Sula Vineyards has entered into a partnership with Paul and Mike Farmers and Fermenters, a leading farm-to-bar chocolate maker, to introduce Dindori Reserve Shiraz dark vegan chocolate bar. The gourmet chocolate bar is made from the cocoa beans aged in Dindori Reserve Shiraz wine barrels, muscovado sugar, and pure cocoa butter, as per a company statement. The limited edition dark vegan chocolate is available across the country for Rs 350.
Dindori Reserve Shiraz is a powerful, intense wine, aged in French oak barrels for ten to twelve months. The wine-soaked wooden barrel imparts flavours like berries, silky tannins, and sweet spices to the cocoa beans.
Wine is a very delicate product and is not exposed to temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius during its entire journey from grape to glass. Chocolate making on the contrary, involves high-temperature steps such as tempering. It was crucial to strike the right balance between achieving enough wine flavour intensity and ensuring the dark chocolate does not become too bitter, the company says.
Chaitanya Rathi, COO, Sula Vineyards, said, “This beautiful fusion of wine flavours with rich cocoa beans requires careful craftsmanship and precise handling to achieve good sensual intensity. We always look out to bring new experiences and are glad to partner with Paul and Mike. This launch expands our innovative offering for consumers.”
“It took a series of experiments for Sula Vineyards and Paul and Mike to infuse wine notes into dark chocolate. It took over six months of R&D, tastings, and many flashes of creativity to finally freeze on the process and the recipe. The magic lies in ageing the cocoa nibs in the award-winning wine barrels at Sula’s cellars and a secret step invented by Paul and Mike – that seamlessly integrates the complexity of wine into the chocolate. And all this without adding any alcohol to the product,” Rathi added.
Vikas Temani, Business Head – Paul and Mike, said, “We are very excited to introduce this unique chocolate with complex flavors of wines. It is a celebration of India’s ability to come up with world-class food and beverage products and we will continue to surprise our consumers with more of such exceptional offerings.”
