Yoo-Hoo for Adults: Chocovine Review

Remember how deliciously refreshing it was to enjoy a cold bottle of Yoohoo as a child? Remember when you got to that age where drinking it was considering a no no? Ever wonder what it would be like if they made a yoo-hoo for adults?  Holland and Clever Imports may have finally answered that question for us. I had heard rumblings of a wine that was making it into specialty shops around the country. Once it reached my market I had no choice but to give it a try.

ChocoVine is a French Cabernet subtly combined with rich dark chocolate. According to their website, it’s the “perfect union between wine and chocolate”. Mixing wine and chocolate is nothing new, especially for those of us use to American holidays. It’s the decision to blend the two together in a liquid form that is making waves around the world.  Upon tasting it I first had the opportunity to survey a few of those that had tried it before. All of them agreed it was a delicious alternative to several of their favorite dairy based favorites such as Baileys, and Cask & Cream. And at a price of around $10 for 750 ML it was also a satisfactory alternative financially.

Tasting Notes: The bottle is a screw cap, so for those of you that see it in the wine section but are afraid of having to uncork, don’t worry, Chocovine has you covered. Traditionally screw tops have been seen as cheap and tacky but it’s a trend that is becoming more and more popular in the industry. Upon pouring, the color is a muggy brown, similar to the chocolate river in the  “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” movie. It’s color and dairy base are where it stops in comparison to Baileys fans. It is not as thick, and the red wine gives it a different taste than that of the Irish whiskey used for baileys. The aroma is definitely strong both in chocolate and in alcohol. Don’t be confused by its appearance and description, for a wine this one packs a punch at 14% alcohol. While that may not be much for those use to cordials, that is above average for those use to wines. Much like you would expect, this one is very much on the sweet side.  First comes a mild sense of the alcoholic strength followed by the intense flavor of chocolate. It does a good job of disguising the strong alcohol content that you are ingesting.  Overall I feel this is a great buy for those looking for something sweet, strong, and on a budget. Unlike most red wines, this one is recommended to be served cold which adds to its drink-ability.  Because of it’s unique combination of flavors, this can be drunk alone or used in a mixture of recipes which I have provided below courtesy of Chocovine.

Ladys Night
2 oz Chocovine
1 oz Raspberry Liqueur

Mon Cheri
2 oz Chocovine
1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/4 oz Cherry Liqueur

Serve in a Martini Glass

Treasure Island
1 1/2 oz Chocovine
1/2 oz Banana liqueur
1 1/4 Coconut rum

Serve in a Martini Glass

Find more recipes at Chocovine