Halloween Chocolate Treat and Wine Pairing
Too old for trick or treating? Here a little spin on Halloween tradition and no secret stash required. Halloween chocolate and wine pairing doesn't have to be limited to candy corn or Jolly Ranchers. Why not source some gourmet chocolate treats from your local shop Rio de Ojas and make your own little wine pairing. A long time stable of the Claremont Village, you can find unique food items from Spain and Day of the Dead décor and gifts at their shop.
During our recent visit, we found four amazing must have chocolates for the Fall and Day of the Dead inspired chocolates. First up is a hand crafted Dark Chocolate Almond and Raspberry Bar from Los Muertos. Not only is this chocolate bar simply divine, but the artwork is done by Sante Fe artist Stacey Sullivan de Maldonado. She paired up with Sante Fe's local chocolatier "The Chocolate Smith", to create this decadent bar. We suggest the Raeburn Pinot Noir, which is medium-bodied with silky tannins and ripe red fruit. A great combination with dark chocolate and slightly nutty flavors. The nut brings out the rich flavors of Pinot and a hint of raspberry works well to melt the fruit flavors. Together this combo creates a salty, savory, tart berry jam and almond butter profile. This is starting to sound sinful!
Another favorite of ours is the Candied Orange Dipped in Chocolate made by brothers Jose, Manuel and Fernando. They have carried the family tradition of making chocolate dating back to their grandfather's time in Calatayud, Spain. Fresh oranges from Valencia, Spain is used for the making of this special treat. The oranges are candied and then dipped in Caro's 55% dark chocolate. Ideal for a small treat throughout the day, this is one of the best fruit and chocolate pairings. Intense fruit flavors melted with chocolate calls for a wine of equal pedigree. A sweet dessert wine is a good pairing. We opted for the naturally sweet Sauterne from Bordeaux, Chateau Suduiraut. The orange blossom perfume along with honeyed notes and full-bodied profile is a match made in heaven. This one is a burst of citrus and honey topped with the right ratio of chocolate.
You can't leave Rio de Ojas without taking a look at their selection of Chocolate Figs from Spain. They are like tiny purses of delight with the perfect amount of fig and chocolate. The newest selection is the Salted Caramel Chocolate Fig Bonbons. Sweet Mediterranean figs from Spain are filled with ganache of milk chocolate and salted caramel truffle, then dipped in a thin layer of chocolate. This sweet richness with a touch of salty-ness is a good pairing with a bold but flavorful Zinfandel. Carol Shelton's Monga Zin from Cucamonga Valley has the right amount of caramel, baking spice and firm tannins to match this perfectly crafted bonbon. Don't say we didn't warn you, this combination could be addicting.
There is also the original Dark Chocolate Fig Bonbon which contains an inner layer of Brandy-fudge inside the fig, followed by the thin layer of chocolate. The creamy fudge, dried fig flavor is a great pairing with our Chianti Classico from Pomona. The 12 month of aging in Slavonian oak tend to showcase the dried fruit characters more, along with fine oak spices. This dried fruit profile along with rich firm tannins in this Chianti Classico is a deadly match for this bonbon.
Inspired to create your own pairing? Check out our wines and purchase chocolates from Rio de Ojas. They offer local delivery and curbside pick up.