Selecting the best pairs of wine and chocolate by application of sensory tests

Čokolada i vino popularni su proizvodi čija konzumacija raste, kako u Hrvatskoj tako i u svijetu. U novije vrijeme, povećanjem kupovne moći dijela populacije, ali i edukacijom i posebice utjecajem medija, javljaju se različiti trendovi uparivanja pojedine hrane i pića. Iako je uparivanje vina sa nekom hranom uobičajeno, ne postoji niti jedno istraživanje koje je obradilo uparivanje čokolade s bijelim, crnim i desertnim vinima kako bi se odabrali najbolji parovi istih. Stoga je cilj ovog rada bio pronaći i odabrati najbolje parove vina i čokolada različitog udjela kakaovih dijelova. Ispitivano je 5 čokolada (38 %, 50 %, 60 %, 72 % i 81 % kakaovih dijelova) i 16 vina (7 bijelih, 7 crnih i 2 desertna vina). Čokolada s 38 % kakaovih dijelova najbolje se uparuje s vinima Muškat žuti i Prošek, dok je čokoladi s 50 % kakaovih dijelova najbolje odgovarao Muškat žuti. Čokoladi s 60 % kakaovih dijelova najbolje je odgovaralo vino Graševina. Traminac i Blatina najbolje su se uparili s čokoladom od 72 % kakaovih dijelova, dok se čokolada s 81 % kakaovih dijelova može dobro upariti s više vina (Sauvignon, Graševina, Žilavka, Muškat žuti i Prošek).Chocolate and wine are popular products whose consumption grows, both in Croatia and in the world. More recently, by increasing purchasing power of a part of the population, but also through education and especially the influence of the media, there are different trends of pairing individual foods and beverages. Although matching wine with some food is common, there is no research that has been done by matching chocolate with white, black and dessert wines to choose the best couples of the same. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to find and select the best couples of wines and chocolates of different cocoa parts. Five chocolates (38%, 50%, 60%, 72% and 81% cacao) and 16 wines (7 white, 7 black and 2 desert wines) were used. Chocolate with 38% cocoa is best matched with Muškat Yellow and Prošek wines, while chocolate with 50% cocoa is best suited for Muškat Yellow. Chocolate with 60% cocoa was best suited for Graševina wine. Traminac and Blatina are best matched to chocolate with 72% of cacao, while chocolate with 81% cocoa is best mixed with several wines (Sauvignon, Graševina, Žilavka, Muškat Yellow and Prošek)