Full Disclosure: My first taste of alcohol was chocolate wine. 

I won’t name the brand, but it wasn’t terrific. It may have been because I was as experienced with alcohol yet, but from that point on until recently, I refrained from combining chocolate and alcohol. It wasn’t until I went to a chocolate and Bourbon tasting that I started to understand that pairing matters. LIKE A LOT. If you are ever in the Kentucky area, I recommend going to the Evan Williams Sweet and Neat Chocolate and Bourbon tasting. If not, order some Bourbon Balls. My favorite kind is the Buffalo Trace ones, but I also want to try the Woodford Reserve ones. 

After my foray back into remixing alcohol and chocolate, I found this recipe for Homemade Chocolate wine. Let me tell you that choosing your ingredients makes a difference. Hot chocolate is such a romantic thing to me and not in a kissy way but more in the magic of childhood and nostalgia way. I just so happen to have a partner who agrees. Last winter, we made a LOT of hot chocolate, and now we’ve added this boozy version to our menu. 

What wine should I use? 

I used this Josh Cellars Legacy Wine Merlot. I am a big fan of their table wine, so I thought I would try it. It’s not too expensive, and you don’t want to be mixing a high-end wine with milk and chocolate anyways. Drink that stuff properly and unadulterated! As for wine, think and do a bit of Googling of what pairs best with the chocolate you’re using. You want pinot noir or merlot wines that are light to medium, with ripe fruit character for milk chocolate. Think the best sweet grape you’ve ever had, and that’s ripe fruit character. 

For dark chocolate, consider full-bodied, fruit-forward wines: fruit-forward means that the wine still tastes fruity vs. an earthy, mineral, or savory flavor. My suggestions are Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. You’ll know what you like when you try it! 

What kind of chocolate should I use? 

Chocolate is where it counts. You’ll want your chocolate to be high quality. I prefer darker chocolate with more cacao percentage, but the sweetness is up to you. Just buy the good stuff that has cacao in it! No Hershey’s up in this bish. Experiment and have fun!

When should I drink this? 

Honestly, anytime you want a decadent dessert drink that is easy to whip up, I’d suggest Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day with your squad since those holidays are approaching. Otherwise, any cozy winter day or during the Holidays while you Nancy Meyers it up on the couch!

Indulge your sweet tooth and your booze tooth simultaneously with this recipe, and let us know what you think in the comments below. Share and tag us on IG @whiskeywhilewework  and include the hashtag #whiskeywhileweworkblog. We’d love to see how you give this drink a try! 

Cheers babe,
KK