How to Pair Wine with Chocolate Chip Cookies

And help California wineries hurt by the recent wildfires

Thanks to guest editor Barbara Gorder, wine and food expert, marketing CEO and all-round nifty human.

Why Wine? California has had yet another unprecedented fire season. As many as 17,000 firefighters were deployed in the state to fight 26 wildfires over 4 million acres, and destroying lives and homes.

Wineries have suffered as well, with a significant part of the 2020 harvest lost to fire. The Covid-19 pandemic has also decimated tourism and winery special events. Small family vintners are doing their best under the circumstances, but purchasing California wine right now is a great way to support small businesses and give back to the vintner community after such a difficult year. Luckily, you can order wine straight from the links on this page. (All the money goes straight to the wineries, marissarothkopf.com is just the conduit.)

Which wine? The goal of an amazing wine pairing is to balance the tastes in the food and wine so that the subtle flavors can beautifully emerge. Below are some pairing suggestions and links to buy the wine straight from the vintner.

Bittersweet chocolate + caramel rich cookies

Try a port wine: Prager Winery + Port Works port wine and a bittersweet chocolate chip cookie are a comforting goodnight hug. The Prager Family has been in Napa Valley for 40 years and have an amazing array of go-to ports, including Vintage Port, Tawny Port, White Port, as well as Petite Sirah and Late Harvest Riesling table wines. Click to visit the Prager Family Winery website.

Belden Barns Syrah: High up on Sonoma Mountain, Nate Belden and his family are making a special Syrah that combines old-world winemaking techniques with the best of California freshness. Syrah is a fantastic pair when notes of bittersweet and caramel come together for a divine result with an exceptional cookie. The “biggest” wine in their portfolio is a 2016 Estate Syrah that has been barrel-aged for 29 months. The result is an inky and sultry syrah with “verve.” Visit Belden Barns for more: https://beldenbarns.com/product/2016-estate-syrah

Buttery, crispy cookies

Schramsberg Demi-Sec Champagne: The Davies Family successfully fought the fires that came to their historic 19th Century property in 2020. Their sparkling wines have been served in every White House since the 1960’s. Their cremant demi-sec is a delicious paring when you are savoring a chocolate chip cookie that is all about the butter. The cremant offers a light effervescence, with a “creamier” texture and exotic notes. Visit and shop here: https://shop.schramsberg.com/SHOP.AMS?LEVEL=MID&CAT=CR

Crun-chewy chocolate chip cookies

Ramey Chardonnay: Dave Ramey is the Dean of American Chardonnay. Ramey’s wines are known for delicate balance and delicious flavor. His 2018 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is exceptional thanks to mild weather, which yielded more fruit. Visit Ramey Chardonnay here: https://rameywine.com/wine-release/2