How do you pair wine and chocolate? Do the wines change with different types of chocolate, say milk chocolate versus dark chocolate? How is the 2019 harvest going in BC, Ontario and Nova Scotia? What can we expect as consumers in terms of style, quality, and price? How have the wildfires affected the California harvest of 2017, especially since those red wines are now hitting liquor store shelves?

That's exactly what I'm talking about in today's edition of Unreserved Wine Talk. I’m also hosting my first live wine class for the 5 Wine & Food Pairing Mistakes that Can Ruin Your Dinner (and how to fix them forever). This free class is also when I’ll share details about my new, in-depth paid course called The Wine Smart Course (catchy right?) A Full-Bodied Framework to Taste, Pair & Buy Wine Like a Pro. You’ll know when you can join me on the free class if you get my wine newsletter. Enjoy!

 

Highlights

• Should you even try to pair wine and chocolate?
• Won't the sweetness of the chocolate make the wine taste bitter?
• Why are fortified wines the best partners for chocolate?
• How do their sweetness and higher alcohol content match the flavours of chocolate?
• Why does port, in particular, go well with chocolate?
• Why is milk chocolate harder to pair with wine than dark chocolate?
• Which wines pair best with white chocolate?
• What about desserts with just a touch of chocolate, like strawberries dipped in chocolate?
• What critical factors affected the 2019 harvest in BC, Ontario and NS?
• Did Hurricane Dorian have an impact on the harvest?
• Which wines and grapes will do well this year, and which won't?
• How does a wet, cold spring impact the style of wines?
• Why is 2019 proving to be a challenging harvest for winemakers across the country?
• How did the 2017 wildfires affect Californian wines?
• What can you expect in terms of taste and style for the reds now hitting liquor store shelves?

 

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.