Easter selection

With Easter chocolate, what is inside matters more than the shape. Choose the wine first by the type of chocolate (dark, milk or white), then by the filling: praline, ganache, liqueur or fruit. Sweet wines, whether fortified sweet wines or sweet whites, give you the most options.

Easter Chocolate Selection: Wines & Gourmet Pairings

Easter is the perfect time to enjoy chocolate in all its forms: intense dark, melting milk, or indulgent white. But did you know that certain wines can enhance these treats even more? Discover our selection of wines that pair perfectly with your Easter chocolate and make your tastings unforgettable!

Dark Chocolate: Power and Intensity

Dark chocolate, rich in cocoa and bitterness, pairs well with tannic and structured wines that balance its power.

Our wine suggestions:

• Maury or Banyuls (Languedoc-Roussillon) – These natural sweet wines, made from Grenache, offer notes of black fruits and cocoa that echo the intensity of dark chocolate.
• Madiran (Southwest) – With its powerful Tannat, it creates a robust and structured pairing.
• Amarone della Valpolicella (Italy) – For an Italian touch, its aromas of candied fruits and spices enhance dark chocolate.

Milk Chocolate: Sweetness and Roundness

Sweeter and creamier, milk chocolate pairs beautifully with indulgent and fruity wines.

Our wine suggestions:

• Côtes-du-Rhône red (Rhône Valley) – A Grenache-Syrah with aromas of red fruits and spices, perfect to balance the milky side.
• Pinot Noir from Alsace or Burgundy – Light and fruity, it complements the sweetness of chocolate without overpowering it.
• Porto Tawny – With its notes of caramel and dried fruits, it pairs wonderfully with the creamy texture of milk chocolate.

White Chocolate: Finesse and Indulgence

Very sweet and buttery, white chocolate requires wines with fruity and tangy notes to provide balance.

Our wine suggestions:

• Sweet Jurançon (Southwest) – Its Petit Manseng brings beautiful freshness with citrus and exotic fruit notes.
• Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) – With aromas of lychee and honey, it enhances the sweetness of white chocolate.
• Moscato d'Asti (Italy) – A slightly sparkling and floral wine that adds lightness and freshness to this indulgence.

For a festive Easter egg hunt, consider our selection of sweet and fruity wines!

Whether you prefer intense dark chocolate, melting milk chocolate, or creamy white chocolate, find the perfect wine for a successful Easter tasting. Explore our selection and indulge in these gourmet pairings!

Hollow or Filled Chocolate: What the Filling Changes

Eggs, bunnies, hens or bells: most Easter molds are hollow, so only the type of chocolate matters. With dark chocolate, a red fortified sweet wine (vin doux naturel) such as Banyuls or Rivesaltes Grenat brings red and black fruit notes. Both appellations are reserved for vins doux naturels, with at least 45 grams of sugar per liter.

With a white chocolate bunny, a sweet white works better: a Jurançon, which has over 40 grams of sugar per liter unless labeled "sec," or a Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives. With a milk chocolate bunny, a sweet white is another option. Cadillac, a Bordeaux-area dessert wine, has at least 51 grams of sugar per liter, above the 45-gram line that defines a "sweet" wine under EU rules. Save it for white chocolate.

In a filled egg, a chocolate fish or a bonbon, the filling takes over. Praline and ganache call for an ambré or tuilé vin doux naturel aged in contact with air, for at least 24 months in Rivesaltes, which brings out candied fruit and spice aromas. Liqueur or cherry fillings lean toward a young red vin doux naturel.

Liqueur Chocolates, Cherry Cordials, Mixed Boxes: Our Answers

What wine goes with Easter chocolate fish?

With Easter chocolate fish, the small fish and shells often filled with praline, an amber vin doux naturel (ambré) picks up the hazelnut. Its candied fruit and honey aromas suit milk and dark pieces alike. If the fish are mostly white chocolate, a Jurançon takes over.

What wine goes with liqueur chocolates or cherry cordials?

With liqueur chocolates or cherry cordials, a young red vin doux naturel such as Banyuls Rimage echoes the cherry. Its official rules describe aromas of fresh red fruit, cherry and kirsch. A Rivesaltes Grenat, made only from Grenache Noir, works too.

Which wine works with a whole assortment of Easter chocolates?

For a whole assortment of Easter chocolates, dark, milk and white, a tawny vin doux naturel (tuilé) covers the most ground. Made partly from Grenache Noir and aged in contact with air, it blends red fruit with candied fruit. Taste the chocolates from lightest to darkest.

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

You can buy wine for Easter chocolate direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. The wine comes to you directly from the producer who made it.

See also: Wines and desserts - Sweet wines - Sparkling and desserts