Taylor’s & Fonseca Port Chocolate pairing with Vinte Vinte Chocolate

Presented at the LWF 2024 by Pedro Martins Araújo, Master Chocolate Maker of Vinte Vinte, part of the Fladgate Partnership, and João Vasconcelos the UK Taylor's Port Market Manager. 

Port has a tradition of pairing with cigars, cheese and  chocolate, and it is to the last that today's session at the LWF was dedicated.

The suggested tasting technique is to let the chocolate melt in your mouth then drink the wine.

20/20 Chocolate is today's partner that provided all the samples paired to the port selection. The name is meant to be an homage to latitudes where cocoa is produced, and they started their business in the year 2020! 

Here are my tasting note:

1. Taylor's chip dry white port

Paired with 20|20 White Chocolate

1st white port made, in 1934.

Late fortification, let ferment longer, resulting wine is dryer. Their original goal was to compete with dry Sherry, but that is gone by the wayside now and chip dry (origin of this name unknown!) has no need to compare itself with competitors. Oxidative style, the wine is left in oak barrels to develop nutty style. 

Malvasia is the predominant grape. Great contrast of sweet choc and dry wine. Moderate intensity, balanced.

Score 88

Rrp 18

2. Fonseca Bin 27 reserve ruby, large oak barrels 3 to 4 years 

Paired with 20/20 dark chocolate 70%

Raisin plums, a few sharp corners in this ruby.

Score 86

Rrp 18

3. Taylor's LBV 2019

Paired with 20|20 dark chocolate 58%

Round smooth polished 

Cinnamon molasses. An excellent value port.

Score 90

Rrp10

4. Taylor's 10yo tawny 20 20 

Paired with 20|20 milk chocolate 35%

Pair by concordance, sweet choc and sweet wine

Very well balanced, long complex 

Score 92 

Rrp 20

5. Taylor's vintage 2003 since 1692!

Paired with 20|20 Grand Cru Dark Chocolate 70% Mexico Finca La Rioja 2019

Grand cru dark chocolate 

Intense nose of ripe fruit 

Very complex, long perfect balance 

Score 94

Rrp 90

6. Taylor's 50yo tawny Golden Age 

Paired with 20|20 Limited Edition Dark Chocolate 65% Peru

Gold color by aging in cask 

Change every year to clean old barrel, Port hates new wood! 

Angel share takes up to 98% over the decades! 

Highest altitude cocoa farm in the world in Peru 

Rrp 225 gbp 

Score 96

2000 bottles per year roughly