Port and Chocolate Pairings for Valentine's Day, or any Day

By:  Victoria Cooksey

Quite often port and dark chocolate is recommended as a great pairing, and it is, but which chocolate goes with which port exactly?  That part is often skipped.  I've found through tasting several different chocolates with the three ports pictured that some chocolates work, and some just don't with certain ports. Sometimes it's a texture thing, sometimes the port, or the chocolate, cancels the other out, but sometimes the pairing is fantastic.  Below I will give a quick description of each of these ports, and a chocolate pairing recommendation for each one.  

Ruby ports tend to be more fruit forward in taste with notes of berries. I found this particular ruby port pictured to have flavor notes of black cherry, blueberries, cardamom, and even some concord grape flavor.

Chocolate pairing:  Equal Exchange 80% Extra Dark.  This pairing really brings out notes of plums, and figs, and a pleasant bitterness.

LBV( Late-bottled vintage) ports are from a single vintage which will have taste notes that reflect that specific vintage.  I would describe this particular port pictured as a touch sweet, subtle, fruity, and sweet cherry jam.

Chocolate pairing: Green & Blacks Organic 70% Dark Chocolate bar with this LBV.  The acidity in both the port, and the chocolate compliment each other well in this pairing.

While tawny ports are not always necessarily sweeter they tend to convey flavors associated with sweetness like butter, toffee, and caramel.  In my opinion this port pictured has mild to medium acidity, dry, some tannins, buttery, and I got a touch of barnyard as well.

Chocolate pairing: Ritter Sport Alpine Milk Chocolate 30% Bar.  Yes, I broke away from dark chocolate this time because it is both a fantastic pairing, and some people prefer milk to dark chocolate. This pairing brings out fruitiness in the port, and brings out hazelnut flavors in the chocolate, along with notes of dark honey.

Whether it's Valentine's Day, a 1st date, or you just want to add extra romance to any day port and chocolate is a win, win combo.  You just need the right combo, and now you know.  Enjoy!!

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