and black fruit aromas that echo the cake, with enough sweetness for the cream.

Where can you buy wine for chocolate direct from the winemaker?

You can buy wine for chocolate direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each wine's page names the producer who made it.

See also: White wines and desserts - Wines and desserts - Sweet white wines