In a recent post, we outlined good pairings for Chukar chocolates and wines. While conducting your at home tasting, we recommend keeping these general guidelines in mind:

Rule 1: Strong chocolates need strong counterparts. If you have white chocolate with delicate cocoa butter like the Raspberry Truffles, you’ll need light and airy wines such as Champagne or Pinot Grigio Viogne. Likewise, bold chocolate like the Cocoa Pecans and Black Forest Cherries should be able to stand their ground when mingling with fuller-bodied wines like Malbecs and Zinfandels.

Rule 2: Taste buds get tired. To ensure that you enjoy all your tastings, start with subtle, nuanced white and milk chocolates before moving on to dark, more intense chocolates. You’ll relish the initial underlining tones and be dazzled by an in-your-mouth fireworks finale.

Rule 3: When it comes to sweetness, wines rule. That is, the wine decides how sweet the match can be. Darker chocolates usually pair better with less sweet wines.

Rule 4: Your palate matters. That’s right. These are just guidelines, but in the end, you decide what you like–or don’t.