Together at Last: 6 Perfect Wine and Chocolate Pairings
Chopped host Ted Allen plays matchmaker.
By Katie Arnold-Ratliff
![Inniskillin Vidal Icewine and Garrison Confections Stone Fruit Crumble Truffle Inniskillin Vidal Icewine and Garrison Confections Stone Fruit Crumble Truffle](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-101-350x263.jpg)
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
The Power Couple
They might seem like the ideal Valentine's Day couple, but wine and chocolate don't always click: A sweet bite of one can make a sip of the other taste bitter, and tannins in wine can drown out chocolate's nuances. With a little know-how, though, you can create a more perfect union, says Ted Allen, host of the Food Network's Chopped. Here, we asked Allen to play matchmaker.
Above: Inniskillin Vidal Icewine ($55) + Garrison Confections Stone Fruit Crumble Truffle ($12 for an assortment of six)
"A fruit-based chocolate makes a good match with a dessert wine. These truffles' pear, peach, and apricot flavors—with graham cracker crumble and enrobed in dark chocolate—enhance the wine's stone fruit and honey aromas."
Above: Inniskillin Vidal Icewine ($55) + Garrison Confections Stone Fruit Crumble Truffle ($12 for an assortment of six)
"A fruit-based chocolate makes a good match with a dessert wine. These truffles' pear, peach, and apricot flavors—with graham cracker crumble and enrobed in dark chocolate—enhance the wine's stone fruit and honey aromas."
![Hogue Riesling and Max Brenner Yin and Yang Favorites Hogue Riesling and Max Brenner Yin and Yang Favorites](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-102-350x263.jpg)
Marko Metzinger/Studio D
Hogue Riesling ($9) + Max Brenner Yin and Yang Favorites (pralines coated in white chocolate, $13)
"Since it's sweeter than dark or milk chocolate and tastes of honey and vanilla, white chocolate balances the tartness of the Riesling's tangerine notes."
![Robert Mondavi Meritage and Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate Squares Robert Mondavi Meritage and Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate Squares](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-103-350x263.jpg)
Marko Metzinger/Studio D
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage ($9) + Ghirardelli's 60% Intense Dark Chocolate Squares ($3.50 for 12)
"This Bordeaux blend is high in acidity, so it needs a robust chocolate with high cacao content to stand up to the wine's dryness and bring out its berry flavors."
![Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rose Sauvage and Godiva Truffle Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rose Sauvage and Godiva Truffle](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-104-350x263.jpg)
Marko Metzinger/Studio D
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rosé Sauvage ($50) + Godiva Truffle ($16.50 for eight-piece assortment)
"A rosé Champagne gets its color from crushed black grape skins, which add a bit of sharp tannin to the bubbly. These truffles are rich and decadent enough to equalize those acids."
![Estancia Pinot Noir and Brix Medium Dark Chocolate Estancia Pinot Noir and Brix Medium Dark Chocolate](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-105-350x263.jpg)
Marko Metzinger/Studio D
Estancia Pinot Noir ($16) + Brix Medium Dark Chocolate ($39 for three 8-ounce bars)
"Brix crafts chocolate specifically to pair with wine. The medium-dark bar is the most versatile, complementing anything from a medium-bodied Merlot to a deep Pinot like Estancia's, which is full of blueberry and cherry notes."
![Ruffino Chianti Classico and Vosges Rooster Truffle Ruffino Chianti Classico and Vosges Rooster Truffle](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201002/omag/201002-omag-wine-chocolate-pairing-106-350x263.jpg)
Marko Metzinger/Studio D
Ruffino Chianti Classico, Riserva Ducale ($24) + Vosges Rooster Truffle ($37)
"The Vosges blend of Taleggio cheese, walnuts, Tahitian vanilla, and bittersweet dark chocolate is absolutely out of this world. The dark, full-bodied flavors in the Chianti play off the Taleggio, which is strong in aroma but mild and fruity on the tongue."
Fifteen Terrific Wines $15 and Under
![Strong Arms 2006 Shiraz](https://images.oprah.com/omagazine/200809/images/200809_omag_shop_wine_120x90.jpg)
From the February 2010 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine