Chocolate Bottles

Perfect pairs

February 14, 2007 - as published in the Naperville Sun and Beacon News

By Bill Garlough

Now that family gatherings are more in December, we look back at a more intimate and romantic - Valentine's Day. This month I will pair with chocolate port wine. While other wines are also enjoyed chocolate, ports have a fascinating past and gaining in popularity.

History

Due to historical conflicts between France and Britain, French wines have been banned at one time by the King of England. Portugal and Spain were only too happy to fill that void with their wine.

The Portuguese added a spirit of their wine to help stabilize their product during transport. Thus, "fortified" wines have emerged. To improve the quality of Portuguese wines, English traveled to Portugal and has worked with local growers. They discovered that the monks in the Douro Valley were adding to their brandy wine early in the process of fermentation. This has created a softer product with a higher content of alcohol. British merchants quickly set up warehouses in the city of Porto on the Atlantic coast. This explains the port name and why they have English names, such as Dow, Warre and Graham.

Types

Today, there are four basic categories of port: Ruby, Tawny, White and vintage.

Ruby ports are generally made from lower quality wine and aged in barrels for two years. The wine is young, sweet and has a dark red color. Vintage bottle late ports are of higher quality that comes from a single vintage, are the barrel until the age of six years and are filtered. These LBVs are generally served in restaurants, because there is no sediment.

are named for their tawny amber color, a byproduct of aging in barrels. Tawny are better, tend to be lighter, more complex and nutty notes and caramel. Tawny from a single harvest that are barrel aged for at least seven years are called Colheitas. They are preferred by some on vintage port.

White ports are produced from white grapes.

To be declared Porto wine is one year and must pass a rigorous assessment of the Port Wine Institute of Portugal. Vintage ports are aged in barrels for two years, are not filtered and can not be bottle aged for decades. If 50 percent or more of wearing a culture meets the Institute, and the year is declared vintage year.

Pairings

The couple classic port wine is Stilton blue cheese and walnuts. This may be particularly attractive in front of the fireplace after a good meal.

Chocolate is popular all year round and is given as an expression of love in February. In my restaurant business, we offer ruby port with flourless chocolate cake dark chocolate mousse piped into chocolate dessert cups garnished with a fresh raspberry and chocolate brownies served with a raspberry coulis. We recommend ruby ports because they are more affordable to the general public in terms of sweetness and flavor offers more fruit. Tawny is considered the classical couple with chocolate and are equally enjoyable.

A recent trend by wineries is the addition of chocolate port wine. This changes the character of the wine and offer a richer experience. The samples are Desiree and Rosenblum's Trentadue Chocolate Amore Port. They are a delightful pairing with your favorite chocolate dessert. Mark Dryden of Cabernet & Co. in Naperville suggests adding a touch of chocolate raspberry wine wearing a delicious combination.

Bill's Picks

Here is a list of recommended ports that are available locally. Prices are suggested retail and may vary.

Good port of introduction: Dow's Fine Ruby Porto of Portugal, $ 13

port classic dar.