Drinks of the Month

 Indulgent chocolate drinks for Easter

Indulgent chocolate drinks for Easter

Why should the kids have all the fun at Easter? These days there are a number of indulgent chocolate-flavoured liqueurs and wines that make up for being (almost) too old for an Easter egg.

The first is a Polish chocolate vodka liqueur under the Chopin label called Likier Czekoladowy which is so thick and unctuous it’s almost like a chocolate sauce (maybe that’s how it’s meant to be served) While it’s definitely for the sweet-toothed - think chocolate flavoured condensed milk - it’s also got an impressively natural chocolate taste. You can buy it from The Whisky Exchange for £14.15 a 50cl bottle and, I suspect, a fair number of Polish shops and delis.

Even better is an Italian whisky liqueur called, rather entertainingly, Cioccowhisky in which you can actually pick up both the chocolate and the whisky. I liked it but thought it might not be so appealing to the sweet-toothed chocolate-loving friend I was testing it out on. However a blissful look passed over her face and she said it was “the best BY A MILE.” That’s £16.15 at The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

If you enjoy the combination of red wine and chocolate about which I’m never wholly convinced (love red wine, love chocolate but a bit dubious about the two together) you may like Rubis which tastes like chocolate flavoured port and which you can get delivered next day if you’re on Amazon Prime. They charge £12.75 a bottle though you find it cheaper elsewhere - Frazier's in Solihull for example do it for £9.49. Harvey Nichols has it for £13. I also tried the Marks & Spencer’s copycat version Chocolate Ruby which isn’t quite as good but should be easier to get hold of. In theory. It’s not showing on their website.

Also frustratingly elusive is the M & S Black Forest Gateau liqueur which is actually as rich and indulgent as its namesake. You can buy it as part of a set of six liqueurs for £60 online but may be able to pick up an individual bottle in store. Which I would. Think boozy cherries with a hint of chocolate. Good enough to dispense with the cake ...

Wine of the week: BX Crémant de Bordeaux

Wine of the week: BX Crémant de Bordeaux

As I've pointed out on more than one occasion pink champers is pretty pricey so if you’re looking for something a little more affordable this sparkling Bordeaux rosé I’ve just discovered in Aldi’s Spring Wine Festival should hit the spot

Bordeaux isn’t of course noted for its sparkling wine but as it’s what many people want to drink these days it’s got in on the act.

This, I imagine, is made from merlot and has a lovely fresh strawberry flavour.

Although it’s drier than prosecco it wouldn't be too dry to demolish with a white chocolate dessert or a box of milk chocolates or, as they suggest on the label, with sushi which would would definitely appeal to me.

And at £7.99 it won’t break the bank.

For my other Valentine's Day picks see my Guardian column

Pillitteri Cabernet Sauvignon icewine

Pillitteri Cabernet Sauvignon icewine

One of the Christmas bargains last year was a Pillitteri vidal icewine which Lidl was managing to sell for an astonishing £14.99 a half bottle, probably cheaper than you could find it from its country of origin, Canada.

My friend Jenny scoured all the branches in Bristol for weeks to pick up every available bottle.

This year they’ve added a cabernet sauvignon ice wine at £15.99 to their Christmas range which is, if anything, even more appealing - a pale dusky pink which tastes of rose petals and would be a fantastic match for a box of milk chocolates or a milk chocolate dessert. I say milk because I think it would show off its delicate flavours better than dark chocolate. A few raspberries on the plate wouldn’t go amiss.

The range went on sale last Thursday so I’d pop into Lidl and snap up enough to last you not only through Christmas but Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter as well*. If you can keep your hands off it until then! With its elegant bottle and box it would also make a lovely gift.

* There's also a £4 off if you buy 4 bottles deal at the time of writing. The Monbazillac and Tokaji Szamorodni are also worth buying at £6.99 if you have a sweet tooth.

Alcyone Tannat Dessert Wine

Alcyone Tannat Dessert Wine

Although this site is called matchingfoodandwine.com you may have spotted it contains a fair few other drinks including beer, cider, spirits and soft drinks. So I’ve been thinking for a while of creating a weekly slot to showcase some some more off-beat bottles and bevvies I come across.

This week’s selection is in fact a wine but about as obscure a one as you can get: an aromatised sweet red dessert wine from Uruguay made from Tannat. It’s made by a winery called Vinedo de los Vientos and is apparently named after Alcyone the goddess of calm and tranquillity (who knew?) who is depicted on the rather beautiful label.

It’s made by a family of Italian origin and modelled on two Italian wines - Barolo Chinato and Marsala and fortified with brandy up to 16%. Like Barolo Chinato it’s aromatized with different roots and herbs about which the label and website is studiously vague, waffling on about “being touched with a bouquet of winter flowers, Madagascan vanilla bean and wild apple mint indulged with a warmth and savor of white cacao soufflé".

Whatever. It’s utterly delicious with a rich hit of ripe cherries and a definite hint of vanilla, chocolate and some kind of spice (allspice?) though don’t run away with the idea that it’s spicy. Much like a vintage port only richer, less alcoholic and more caressing. It would be absolutely wicked with almost any kind of dark chocolate dessert which of course makes it a perfect pick for Valentine’s Day.

You can buy it from Wines of Uruguay for £19 a 50cl bottle. For stockists in the US and Australia check out the Vinedo de los Vientos website

 

 

 

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