Founder & Chocolatier
As a certified chocolatier, I design and create artisanal chocolates that pair perfectly with wines and spirits. I also host guided chocolate and wine tastings in your home or office, and at special events and wine bars. And I share my explorations in chocolate on my blog here....
Author Archives: Nicole Gnutzman
The Easter Bunny brought Chocolate Truffles this year….
The Easter Bunny brought chocolate again this year, but not just any chocolate: Merryvale Vineyards custom designed, wine-inspired chocolates. On Easter Sunday, Merryvale launched chocolate tastings featuring chocolate truffles designed to pair perfectly with six of its fabulous wines. And … Continue reading
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A Little Bacon with your Chocolate?
Ok, so I did something I said I would never do. Never say never…. I’ll admit it, I’m not a fan of bacon and chocolate together. I truly love bacon, and I definitely love chocolate, but I’ve never actually had … Continue reading
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White Wine & Chocolate: Bien Sûr!
Ah, the gorgeous white wines of the Alsace region. Crisp, tart Rieslings; fragrant and lively Gewürztraminers; subtle and supple Pinot Gris; and mellifluous Muscats. All these Alsace varietals were celebrated at the Anderson Valley International Alsace Festival in Boonville, CA … Continue reading
A Forgotten Flavor
This blog has little to do with chocolate, or does it? On a recent visit to Canada, my birthplace and where I lived for most of my adult life, I picked up a book entitled The Elegance of the Hedgehog … Continue reading
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Chocolates in the Spirit World
The word “spirits” can conjure up, quite literally, ghostly miasmas and manifestations. When it comes to chocolate infused with alcohol spirits, the only thing ghostly is that the chocolates vanish almost instantly and can be hard to take a picture … Continue reading
The Case of the Curious Palate
Creating an experience where chocolate and wine, when tasted together, create a whole new flavor sensation is my ultimate goal. Remember my tasting advice: sip of wine, bite of chocolate, another sip of wine? While the wine alone is lovely … Continue reading
James Cole and the Chocolate Factory?
“Enter as strangers ~ Leave as friends.” ~ greeting in the tasting room at James Cole In the gorgeous, candlelit wine cellar of James Cole Winery on the Silverado Trail in Napa, guests were treated to a veritable Valentine’s Day wine and chocolate … Continue reading
Galloping Gourmet or Chocolaj Chocolatier?
Galloping Gourmet? Hardly. That would have required an English accent (I only have a Canadian one); running and leaping over chairs (I was wearing heels so that was out of the question); and copious amounts of wine quaffed during my … Continue reading
Wine-Inspired Chocolates at Regusci Winery
Regusci Winery has added chocolate (but not just any chocolate!) to its tasting room offerings. Joined by expert wine and food collaborators, Leslie Schwartz, Events Coordinator (and CIA trained pastry chef) and Dean Williams, Tasting Room Manager at Regusci Winery, … Continue reading
