Chocolate and Terroir
There is an ongoing debate about whether chocolates, like wines, vary in flavor according to the region--or even the farm--from which the cocoa beans originate. Some serious chocolate tasters believe that the climactic conditions of a particular area can affect the flavor and consistancy of the chocolate made from that area's cacao beans. Variables such as temperature, the amount of rainfall, the type of soil present, and the presence of other crops growing in the area are also said to play a part in creating chocolate's complex flavor.
What Are Single-Origin Chocolates?
Traditional chocolates are made by combining beans from plantations all around the world. However, they can also be made using beans from a single area. These non-blended chocolates, called single origin or “Cru” chocolates, are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and are reviewed, classified and treated similarly to fine wines.These specialty chocolates are made using cacao beans from a single, identifiable, geographic location. This could mean a specific country, region of a country, or even a single plantation.
Regions
The cacao plant is extremely sensitive, and requires precise environmental conditions in order to produce fruit. As a result, the regions available to cocoa growers are limited to land within about 20 longitudinal degrees to the North and South of the equator. The most prominent chocolate growing countries include Venezuela, the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Ghana, and Trinidad. Venezuelan “criollo” chocolate, for example, is considered by many chocolate connoisseurs to be the finest in the world, but it's value may be due partially to the fact that it is generally too delicate to be grown in large quantities.
Why Single-Origin?
The best reason for blending chocolate from different regions to create a finished product is that this method helps to eliminate flaws and create a “rounded” finish. This is very similar to the practice of blending grapes from different areas to create a wine with the desired flavor, body, acidity, et cetera. Unfortunately, there are many instances in which companies use cacao blends to mask beans that are of a lesser quality. If the beans from a particular region are harsh or lacking in complexity, the harshness can be smoothed out or complexity increased by combining several different lower-quality types of cacao with different flavor profiles. The appeal of a single origin chocolate is that the flavor of the bean has nothing to hide behind. Unfortunately, many single origin bars lack the complexity needed to create a full-bodied experience, and as a result the chocolate tastes flat or plain. So, while eating single-origin chocolate can be a definitive chocolate experience, it can also be a disappointment--so choose your single-origin chocolate wisely!