If this story began and ended with three words—chocolate and wine—it would be enough. The perfection of this divine duo is universally accepted, even by medical professionals—meaning that after we share an article citing chocolate’s health benefits to our Facebook profile, we can smugly proceed with enjoying the very chocolate and wine we would have consumed anyway.
But fine chocolate wasn’t something Foxcroft Wine Co., a wine shop and bar, originally set out to highlight. In fact, Shawn Paul, Foxcroft’s wine operations director, points out that wine and chocolate are a much trickier pairing than most of us think. Nevertheless, when a customer craving a sweet end to his meal requested something “chocolatey” a few years ago, Chef Justin Solomon answered with house-made chocolates. They proved so enormously popular that his “weekend special” never left Foxcroft’s menu. Listed simply as “signature dark chocolates,” the small squares arrive on a small plate. You might ignore them at first until you take the first bite.
Made from Colombian dark chocolate, each square contains a sublime filling that varies weekly according to the season and the culinary team’s inspiration. The soft fillings range broadly, including avocado and sea salt, s’mores, lemon curd, spiced nuts, peppermint crunch, and cardamom ganache. They are designed to enhance that last glass of wine—which you should definitely order, letting the team at Foxcroft guide you to an unexpected pairing that will remind you just what it is we all love about chocolate and wine.
Foxcroft Wine Co., 631 S Main St, Greenville. (864) 906-4200, foxcroftwine.com/greenville
