The lamb is done, the family is full, and now someone has produced the Easter eggs. Possibly a large collection of them. Whether you’re a dark chocolate devotee, a milk chocolate traditionalist, or a white chocolate enthusiast (bit weird, but ok), there’s a wine in our range that will make the whole experience even better. The key rule with chocolate and wine: the wine should always be at least as sweet as the chocolate, otherwise it will taste thin and bitter. With that in mind, here are our suggestions.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is the easiest to pair with wine because its bitterness and intensity can hold up to bigger, more complex bottles. The classic match is a rich red with some fruit sweetness and enough body to stand alongside the chocolate’s depth. Amarone is the textbook answer, but since we don’t stock that, we’d point you towards the Brunello from Il Colle di Carli or a Langhe Rosso from Cagliero. Brunello is intensely concentrated with dried fruit and earthy notes that echo the complexity of dark chocolate beautifully. It’s a luxurious pairing for a luxurious chocolate. The version of Langhe Rosso made by Stefano Cagliero in the Ripasso style with a second fermentation on the skins from his Barolo production (the technique is better known in Valpolicella wines utilising Amarone skins).
If you’d prefer something a touch lighter (but just a touch), the Ravera Barolo from Cagliero also works well; its floral, tar and cherry notes play nicely against a good quality dark chocolate, especially anything with a high cocoa percentage.
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate is sweeter and creamier, which means dry reds will clash rather than complement. This is where you want something with a little residual sweetness of its own, or at least a wine with enough fruit-forward character to match the chocolate’s softer profile.
Our top recommendation here is also from Cagliero: Moscato d’Asti. A gently sparkling, low in alcohol wine with a beautiful natural sweetness and notes of peach and apricot blossom. It’s an absolute dream with milk chocolate and makes for a very festive Easter afternoon. It’s also excellent value.
If you’d like something with a bit more richness, the 2016 Demi-Sec Vouvray from Domaine de La Fontainerie is a wonderful option. This off-dry Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley has honeyed stone fruit flavours with lovely acidity that stops it feeling heavy. It's a beautiful companion to the creaminess of milk chocolate.
White chocolate
White chocolate is the sweetest and most delicate of the three, with a rich, buttery creaminess and notes of vanilla. You need a wine that matches that sweetness without overwhelming it, and ideally one with enough aromatic lift to cut through the richness.
The 2015 “Cuvée Caroline” Vendange Tardive from Kuentz-Bas is our standout pick here. Vendange Tardive means “late harvest”. The grapes are left on the vine to develop extra sugar and concentration, producing a wine with luscious stone fruit, honey and spice. It’s glorious alongside white chocolate and has enough acidity to keep you coming back for more.
For something a little different and very festive, the Godin et Filles NV Rosé Champagne also pairs surprisingly well with white chocolate. The bubbles and fresh red fruit character of the rosé provide a lovely contrast to the vanilla richness, and it looks gorgeous in the glass.
As always, these are suggestions rather than rules. Half the fun of Easter is experimenting. If you find your own perfect pairing, we’d love to hear about it. Happy Easter!