A chocolate and wine pairing party is such a fantastic way to try something new with friends and family, all while enjoying great food and drink!
Until a few weeks ago, I had never hosted a pairing party before, but it was so much fun! This will definitely not be my last.
Lindt’s Master Swiss Chocolatier’s unmatched expertise to perfectly combine the most refined intense dark chocolate and the finest ingredients into thin shapes, made for perfect melt-in-your-mouth bites during the pairing party.
Together, Lindt and J. Lohr created amazing pairings that push you to the ultimate chocolate experience. Lindt really has mastered the art of refinement with their chocolate. They even sent us a few new flavors, like coconut, caramel with sea salt, lemon and pineapple!
Pineapple! I know. I wasn’t sure about it….but it’s officially my new favorite. I thought it would be in white chocolate, but nope! And it’s insanely good.
For the tasting party, we had several bottles of wine to pair with the dark chocolates, including some of their most popular varieties and the newest – the pineapple.
And since this was my first “official” chocolate + wine tasting get together, I was really happy that Lindt sent some detailed fliers and place mats to guide us through the tastings.
My family and I had such a great time trying everything! The pairings really do bring out the flavors of both the chocolates and wine, and it seemed to be the perfect progression from light and sweet to the more robust and bittersweet.
Here’s how to do proper tasting of the pairings:
- First, taste both the chocolate and wine individually.
- Next, take another piece of chocolate and let it slowly melt in your mouth.
- When the last bit of chocolate are all that remain in your mouth, take a sip of wine. Hold the wine in your mouth, coating your palate.
- Finally, notice the complex changes in taste as the wine compliments the chocolate flavor. The pairing will intensify and elevate the taste experience.
Let’s get started with the pairings!
Lindt EXCELLENCE Chocolate and Wine Pairing
- Lindt EXCELLENCE Pineapple paired with J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay
- EXCELLENCE Pineapple bar – sweet pineapple, roasted hazelnuts,
- Chardonnay – aromas of apples, pears and lemons, well-balanced
- Combined – delightful finish of caramel and cream
- Lindt EXCELLENCE Intense Orange paired with J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling
- EXCELLENCE Intense Orange bar – sweet citrus profile and complex dark chocolate flavor
- Riesling – notes of lychee, pear and orange, bright wine
- Combined – full fruit flavors and balanced seam of refreshing acidity
- Lindt EXCELLENCE Sea Salt paired with J. Lohr Estates Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir
- EXCELLENCE Sea Salt – sharp Fleur de Sel, sweet cacao
- Pinot Noir – fresh ripe berries, touch of earth and brown sugar
- Combined – flavors of fresh cream, butter and a pleasant tanginess
- Lindt EXCELLENCE Chili paired with J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Merlot
- EXCELLENCE Chili – sweet dark chocolate perfumed with red chili
- Merlot – deep, rich fruit aromas, pomegranate, blueberry, prunes with a spicy finish
- Combined – spicy warmth that bursts onto the palate
- Lindt EXCELLENCE 70% Cocoa paired with J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon
- EXCELLENCE 70% Cocoa – rich with notes of tobacco, leather and roasted nuts
- Cabernet Sauvignon – aromas of blueberry and black plum, bouquet of chocolate and hazelnut
- Combined – perfect match in both depth and body and finish with a creaminess that coats the palate
Thoughts on the Pairings
- The overall winner/unanimous favorite was the Lindt EXCELLENCE Pineapple Chocolate paired with the J. Lohr Chardonnay. This was surprising! One, because none of us were sure how we felt about the pineapple chocolate before we tried it. Second, because Chardonnay isn’t the first choice of wine for any of us….but this was a match made in Heaven. The Chardonnay brought out everything in the chocolate, and vice versa. I can’t wait to have this pairing again!
- The second runner up from the pairing was the J. Lohr Riesling with the Lindt EXCELLENCE Orange Chocolate. Again, none of us were expecting to like the white wine pairings more than the reds, but this was a home run. The orange flavor in the chocolate made the wine taste orange-y…but not fake orange-y. Does that make sense? They were so good together! I would definitely have these together again, any time.
- We all enjoyed the red wine pairings, but none of them compared to the white wine + chocolate pairings. For a mostly red wine-loving family, this was the most interesting part of the night! I absolutely love the Cabernet and the Pinot Noir, and the Merlot + Chili chocolate gets a heartfelt honorable mention. That chili chocolate is spicy and addictive!
- We all definitely want to do another chocolate and wine pairing party! And soon!
I enjoyed all five kinds of chocolate and wine we tried, but my favorite was definitely the Chardonnay and the Pineapple chocolate (in fact, I’m having some right now as I’m writing this post!). I’ve always liked dark chocolate and orange (which I thought would be my favorite pairing), and I’m usually a red wine girl, but this wine pairing party definitely showed me that you can put dark chocolate with white wines. And now I have a new favorite! Plus, the chilled Chardonnay and dark pineapple chocolate is perfect for summer and early fall.
And now for the GIVEAWAY! My friends at Lindt generously offered to send a prize to one of you so you can try all their chocolates at home. The giveaway prize is a Lindt Chocolate Gift Box featuring an assortment of Lindt chocolates.
Gift box photo and prize are provided by Lindt Chocolate. Giveaway is open to residents of the US (excluding Alaska & Hawaii).
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Lindt Chocolate. I received compensation, wine, wine glasses, and chocolates samples.
Related Posts
26 comments
Comments are closed.
72% or darker :)
I’m a dark chocolate fan
Dark Chocolate is my absolute favorite.
I love dark chocolate, especially with sea salt & roasted almonds!
I like dark chocolate the best but have been known to never turn any kind down!
dark chocolate and GMO free
Strange, but true……I love milk chocolate. My daughter loves dark chocolate, so by default, I love the milk chocolate! No fighting over a box of chocolates.
I love dark chocolate with coconut!
Probably dark chocolate, especially if it has pomegranate bits or sea salt!
Dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt.
I love dark chocolate of any variety! That Lindt EXCELLENCE Pineapple sounds incredible!!
I love dark chocolate especially with mint
I love dark chocolate with almonds!
i lean towards dark chocolate. the pineapple sounds really good so i will be looking for that in the store.
The darker, the better for me!
Yay, chocolate! I like dark chocolate with peppermint best, but practically any chocolate will do in a pinch, Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
My favorite is Lindt EXCELLENCE Sea Salt. I love it!
I love dark chocolate
I like Dark Chocolate With Caramel and Sea Salt!
My favorite is Lindt dark chocolate with orange peels
Now that’s the kind of party that I’d love to attend!
Dark chocolate, and White chocolate mostly. But do try other kind of favors.
My favorite chocolate is E: All of the above!
(except bittersweet. Too rich for my tastes)
I prefer milk chocolate over dark, and if you add some caramel, I am great.
The darker the better.
I love dark chocolate with sea salt on it. It satisfies both my sweet and savory sides at once!