INFUSION COLLECTION 002.
THE STORY
Johnty recalls the first time he drank Sauternes vividly. In 2019, at the end of one of the best meals of his life at Jano Bistro in Wellington, dessert was served, and with it a curious glass of soft golden-orange coloured wine. The sommelier explained it was a sweet wine from France, with notes of stone fruits, citrus and honey. Perplexed at the concept, Johnty drank. He then smiled in amazement. With a definitive taste of apricot and honey, a new interest had been discovered, and in retrospect, this bar was born.
After the success of our Port bar, we decided to begin developing other chocolate bars following the same line of thought. Wine had proven difficult to work with due to its tendency to oxidise before the infusion process was complete, so the idea was shelved. That all changed when we began working with our VRAE 99 Cacao from Juan Laura in Pichari Alta, Cusco. The flavours of the cacao reminded us of Sauternes, and on whim; a moment of inspiration, 6 bottles of Sauternes were purchased and the testing began. We made it once, sent some of the bars to be judged at ICA Asia-Pacifc, and sold the rest at our debut appearance at the Australian Chocolate Festival.
Our first-ever test was recognised as the 4th highest-scoring flavoured dark chocolate bar in Asia-Pacific, and we knew we were onto something very special. The results continued later into 2025 where the bar also scored a silver medal at the AOC awards in London, and won a bronze at the ICA world final, taking home the special prize for alcohol amongst some fierce competition from some of our chocolate-making idols.
Johnty is often asked what his favourite bar is. While his lips remain sealed around the topic, it's safe to say that this bar, which rapidly became a breakthrough bar for us last year, would be highly considered.
THE CHOCOLATE:
Utilising infusion, we have created a truly unique chocolate bar celebrating one of the most famous dessert wines in the world. Sauternes from Bordeaux are renowned as the gold standard for sweet wines, often with flavourers of stone fruit and honey. These notes match perfectly with our floral and fruity VRAE 99 for an unforgettable tasting journey.
THE PRODUCER:
Juan Laura, a farmer from Pichari Alta (High Pichari) in northern Cusco, produces a variety of single-harvest genetics, with our favourite being VRAE-99. Known for its floral and fruity characteristics, it really is the perfect match for Sauternes. Juan Laura is one of the last remaining producers we are yet to visit, but we have met multiple times at the Salon del Cacao in Lima. They are a full family operation, with the wife and two daughters all actively involved in the business. Their cacao is hard to secure and fetches a high price, but we feel it's absolutely worth it.
HISTORY:
With a production history dating back to the 16th Century, and heavily influenced by the Dutch merchants’ desire for sweeter wines to sell to Scandinavian customers, Sauternes wine from Bordeaux has been perfected over centuries, solidifying its place in the world as one of the most sought-after dessert wines. The key to its incredible flavour and sweetness comes from the application of the natural process of noble rot, which requires a set of specific weather conditions to sweeten the grapes naturally. The fungus, also known as Botrytis cinerea, thrives in humid mornings followed by sunny, dry afternoons. It penetrates the grape’s skin, allowing water to evaporate. As a result, the sugars and acids concentrate, producing a juice with intense and complex flavours, the most typical notes being stone fruit, citrus, and honey
BAR INFO:
72% Dark chocolate, infused with Sauternes wine from Bordeaux
Tasting notes: Peach, apricot, honey
50g
INGREDIENTS: Cacao Mass* (Cacao Nibs, Sauternes), Cane Sugar. *Organic
Contains: Sulphites
May Contain: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tree Nuts (Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pecan, Macadamia, Pistachio)
Storage: Cool, dry place. Do Not Refrigerate
Proudly made in the Wairarapa region, Aotearoa New Zealand.
