Here are the results of years of research! I had to eat a lot of chocolate and drink a lot of wine to write up these notes. It was a tough job, but I did it for you!

http://www.wineintro.com/food/menu/chocolate.html

What is your favorite wine to drink with chocolate? Mine is definitely chocolate, but I'm very much enjoying this Gemtree Shiraz with chocolate right now.

When pairing wine and chocolate, the wine needs to be as sweet as the chocolate or the wine will taste tart.

My favorites? A Ruby Port (such as St. Amant Vintage Port from Lodi, California) for milk chocolate. For dark chocolate I'd choose a Banylus ( a sweet wine from France).

I have to disagree with you Cheers. When you're pairing dark chocolate (high cocoa content: 72% or greater) with red wine, very dry wines can be marvellously complimented without tasting tart. The tannins and acidity in the wine are beautifully balanced by the acidity and subtle regional flavors of the chocolate.

My particular passion with chocolate/wine pairing is to work with high cocoa content, single origin, dark chocolates. My personal favorite chocolate is a Tanzanie Dark, 85% Cocoa (or Tanzanie red 77% if I can get it, which is nearly impossible) matched with Colio Estates CEV Merlot Reserve (available through www.coliowinery.com)

One of the best Tanzanian chocolates I have ever tasted is available trhough Hotel Chocolat in the UK at www.hotelchocolat.co.uk For some reason their US outlet doesn't seem to have this one available.


Another fantasic pairing is dark chocolate with crytalized ginger pieces in it (Chocolove XOXOX avialable through www.sschocolatebox.com is a great example) paired with either Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz, Or Red Knot Shiraz (Australia).

I do love shiraz with dark chocolate! I enjoy dark chocolate in general, so yes I agree that a nice rich red wine can go with it well without having to be sweet.

I do also admit a huge fondness for port though so in general I will always go for the port if presented with any excuse

LOL Bob was finishing off his Concannon red wine and just said "do you know what would go wonderfully with this?" I guessed cheese - but he wanted dark chocolate!

So apparently others agree with the dark chocolate and red wine pairing