I like chocolate, and I love wine. So when I heard that my favorite Belgium chocolate company, Neuhaus, created a wine and chocolate pairing collection just in time for the holidays, I was elated! Of course you can pair chocolate year round, but it’s particularly special around the holidays because chocolate is so comforting.
So how was this exquisite wine and chocolate series created? First, the Neuhaus Chocolatiers collaborated with wine experts to create six brand new chocolate pralines. They crafted two very distinct flights of chocolate that can pair beautifully with white and red wines. Making them a flawless companion to hand-selected varietals, each praline in the collection balances a mix of taste, texture, cocoa intensity and natural ingredients like Earl Grey tea, saffron, cardamom, and acacia honey. Then, Neauhaus partnered with New York City sommelier, Sarah Thomas, to produce a wine pairing recommendations to create the best possible flavor combinations for this collection.
A group of journalists and wine experts were invited to Corkbuzz in Chelsea Market to experience the new 24-piece collection and sample wine with Sommelier Sarah Thomas. She paired two wines with each praline –– a classic pairing and an adventurous pairing. They were all lovely. However, my favorites were the classically paired almond praline paired with the rich, buttery Morlet “Ma Douce” Chardonnay 2014 and the ganache and Earl Grey tea-enriched praline paired with Ceritas “Elliot Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2014. This special collection of pralines have such a complex profile with multiple layers of flavor. When expertly paired with wine, they can complement one another, heightening the nuanced flavors of both.
For more than 160 years, Neuhaus has been providing perfect Belgium chocolate with non-GMO ingredients from the best regions of the world. So whether it’s for a special someone in your life or yourself, chocolate makes the perfect gift. The collection includes a booklet which walks you through the entire tasting experience and can be purchased at one of their New York City stores or online.
