Perfect Wine Pairings for Black Forest Cake

With the right wine, your Black Forest cake experience can be truly memorable. Here are two suggestions to enhance your dessert indulgence.

The Perfect Match: A Natural Sweet Wine

Black Forest cake, with its layers of Chantilly cream, cherries flavored with kirsch, cocoa sponge cake, and chocolate shavings, is a rich and complex dessert. For this treat, it's best to avoid overly delicate or refined white wines whose mineral notes might not stand up to the bold flavors of chocolate, the acidity of kirsch cherries, and the sweet, creamy richness of the dessert.

A natural sweet wine (Vin Doux Naturel, VDN) is ideal for pairing with Black Forest cake. Look for a wine with a broad, aromatic palate and a pronounced richness to complement the cream. The wine should also have powerful flavors to compete with the bitter notes of cocoa, with tannins that are present but well-integrated to avoid any astringency.

For a perfect pairing, consider a VDN red wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. This area is renowned for its sweet wines that pair beautifully with chocolate, such as AOC Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes. Alternatively, you might also choose a red wine from the Rhône Valley, like an AOC Rasteau.

Our Suggestion: Muscat de Rivesaltes by Vignerons de Maury

Enjoy your dessert!