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In my tenure pouring wine at events and in tasting rooms, I’ve heard much ado made about wine and chocolate pairings. Nothing was more frustrating for me than to pour a luscious Cabernet Sauvignon (perfectly delightful on its own), only to be met with exclamations of “Oh do you sell any chocolates? This would be so much better with a good dark chocolate!”

You could call me a wine and chocolate skeptic. Nearly all of my wine and chocolate pairing efforts have been less than successful, although a particularly tasty bottle of Rutherford Bench Cabernet Sauvignon from Moondance Cellars was delightful with dark chocolate, last time I checked. However, more often than not, I want my $65 bottle of wine to be savored with close friends and no other distractions. I don’t need a shiny chocolate bar to enjoy a glass (or two) of wine.

However, I suspect I’m missing out on something. After all, you wouldn’t hear so much hype about wine with chocolate unless there was a certain element of magnificence in their pairing, right?

Enter Petits Noirs, a boutique chocolatier located right here in the Walla Walla Valley that specializes in creating unique chocolates inspired by the many complex flavors of local wines. They’ve taken much of the trial and error out of wine and chocolate pairing (thank you!) Visit their online boutique to see some of their amazing creations and pairing suggestions.  If you live in Oregon, you can also order online.

Tina Caputo has documented the wine and chocolate dilemma it in her recent article, Pairing Wine & Chocolate: The Agony and the Ecstasy.  She recommends taking wine and chocolate on a “blind date.” Select 5 wines, 5 chocolates, and 5 friends (this is one blind date where your friends ARE invited), then let the mix-and-matching begin – you might even discover a perfect match.

Where are you at in your wine and chocolate journey?

Superbowl Sunday is one of the greatest things about the New Year, a day that is perfect for entertaining with appetizers and small bites.  Add wine to the mix and you have a classy shindig – and more room for food . . . ever notice how beer just makes you full?

For a simple yet tasty Superbowl Party my menu looks like this:

Hummus & Roasted Red Pepper dips with pita chips
Almost Famous Boneless Wings with Spicy Bar-B-Q sauce
Beef Brisket Sliders
Taco Soup

Today we are going to jump right in with the dips.

Hummus has become a more mainstream food item, but some people still don’t understand how easy it is to make.  My boyfriend, Chris, is the Hummus pro in our house.  Here is his favorite way.  The Roasted Red Pepper dip is a spin off, and delicious.

Hummus:
2 cans Garbanzo beans – drain off most of the water
1 lemon – juiced
1 TBS Tahini *
1 TBS +/- Cumin
3 TBS olive oil
3 cloves roasted garlic *
1-3 TBS of balsamic vinegar

*NOTE:  Tahini is a sesame seed spread.  It may be difficult to find – look in the peanut butter section or the natural foods section of your grocery store.  To make the roasted garlic – simply wrap in foil and drizzle with a little olive oil then put in the oven at 325° for 20-30 minutes .

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until it’s smooth and creamy.  Some people like it a little thicker so it’s more of a spread, but if you add a little extra olive oil, it makes it velvety and scrumptious.  Place in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let the flavors fuse.  P.S.  If you have leftovers – it’s great on a sandwich.

Roasted Red Pepper dip:
1 Jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained
1 cup pecans (toast them for more flavor)
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
3 TBS molasses
1 lemon – juiced
3 TBS olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Place pecans and bread crumbs in a blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Remove from the blender.  Add the red peppers, molasses, lemon juice, cumin and paprika and blend until smooth.  Add the pecans and bread crumbs back in and blend again.  Finally add the olive oil in a thin stream while blender/processor is on a low speed.

Serve dips alongside a variety of crackers, pita or even tortilla chips.  They also go great with a sliced baguette or warmed pita bread.

$16.00 (free shipping)

One of my favorite things about wine is cooking.  The two may seem slightly unrelated to you, but if you love to cook, then finding the right wines to go with your favorite recipes is exciting and important.  (Especially if you are entertaining!)

I am lucky to work in the wine industry and to have the opportunity to taste wines I might not come across in the local grocery store.  After tasting the 2005 Manzoni Chardonnay I decided to try it with one of my favorite pasta dishes – Shrimp Scampi and Linguine.  This dish is very easy, so even if you are a first time chef, it should turn out perfect.  The recipe below is similar to the one found here, created and published by the Barefoot Contessa, but I have changed a few things for my own selfish pleasure.

Shrimp Scampi and Linguine

1/2-1 lb Linguine noodles (I just eyeball it)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 TBS unsalted butter
couple good glugs of olive oil (2-3 TBS)
3-5 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
zest and juice from 2-3 lemons

seasonings:
fresh ground black pepper
red chili flake

Boil water in a big pot – noodles like to swim – and pour in a little olive oil.  Cook noodles to package instructions or about 10 minutes.

$28.00

Once you get the noodles cooking, get your butter melting in the olive oil over medium low heat – heavy bottomed saute pans are the best.  Once the butter is melted, add your minced garlic, and watch it closely so that it doesn’t burn.  After a minute or so (the garlic should be really fragrant), add your shrimp and some freshly ground pepper, about 5 or 6 turns. Cook until the shrimp have turned pink (maybe 6 or 7 minutes), continuing to stir them around the whole time so that they cook evenly.  Turn of the burner, then add in your lemon zest and juice, the chopped parsley, and a pinch or two of red chili flake.  (Be careful with the chili flake, a little goes a long way.)

After you drain the noodles, put them back in the pot and add your shrimp scampi.  Using a fork and spoon toss all ingredients to ensure the noodles are well coated.  Serve immediately.

I try to prepare the garlic, lemons, and parsley before getting started which makes it really easy to put together.  Another great wine to try with this recipe is the the 2006 St. Supery Virtu.  A white bordeaux blend, and while rich, will be a nice crisp complement to the buttery shrimp.  Enjoy!