Two of our favorite flavors are chocolate and wine. That made the “Chocolate Truffle and Wine Pairing” event at Las Positas Vineyards the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Tasting Room Manager Curt Pipes decided to launch this special pairing (his 20th pairing in seven years) during Livermore’s Holidays in the Vineyards weekend. There were so many wineries with fun events for participants, but the idea of tasting chocolate truffles paired with Las Positas Vineyards wine was too great to miss. We entered their main building to find that their special events room was now home to the pairing event, with craft tables around the border. There were plenty of tables for visitors, so we found an open table, met wine guide Heather, and got ready for this special treat.
The tasting was quite organized and easy to follow. Each guest had their own tray of truffles and a special printed wine guide for the flight, describing each pairing in detail. After a “welcome to Las Positas Vineyards” splash of their Sparkling, we started the flight with their 2018 Estate Verdello paired with an English tea truffle. What a great start! The complex layers of tangerine, pear, mango, and orange zest in the wine highlighted the creaminess of the chocolate and let the cocoa flavors dance on the tongue long after each taste.
We then had a chance to meet Oscar Baile, owner of Landru Chocolates. Oscar and Curt have collaborated for many years to put on these wine and chocolate pairings. The results speak for themselves! Heather next poured their 2016 Estate Reserve Chardonnay, which was paired with a peanut butter and jelly truffle. I was a bit skeptical about this pairing when I saw it on the flight menu, but the combination was incredible. The peanut butter was the real hero of the pairing, with the pear notes in the wine playing accompaniment.
Their 2015 Estate Coccineous was paired with a passion fruit truffle. The flight wrapped up with their 2014 Meritage paired with a rosemary truffle. The complexity of the Cabernet Suavignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec (aged for 30 months in French oak, no less), was able to stand up to the intriguing rosemary notes in the truffle. Just when we thought we were done, Heather disclosed the secret of that last bit of chocolate on the tray: it was a chocolate cup filled with Casimira, their dessert wine! A fantastic way to wrap up our day.
With thanks to Curt and Oscar, we purchased some wine (there are lots of excuses to pour wine for visitors coming up) and set off. Happy Holidays to Las Positas Vineyards!
About the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big. Buys wine faster than he drinks it, but who cares?
