In 2021 our food and wine expert Fred Schilling said: ‘The essence of matching food and wine has a lot to do with ensuring that the food is less sweet than the chosen wine. If tannins (think of the mouth puckering dryness of unsugared black tea) are prominent in the wine then avoid a tannic chocolate and vice versa.'
Charley’s Chocolate dark chocolates are not high in bitterness nor tannins like many off the shelf commercial chocolates. They are also finer and less harshly flavoured... ‘
In February 2022 our expert taster Mervyn has updated his 2021 reviews to include eight more of Charley’s Chocolate range, with suggested wines.
- Mt Edna Dark and Yalumba Galway Pipe Grand Tawny
The chocolate: an elevated minty aroma marks this out as Mt Edna. Superb, refined authentic chocolate.
Suggested wine partner
Yalumba Galway Pipe Grand Tawny 750ml ($31 Dan Murphy’s).
This beautifully relaxed mature fortified with its nutty caramel and toffee accents complements the mild minty Mt Edna.
2. Crocodile Mountain Dark and 2012 Cockburn Quinta Dos Canais Vintage Port
The chocolate: Not as aromatic as Mt Edna. A sumptuously rich, firmly textured chocolate. No bitterness.
Suggested wine partner
2012 Cockburn Quinta Dos Canais Vintage Port 750 ml ($62 Dan Murphy’s)
This bold chocolate demands a bold wine and it meets it match with this Vintage Port. The port is powered by intense rich blueberry and dark chocolate flavours, with leathery oak and a heady alcohol and elegant acid finish
3. Tropical Crunch and 2018 De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
The chocolate: Voluptuous Mt Edna chocolate contrasts with the crunchy goodness of locally grown fruit and nuts.
Suggested wine partner
2018 De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon 375 ml ($13 Dan Murphy’s)
The sweet lemony/pineapple flavour of this unctuous botrytised Semillon accentuates the nutty tropical flavours of Tropical Crunch.
4. Lemon Myrtle AND Brown Brothers Orange Muscat and Flora
The chocolate: Elevated minty aroma, then a prune, coconut and creamy palate, contrasted with a gritty texture and a subtle rosemary and lemon peel tang.
Suggested wine partner
Brown Brothers Orange Muscat and Flora 375ml ($10 Dan Murphy’s)
This is highly aromatic wine with its gentle mandarin skin nose, luscious citrus palate and fine acid finish, which complements the lemon peel tang of Lemon Myrtle.
5.Tropical pineapple and a Ruth’s favourite sauternes
The chocolate: Minty/coconutty Mt Edna chocolate enhanced by the chewy sweetness of tangy Queensland pineapple, Another great blend!
Suggested wine partner
A quality French sauternes with its luscious mango and pineapple flavours would be a good match. Yalumba Galway Pipe Grand Tawny (see Mt Edna above) is another fine match.
6. Naked Ginger
The chocolate: Powerful, intense earthy chocolate contrasts with the roasted root vegetable texture of ginger, with its slight chilli heat finish. Wonderful distinctive chocolate and a great blend!
Suggested wine partner
Avoid wine with this chocolate. The chilli heat of the ginger overpowers the subtle flavours of wine.
The chocolate: Powerful, profound lush chocolate flows like lava over the palate, earthy prune aromas accentuated by the rum and then finishing with a burst of chewy sweet raisins.
Suggested wine partner
This is a rich and profound chocolate complete by itself. It doesn’t need the embellishment of wine.
The chocolate: Medium brown. A harmonious blend of rich velvety chocolate and creamy macadamias with a grapey chewy sweetness.
Suggested wine partner
As with the Rum and raisin above, this flavour profile is difficult to match with wine.
Comments are welcome to marketing@charleys.com.au