Behind ‘Bean-to-Bar’ or ‘Single Origin Chocolate Bar’ lies the idea of ensuring that there is JOY at each stage, from the cocoa farm to your taste buds. We currently source cocoa beans from 4 different countries and transform them into award-winning chocolate at our studio in Sherwood Park, AB.
Our friend and Sommelier Sasha McCauley (‘The Fairy Boozemother‘)
has shared the perfect Canadian wine, cider & spirits pairings to balance and enhance the flavour profiles of the origins.
Flavour Profiles
Similar to wine, each single origin chocolate bar will have a distinct flavour profile influenced and enhanced by the climate the cocoa trees grow in, as well as the soil, the fermentation and roasting process.
Dominican Republic: Raisin, Plum, Nutmeg
Colombia: Toffee, Molasses
Costa Rica: Cherry, Brown Sugar
Peru: Floral, Vanilla, Tropical Fruit
Note: Purchasing all of these would be costly, so Sasha found some pairings that work great with any of our single origin bars. She encourages you to have one or two to compare & contrast: How do the different origins change the flavour in the accompanying beverage? How does that beverage affects the chocolate?
THE WINES - DOWNLOAD PAIRING LIST
JoieFarm 2019 Quotidien Brut (Naramata Bench)
The Quotidien Brut was made in JoieFarm’s pursuit of fun, accessible, everyday bubble drinking while honouring the blending tradition of the great Champagne houses of France. Vigorous, fine mousse creates a mouthful of lemon meringue and zippy citrus flavours precisely balanced by juicy, racy acidity. The beautiful, lingering, toasty finish is complex.
Visit their website $24.26/per bottle
Photo by JoieFarm
Blue Mountain 2019 Sauvignon Blanc (Okanagan Falls)
The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc displays complex flavours of boxwood, chamomile, melon and white peach with mineral notes. A full mouth feel with a citrus/lemon and peach flavour leads into a rich long, finish. The structure of the wine will allow it to age beautifully for 3-5 years.
Visit their website $24.90/bottle
Photo by Blue Mountain Vineyard
Quails' Gate Gewürztraminer (West Bank Kelowna)
Charming, approachable and food-friendly, the Gewürztraminer is the most fruit forward wine in Quails’ Gate’s portfolio. On the nose, expect pronounced notes of lychee, rosewater and pear. The wine is off-dry on the palate with flavours of grapefruit, papaya and citrus, with a touch of ginger spice on the finish. A versatile food wine, this wine is not only a perfect patio sipper.
Visit their website $17.99/per bottle
Photo by Quails' Gate
Blasted Church 2019 Big Bang Theory (Okanagan Falls)
Each lot of fruit is hand harvested as it reaches peak maturity and is brought into the cellar where the lots are vinified separately before being assembled to create the final blend. A joyful blend of five varietals. Dried cherries and strawberries open the wine with plum and chocolate carrying through the mid palate as the tannin builds into the balanced finish.
Visit their website $21.50/per bottle
Photo by Everything Wine
Daydreamer Wines Amelia 2019 (Naramata Bench)
This wine is a co-fermentation of Syrah and Viognier. It has aromas of violets, peppercorns, prosciutto and blackberries. It spent 11 months in predominately older French barriques allowing the spicey, high toned and savoury qualities to shine.
Visit their website $40/per bottle
Photo by Daydreamer Wines
Elephant Island Winery Framboise 2019 (Naramata Bench)
Fresh, tart and rich all at the same time. Like drinking the raspberry patch of your childhood. Built for dark, bitter chocolate indulgences. Flourless chocolate cake or serve warmed in the winter with a dallop of fresh Devonshire cream.
Visit their website $24/per bottle
Photo by Elephant Island Winery
CIDERS & SPIRITS
Annapolis ‘The Classic’ Cider (Nova Scotia)
Annapolis makes this classic cider by combining their dry-fermented cider with freshly-pressed apple juice. The apple varieties they use vary throughout the year. Enjoy the diversity.
Visit their website $10.49/per bottle
Photo by Annapolis
Chic Choc Spiced Rum (Quebec)
Rum lovers, here’s something new for you made right here in Quebec. Distilled with a traditional pot still, this amber nectar is a base that will give a lot of personality to your cocktails thanks to its homegrown spices. With dreamy names such as lovage root and wild angelica, these spices add a Nordic touch to the rum’s sugar cane and cinnamon nuances. A match made in heaven! (Source: saq.com)
Visit their website $34.75/per bottle on saq.com
Photo by Les Spiritueux Ungava Ltée
Greenwood Distillers Round About Gin (Alberta)
Flavour notes: Juniper, Coriander, Angelica, Red Peppercorn, Aji Amarillo Chili, Lemongrass, Liquorice Root, Sea Buckthorn.
Visit their website $39.26/per bottle on vinearts.ca
Photo by Vine Arts
Dillion’s Distillers Peach Schnapps (Ontario)
Made from simple, honest ingredients. Fresh Niagara peaches, Ontario neutral rye base, and non-GMO cane sugar. No artificial colours or flavours.
Visit their website $22.95/per bottle
Photo by Dillion's Distillers
Eau Claire Distillery Rupert’s Exceptional Canadian Whisky (Alberta)
Rupert’s Whisky is non-chill filtered, has no artificial caramel colouring. On the nose, Rupert’s Whisky starts with a sweetness and a hint of red fruits, chocolate and nutmeg. The whisky then continues to a dried fruit, and slightly nutty finish.
Visit their website $40/per bottle
Photo by Eau Claire Distillery
Legend Distilling Blasted Brew Spiked Coffee (British Columbia)
Cold brewed with locally roasted organic beans from Homestead Roastery located right in Naramata, BC. Blasted Brew delivers a bold, smooth coffee flavour, with raw cocoa nibs and fresh vanilla bean.
Visit their website $32/per bottle
Photo by BC Spirits
About Sasha McCauley ‘The Fairy Boozemother’
An experienced wine business pro, Sasha’s depth of knowledge comes from years of learning, traveling, working, eating, and drinking. She is a certified Sommelier (International Sommelier Guild) aka ‘certified wine geek’ since 2002 and loves to share her knowledge of wine, teaching, and conducting seminars.
She has been JACEK Chocolate’s entrusted pairing expert for years and we are happy that she took the time to share these amazing (and Canadian!) pairings with us. We hope you enjoyed them!