And if you sign up for the Loyalty Card before close of play on Monday next, 29th March, you'll be entered into a draw for the monster Irish Easter Egg Hamper that's sitting in front of me right now, looking all lovely and chocolately......
Incidentally, if you're looking for a wine to match chocolate, be it in the shape of a bar, a cake, a mousse or some other dessert, it can be a bit difficult as the two very often clash. But here are a few tips to get the most out of two of life's great pleasures as you plan that special dinner party:
• Chocolate desserts work very well with rich, fruity, fortified wines like port, or the granddaddy of all chocolate matches - Banyuls, from the beautiful village of the same name in the south of France. Try Abbé Rous 5 Year Old Banyuls at €18.95 a bottle, ripe with figs, sultanas, prunes and walnuts. Or the classy Barâo de Vilar Ruby Port at the same price.
• Alternatively, a sweet dessert wine like a Sauternes or a Muscat would do just lovely. Try the Château de la Chartreuse Sauternes at €23.45 for a half bottle (90 points from Tomás Clancy in the Sunday Business Post) or the Abbé Rous Muscat de Rivesaltes at a great value €15.95 for a 500ml bottle (a ‘jenny').
• With chocolate desserts, avoid tannic wines, particularly big reds, unless you're trying a very dark, rich chocolate. That big, rich red that tasted great with your steak will feel like it's going to knock your teeth out with tannins if you try it with a chocolate dessert (or any dessert for that matter).
• If you want to enjoy your red wine over dessert, try a less tannic, fruitier one like a Zinfandel, a Malbec or a Merlot. I reckon our Andeluna Malbec at €11.95 might just be the wine that will work with both the steak dinner and the chocolate dessert. Avoid the Cabernet Sauvignons- ouch!
• However, if you're trying a VERY dark chocolate bar (60% Cacao plus) then the bigger Cabernet Sauvignons or Bordeaux Blends (Cabernet/Merlot) may well do the trick.
The really good news is that the PERFECT match is a matter of experimentation so get sampling!
Peter