Today, my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset and I sit down to discuss everyone’s favorite treat: chocolate. We talk about the nuances and complexities in chocolate that strike a chord with winemakers. Today we taste the 2015 JCB Passion red Bordeaux blend, bringing cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot together, showcasing the best Napa has to offer. Its persistence and length make a fun pairing for the chocolate. We also sip on the lovely Buena Vista Angelica, a sweet but not cloying dessert wine made of the historic Mission grape, a thick-skinned grape with deep tannins and rich flavors of dried fruit, hazelnut and vanilla creme.

This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots.

Chocolate has long been a passion for confectioner and artist Patricia Doyle of Farm Chocolates, her line of handcrafted organic chocolates. Doyle makes a variety of sweets, from bars to caramels, and works through each step from scratch and by hand, rather than using more conventional machines for tempering, cutting and dipping the candies. Her top pick for base chocolate is a 70% cacao from Columbia, with a nice balance and hints of coffee. Doyle date-stamps her sweets since they don’t contain any preservatives. She even molds the chocolates by hand so each piece is slightly different in shape, a detail she admires. Aside from crafting the luxury goodies, Doyle also designs her own labels. Sustainability is a top priority for Doyle, and to that end, she minimizes waste, uses compostable packaging and seeks out efficient delivery methods. The chocolates speak for themselves in flavor and texture.

Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for more shows in the coming weeks. Please share across your social media channels and subscribe to get each new episode directly to your podcast feed. You can find Napa Sonoma magazine on newsstands, subscribe here, or read the digital edition online.