The Case for Fruit Wines and Chocolate

Forbidden Fruit’s remarkable Cerise d’Eve, from the Similkameen Valley

I’ve never been all that crazy about wine with chocolate, well, not entirely. In fact most of the time there’s little that appeals to me about matching a Cab with a piece of even good dark chocolate, whatever anyone says. OK, Port can be fine. But at the end of the day, I’ll admit it: I’m a wine and cheese guy at heart.

However a session at last month’s Sun Peaks Okanagan Winter Wine Festival with Steve Venables (co-owner) of Similkameen’s Forbidden Fruit Winery and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory proved more than seductive, and also convincing: in that seriously well-made fruit wines can indeed be the perfect match for various styles of quality chocolate.

Tough not to eat all these at once but willpower prevailed!

Fruit wines are on the rise across Canada, and, just about everywhere else in North America. But few fruit wine producers that I’m aware of are doing as good a job as Forbidden Fruit. (Although, Naramata’s Elephant Island would certainly be included on that list.)

Star of the show (and a slam dunk for Valentine’s): Forbidden Fruit Cerise d’Eve, with dark chocolate; and a close second, Forbidden Fruit Impearfection, with dark chocolate and ginger cluster.

I’ve long been a fan of this unique, all organic producer, which makes mainly (though not only) fruit wines. Forbidden Fruit is nestled on a stunningly beautiful site on the edge of the idyllic Similkameen River, just east of Cawston. I also love the names and the packaging, which are just naughty enough to titillate, and a charming outlet for the talented Kim Brind’Amour.

Take time to visit Forbidden Fruit next time you’re in the area. Better still, take a picnic, buy some fruit wine (or grape wine!); and enjoy the serene experience they’ve created.

In British Columbia, you can find these fruit wines at better private wine stores.