It’s International Chocolate Day today! And what better to pair with chocolate, than wine! In commemoration of this wonderful day, we have compiled a list of 5 of the BEST chocolate and wine pairings in the Western Cape region:

1. SPICE ROUTE WINES AND DV CHOCOLATE, PAARL

First up, is The Spice Route on Route 44. If you didn’t know already, The Spice Route is a collection of nearby artisan producers sharing their craft with the public. “A five-year collaboration between Spice Route Wine and DV Chocolate offer a Tutored wine & chocolate tasting, where they will talk guests through the process of cocoa bean fermentation, and their unique pairings with single-origin chocolate, sourced from around the world. No flavourings are added here and the pairings are an example of natural elements in cocoa varieties complementing these Swartland wines. Guests are guided throughout, cross tasting the chocolates with wines. The tasting takes a minimum of 60 minutes and is truly educational!”

The wine tasting room is open 7 days a week. (yay!). If chocolate is really not your thing, we highly recommed visiting the Spice Route anyway as there is a lot of fun activities for everyone, including families. 

Duration: 1 hour 

Cost: R60 pp at the Spice Route Wine Tasting Centre 

2. LOURENSFORD WINE ESTATE, SOMERSET WEST

“Lourensford Wine Estate pair three red wines and a Honey Liqueur with four chocolates. The pairing is quite new, as it only started around five months ago, following lengthy tastings of the wine and discussions with an artisan chocolatier on how best to enhance or soften flavours in the young wines.”

Duration: +/- 30 minutes

Cost: R45 pp. Tastings are available 7 days a week.

Please note that pre-booking is essential for groups over 4 persons.

3. WATERFORD WINE ESTATE, STELLENBOSCH

“The popular Waterford Wine and Chocolate Experience, is an upmarket collaboration created by Waterford’s winemaker Kevin Arnold and Richard von Geusau of Von Geusau Chocolates. It is a relationship that has existed for five years, one of the longest running wine and chocolate pairings in the Cape Winelands. With chocolate originally sourced from Belgium, Von Geusau adds pure flavours for his creations, and has specifically crafted a range of chocolates to accompany the Waterford wines, highlighting subtle aromas and flavours.”

Duration: +/- 30 minutes

Cost: R65 pp. Tastings are available Monday to Saturday.

Please note that pre-booking is essential for groups over 6 persons.

4. DURBANVILLE HILLS, DURBANVILLE

“The Durbanville Hills Wine and Chocolate menu has also been created in tandem with an artisan chocolatier, and there are extensive tasting notes to accompany each pairing. There are four single variety red wines and a Chardonnay to work through, each paired with bold chocolates.”

Wine and chocolate tastings are available every day.

Please note that pre-booking advised for groups larger than 6 persons and for any size at weekends (as they are very popular and hence very busy!)

Duration: +/- 30 minutes.

Cost: R60 pp.

5. HIDDEN VALLEY WINES, STELLENBOSCH

“If you are a fan of Belgian truffles, then you should visit Hidden Valley Wines and try their Chocolatier’s Platter, where they have been pairing five truffle delights with five wines for two years. The truffles are hand made by Delicious Deli in Somerset West, a family enterprise using the finest Belgian chocolate and recipes. Hidden Valley Wines are out to educate your taste buds with different textures and unusual taste profiles.”

Pre-booking is essential if your group is over 6 persons. Tastings are available 7 days a week, but Hidden Valley Wines recommend calling ahead on Saturdays as the tasting rooms may be closed for wedding functions.

Duration: +/- 30 minutes

Cost: R85 pp for 5 wines paired with 5 chocolates.

We hope that you take some time on this special day to visit one of the above wine farms and treat yourself! Don’t forget to tag us in your chocolate and wine adventures on our Instagram.

Reference article: NightJar Magazine