Pairing Wines with Chocolate

FRANK MANGIO - Carlsbad
I was first introduced to the fascinating flavors of red wine and chocolate by Temecula master chef Steve Hamlin who was doing a cooking seminar for the San Diego State University “Business of Wine” classes. I thought it odd at the time, but Steve, who breaks barriers regularly, insisted that the togetherness would knock us out. It did and I have become a fan of the pairing since. It’s simple to do. Place a piece of chocolate in your mouth and chew, mixing the natural saliva of your mouth. When the chocolate is of a thin consistency, take a sip of wine about the same amount as the chocolate. Gently swish the two ingredients together and swallow. Then take more wine to wash the last of the chocolate from your mouth.

Practice makes perfect so keep trying with different reds. I enjoy Grenache from the Rhone Valley ( also Garnarcha, same thing , from Spain) and Cabernet. Ports are also delicious with desserts based on chocolate.

This week there are no Local Sip events due to the holiday parties. The January calendar is starting to fill up, so expect big events in wine next month.

EVAN GOLDSTEIN, Master Sommelier

Note: Evan will be showcasing his talents this Saturday at the Grand Event of the San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival. WorldOfWineEvents.com

With his remarkable palate, wine and chocolate pairing comes easily to Evan Goldstein, renowned Master Sommelier. Evan, who will appear at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival November 17, has created Top Ten Wine and Chocolate Pointers for Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate, a new line of gourmet dark chocolate with sophisticated ingredients. He will share his pairing tips in person with festival goers.

Evan is an exceptional teacher and author, who began his career at age 19 in the Paris kitchens of the Restaurant Le Saintongeais and the Hotel Lancaster. He returned to the U.S. to work at Auberge du Soleil in the Napa Valley, and Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley.

Accomplished in cooking, Evan found he had a remarkable natural aptitude for wine. In 1984, he joined his mother, Joyce Goldstein, in opening the celebrated San Francisco restaurant Square One, where as sommelier, his wine lists received numerous awards.

In 1987, Evan became the eighth American and youngest at the time to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier examination. In 1990, he was appointed director of the Sterling Vineyards School of Service & Hospitality in Napa Valley where he trained more than 15,000 professionals in the finer points of restaurant service, from food and wine to spirits.

Seven years later, Evan became a vice president for Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company then joined Allied Domecq, where he created the highly respected Academy of Wine, which has educated thousands annually. In 2005, he joined the Beam Wine Estates team and brought the Academy with him. In his current position as Vice President of Global Wine & Brand Education for Beam Wine Estates, Evan continues in his role as director of the Academy, orchestrating educational seminars around the world and overseeing training for all of the company’s winery hospitality and educational programs.

Evan has served two terms as chairman of the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, served as an advisor to the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, and served on the Board of Directors of Women Chefs’ and Restaurateurs (WCR). He was a finalist for the coveted James Beard “Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional” award in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2005. Evan was named “Wine Professional of the Year” by Sunset magazine in 2006.

Evan is the author of Five Star Service: Your Guide to Hospitality Excellence and the critically acclaimed book, Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier’s Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food. In addition, he co-authored with Joyce Goldstein Wine and Food Pairing in the Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles series and authored the wine notes for Enoteca, a book on Italian small plates with wine matches.

Evan continues to be recognized for his outstanding abilities as a teacher, moderator, and trend analyst. He is a regular editorial contributor to America’s Santé magazine, a contributing editor for Singaporean magazines Wine & Dine and Indulgence, an American wine correspondent for South Korea’s Wine Review, and a recurring guest wine expert on NBC’s syndicated television show, “In Wine Country.” Evan also makes regular guest appearances on the “Ronn Owens’ Show” on KGO-AM and on Saturday morning’s KPIX/UPN “Eyewitness News” – both in San Francisco. He continues to train and examine candidates for the Court of Master Sommeliers as a Founding Board member.

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