The Wine Lover’s Chocolate Collection is a distinctive and elegant offering from the San Francisco Chocolate Factory. Discs of dark chocolate with increasingly rich cocoa intensities are packaged in six signature Wine Country tins; each tin is also labeled with the wine varietal to which that specific chocolate is ideally matched. Our dark chocolates are produced with high quality criollo cocoa pods from Ecuador and Venezuela, and this quality is evident in the deep, rich, smooth taste of our Wine Lover’s Chocolates.

At the lighter end of the Wine Lover’s Collection spectrum are chocolate discs comprised of 54% cocoa solids, and paired with Port wine. At the more intense end are the 72% dark chocolate discs, for which the suggested pairing is Zinfandel. Other classic California red wine varietals—Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah—are represented in the Wine Lover’s Collection as well. (Bottles of red wine are not included in the Wine Lover’s Collection; we trust that our customers prefer to select their own wines!)

The natural affinity between dark chocolate and red wine is no secret: restaurants often suggest pairing an after-dinner wine with chocolate desserts, and many desserts themselves incorporate both chocolate and flavors that are often found in red wine, such as berry, mint or coffee. Indeed, many red wines are described as being “chocolatey” or having cocoa flavors that surface during a thoughtful tasting.

The San Francisco Chocolate Factory takes this common pairing one step further, by creating a way for people to experience the subtleties of wine and chocolate—and the delicious union of both—without a lot of pretension or expense. The pairing suggestions noted in the Wine Lover’s Chocolate Collection packaging came out of both a formal knowledge of wine as well as informal tastings. Chocolate is similar to wine in that both are made from a fruit—cocoa pods or grapes—that takes on the characteristics of the soil and climate in which it is grown. Chocolate is also similar to wine in that it can vary dramatically in intensity depending on how it is produced and blended, and a rich, dark chocolate will naturally be more suited to a deep, red wine.

The San Francisco Chocolate Factory gathered together wine experts as well as novices (though everyone at the table considered themselves a chocolate aficionado!), and carefully tasted many different chocolates and wine varietals. The pairing suggestions that appear in the Wine Lover’s Collection are the result of that session. As with any kind of food and wine preference, the pairings are purely subjective; a person might prefer the 56% chocolate discs with a buttery Chardonnay, and another might think that that the 61% chocolate is smashing with a fruity Grenache. Or they may like our chocolates best with a 30-year-old Scotch or a glass of milk! Our main priority is making our customers happy…and incorporating a bit of fun and wonder into our delicious products.

Chocolate and Wine: A Luxurious, and Healthy, Marriage!

The news that scientists have uncovered a variety of health benefits associated with dark chocolate has been very enthusiastically received by chocolate lovers everywhere…understandable, given our incredible consumption of the confection! The health benefits of red wine consumption have long been known, knowledge that was recently revived by the television program, “60 Minutes”, which featured a segment entitled “The French Paradox” in 1991 and four years later with further evidence of the benefits of red wine. Now, it’s time for chocolate to step into the health spotlight.

Two studies published recently suggest that dark chocolate may offer health benefits such as lowered blood pressure and higher levels of antioxidants, which help fight disease and the effects of aging. We’ve known for a long time that cocoa beans contain chemicals called flavonoids, which are found in many other fruits, vegetables, green tea and red wine. Studies have suggested that flavonoids raise levels of HDL cholesterol (the so-called “good” cholesterol) and can act as potent antioxidants, protecting cells from free-radical damage, which can contribute to aging, heart disease and certain cancers.

So chocolate’s flavonoids, along with serotonin (an anti-depressant), phenylethylamine (a mood elevator), theobromine (a muscle stimulant), caffeine (a stimulant), vitamins A, B1, C, D and E, fluorine, iron, and potassium can actually be good for you! As with wine, however, moderation is important and excessive consumption of either wine or chocolate is not encouraged. Be a responsible drinker, and a responsible chocolate lover!

For more information about the ancient and modern health benefits of chocolate (and a wonderful recipe for Janet’s Chocolate Medicinal Mousse Pie) please visit http://www.sciencenews.org/20000603/food.asp