Red wine hot chocolate was one of the hottest drink trends this winter. So we just had to put it to the test to see what all the commotion was about.

We teamed up with local blogger Marie Bucklin who writes about all things chocolate and wine on her blog, Chocolate and Wine Blog. How perfect, right? Marie tested out a Red Wine Hot Cocoa recipe using our 90+ Cellars Lot 53 Cabernet Sauvignon. Here are her thoughts…

I love hot chocolate, especially when it’s super creamy and extra indulgent. I wanted to see how the 90+ Cellars Lot 53 Cabernet Sauvignon would elevate milk chocolate and dark chocolate, so I tried both.

By far, the Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa was the best. Hands down. Zero question. The fruitiness of the Cab gave the cocoa a raspberry and plum-esque flavor that’s delicious on its own or, if you’re feeling fancy, would be fantastic paired with a cheese plate.

I didn’t add extra sugar to either cocoa because I really wanted the chocolate to shine through and be the sweetener here, but I think I would add a bit to the dark chocolate cocoa. It might have been that I used a high cocoa bar (70% dark) which made it a little too intense as a hot drink, so lowering that cocoa content could also help.

Red Wine Hot Cocoa (makes 2 servings)

• 12 oz milk (I used 1%)
• 6 oz half and half or light cream
• 4 ounces high quality chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine – Lot 53 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bring the saucepan to medium heat on the stove. Add milk, half & half (or cream) and bring to a simmer but do not let it boil. Add chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted. Add wine and continue stirring until the mixture is hot, about 3 minutes. Serve in two large mugs.

So, what’s the result? A big time YUM… just make sure to use the right ingredients.

Read Marie’s full blog post here (includes a Red Blend Brownie recipe).