Just Grapes Wine Blog » Chocolate

Wine for your Halloween chocolate stash

Julianne — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:31:44 +0000

You can drink your favorite blood-red bottle with your secret stash of dark chocolate M&M’s on Halloween. At the party, just tell them all it’s the NV Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz. They’ll never guess from the looks of this dark, frothy bubbly.

Maybe you prefer something as evil as you. A swig of the 2007 Evil Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia should make you feel warm inside. Are you more open about your dark side? Just grab a bottle of 2007 Bitch Grenache. And if you’re really feeling vicious this Halloween, add the 2006 Norman “The Monster” Zinfandel from Paso Robles, California.

Or maybe subtlety is your thing, a quiet haunting, a frightening little whisper. The 2007 Urban Uco, Torrontes from Cafayete-Salta, Argentina bears a haunting photo on the label. Do you dare taste what’s inside? The 2007 Vina Borgia Garnacha from Campo de Borja, Spain, features something of an apparition as well. Those shivers might have something to do with how good the wine is, or something more…

Still not sure which wine is calling you? Taste them all for free 4-8 p.m. October 31 at Just Grapes. It’s the perfect warmup to a chilling evening. No tricks–this is all treat. Muwahahahaha!!!!!!

Basics of paring Vosges Truffles & Wine

Don Sritong — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:47:03 +0000

Jennifer Brush of Vosges Haut Chocolat & Don Sritong of Just Grapes discuss the basics of pairing chocolate & wine.

Vosges Viola Truffle & Angeline Pinot Noir

Don Sritong — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:41:12 +0000

Jen Brush of Vosges Haut Chocolat and Don Sritong of Just Grapes discuss paring the Viola Truffle and Angeline Pinot Noir.

Vosges Budapest Truffle and Donausonne Blaufrankisch

Don Sritong — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:32:18 +0000

Jen Brush of Vosges Haut Chocolat and Don Sritong of Just Grapes discuss paring the Budapest Truffle and Donaussone Blaufrankisch.

Vosges Naga Truffle with Stefano Farina Moscato d’Asti

Don Sritong — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:19:25 +0000

Jen Brush of Vosges Haut Chocolat and Don Sritong of Just Grapes discuss paring Naga Truffles with Stefano Farina Moscato d’Asti.

A very sexy couple

Julianne — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:05:17 +0000

You already know wine has a sensual quality. You swirl it in your glass. Inhale its scent deeply. Let it run over and along the edges of your tongue, pausing to let the flavors trickle forth and mellow in your mouth. It’s practically a PG-13 experience.

But have you ever licked the spice off the top of a truffle? Inhaled cacao? Plucked the candied violet off a chocolate and let it dissolve on your tongue?

The artisans at Vosges Haut Chocolat have. Last night they shared this exquisite experience with a roomful of wine and chocolate aficianados at Just Grapes to witness the marriage of two very lavish indulgences.

We learned that in some relationships, opposites attract. The effervescence and crispness of the bone-dry MV Roederer Estate Sparkling sliced right through the sweet creaminess of the Vosges Ambrosia white truffle, a perfect ying and yang on the tongue.

Other times, it helps to have a lot in common. The MV Stefano Farina Moscato, Asti, from Piedmont was fairly screaming coconut, which was also the strongest flavor in the Vosges Naga truffle under the curry.

Each is a perfect example of one of the basic tips for food and wine pairing that Just Grapes sommelier Don Sritong described at the beginning of the evening: Match or contrast textures and/or flavors.

The evening also offered an example of another basic: The ideal food and wine pairing should make the food and wine taste better. When I tried a little of the very cherry 2007 Donausonne Blaufrankisch, Hungary, at the exact same time as the Vosges Budapest truffle, as Don suggested, it was like a chocolate-covered cherry in my mouth. Only better.

Here’s to a long relationship and many happy anniversaries for these sensual wine and chocolate couples.