It could be a distant childhood memory, or you could still be enjoying chocolate brownies regularly. One thing is for sure: there is no such thing as a good chocolate brownie when you need some really powerful and sweet chocolaty taste in your mouth. 

As the years went by and you started to appreciate wine more and more, you could have convinced yourself that it doesn’t go well with chocolate. This is only half true: recently, internet trends have given the right spark to innovation, giving rise to more and more combinations that were truly unthinkable until a few years ago. 

Following these trends, we discovered more and more ways to enjoy our beloved wine without any prejudice. One of these can surely be pairing red wine with Chocolate Brownies!

Brownies are dense, moist desserts with a rich, chocolaty flavor, originating from American cuisine and named for their dark color. Typically made with dark chocolate, eggs, flour, butter, and sugar, variations may include hazelnuts or a chocolate icing topping. A lighter version, called blondies, substitutes white chocolate to regular dark or milk. Brownies are often served alongside vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or enjoyed simply with coffee. Well, in this case, with wine.

And why not make your own brownies? These are delicious little treats that are very easy to prepare. Ingredients:

• 225 g dark chocolate
• 225 g butter
• 135 g flour
• 15 g bitter cocoa powder
• 225 g granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt to taste

Following these super easy steps, you will be able to have the perfect accompaniment for your favorite glass of red:

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a bain-marie until smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes.
2. Mix flour, yeast, salt, and cocoa separately.
3. Whip eggs and sugar until tripled in volume.
4. Mix chocolate mixture into eggs until smooth.
5. Add flour in two stages, mixing gently.
6. Pour batter into a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Level the dough evenly.
8. Preheat the oven to 350°F (static) or 320°F (ventilated).
9. Bake for 30 minutes without opening the oven.
10. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once cooled, cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

When pairing wine with brownies, consider the type of brownie. For cake-like brownies, opt for sweeter wines like Riesling or Moscato. For richer, fudgier brownies, bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot are ideal to balance out the sweetness. While sweet wines like Moscato and Port are popular choices, dry reds such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel also complement brownies well by enhancing their richness. Regardless of the wine chosen, ensure it has acidity to cut through the sweetness of the brownie.

Lucky for you, here at Carpineto we always have the right wine up our sleeve! In this case, we wholeheartedly recommend our magnificent Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigneto Poggio Sant’Enrico 2012 DOCG.

A wine of exceptional lineage, crafted in exceedingly restricted quantities and possessing all the attributes that make extended cellaring highly rewarding. The grapes utilized in the production of this wine are sourced from two distinct vineyards: the 1.33-hectare (3.20 acres) Poggio Sant’Enrico Piccolo and the 3.65-hectare (8.76 acres) Poggio Sant’Enrico Grande. These vineyards are located at elevations ranging between 300 and 350 meters (~1,000ft) just on the outskirts of the town of Montepulciano, in the province of Siena.

The Sangiovese grapes absorb the deep, sedimentary soil's essence, creating wines of exceptional quality with high polyphenols and alcohol levels. The journey of this bottle begins with small-lot fermentation in cement vats, followed by a twelve-month maturation in new French and American oak barrels.

After 45 months in our cellar, the wine emerges with a dark, blackish-ruby hue, releasing bold aromas of black fruit, plum, black pepper, walnut, and vanilla. The full-bodied palate, marked by supple tannins, leads to a lingering finish thanks to our dedication for each and every bottle.

Well, who would have thought that you can enjoy a super tasty chocolate brownie with a nice glass of red? Turns out you can with very low effort. Next time you feel like having something sweet to accompany your wine, go grab some brownies!