Bar of the Week: Valrhona Gran Couva 2005

Region: Caribbean
Bean Type: Trinitario
Cocoa Content: 64%

It has been said that chocolate is the new wine, and this bar by French chocolate maker Valrhona takes that saying one step further. Using single estate beans from the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean, Gran Couva debuted as the first bar in Valrhona's vintage series. Our featured bar this week was created with beans exclusively from the 2005 harvest, and while it may not sound appetizing tasting a bar that was made three years ago, dark chocolate can last for a very long time when stored properly. It has also been reported that the flavors of some dark chocolates can improve with age, but this claim is still being studied, partially due the inability of researchers to leave a bar of chocolate lying around for more than a week. Stop by the store this week and ask for our tasting notes or pick up a bar yourself and let us know what you think.