The Curious Grape
Chocolate
Private Tastings/ Special Events
| Day | Winter Hours |
| Mon-Wed | 11-8pm |
| Thu | 11-8pm |
| Fri-Sat | 11-9pm |
| Sun | 12-6pm |
Sweet, rich, seductive. Chocolate is definitely not just for kids anymore! If you’re a certified chocoholic, you’ll find a selection to satisfy your wildest dreams at the Curious Grape, including:
· Sophisticated, flavor-infused chocolates
·
Locally-made
Artisan
Confections
and
· An array of outrageous truffles, sauces, hot cocoas, Fudge Fatale, chocolate-hazelnut spread, chocolate-infused dessert wines, and more!
Check out what the press is saying about our chocolate selection.
Even better, we offer frequent, FREE in-store chocolate tastings as well as fun, informative seminars on chocolate.
We also prepare decadent chocolate gift baskets for the sweet tooth on your list. Why send flowers when you can send a gift of the world’s best chocolate from the Curious Grape?!
Want to learn more about chocolate, or host a unique, entertaining event that will blow your friends away? Ask about our private chocolate tastings, featuring a range of some of the world’s best chocolates paired with wine in a fun, informative presentation – right in your home!
THE AREA’S LARGEST SELECTION OF SINGLE-ORIGIN CHOCOLATE
What are single-origin
chocolates? Chocolate is
made from cacao beans, harvested from pods growing on cacao
trees in tropical regions throughout the world. The vast
majority of the world’s cacao is regarded as “bulk beans”,
beans from inferior cacao
species, that are basically bought
by large chocolate companies based on price. Just a tiny
percentage of cacao (less than 6%) is regarded as “flavor
beans”, highly-sought after cacao from the best species of
trees, often grown by high-quality plantations that know how
to preserve the complex flavor nuances of their prized
beans. In the last couple of years, the world’s top chocolatiers have begun ferreting out these flavor beans in
places like Equador, Venezuela, and Trinidad, where some of
the choicest species can still be found. Rather than
blending the beans, they produce individual bars from the
beans of a single region, in order to showcase unique
characteristics, much the way a winemaker uses the grapes
from his best vineyard in a “reserve” or single-vineyard
wine.
The result is an exciting array of top-quality chocolates with complex, distinctive flavors. Depending on where the beans are from, some have a fruity, wine-like character; some have a rich, roasted coffee note; some are spicy, like the sandalwood in mens’ cologne.
We carry the area’s largest selection of single-origin chocolates, including chocolates made from a single, outstanding plantation (the ultimate in single-origin) from Valrhona & Michel Cluizel, hands down two of the top chocolatiers in the world.
SOPHISTICATED FLAVOR-INFUSED CHOCOLATES
In addition to focusing on quality beans, today’s top chocolatiers are pushing the flavor envelop, with sophisticated combinations that will definitely change the way you think of chocolate. We have one of the area’s largest selections of fabulous, oh-so-adult, flavor-infused chocolates like Lavendar & Blueberry, Smoked Almonds & Sea Salt, Chai, and Chocolate spiced up with chilis and chicory from some of the country’s hippest chocolatiers, including Vosges and Dagoba.
LOCALLY-MADE ARTISAN
CONFECTIONS
Praised by the Washingtonian and Washington Post, Artisan Confections are hand-made by local pastry chef and former art history major, Jason Andelman, using only the finest ingredients -- including all Valrhona chocolate, fine aged rum, and fresh, local flavorings like mint and honey. The chocolates are then imprinted with art designs created by local artists. A portion of the proceeds from each box goes to support Arlington Arts. Available in 12 and 24-piece boxes.
4056 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206, TEL. 703-671-8700