Matching red wine and chocolate

I was amused to discover there’s a restaurant in Manhattan Beach, just south of LA called Coco Noche whose speciality is pairing chocolate and wine.

According to their website www.coconoche.com they have 3 standard chocolate and wine flights - two of them with RED wines (one with Santa Rita Merlot, Coppola Pinot Noir and Ravenswood Zinfandel, the other with Estancia Pinot Noir, Sander Dornfelder Blend and Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon. Then there’s a ‘Grand Cru Chocolate and Wine Pairing’ of 7 chocolates ranging from 33%-99% (with Presidentia Tawny port, Rodney Strong Merlot and Villa Mount Eden Zinfandel.)

Port and chocolate I’ve matched successfully but I’m not generally as convinced about ‘dry’ red wine unless the chocolates - or accompanying dessert - have been specifically made less sweet than usual. But worth keeping an open mind. I’d certainly try it if I lived nearby . . .