Giving chocolate
A chocolate chosen for someone, not picked at random.
Tell the XOCOA sommelier who the gift is for and what you know about their tastes. It suggests a few bars and explains why each one will suit them.
I'm looking for a chocolate to give.
Ask the sommelierWhy ask a sommelier instead of grabbing any gift box
It starts with the person, not the shelf.
The sommelier asks who the gift is for, what they already enjoy and what they avoid. A few questions are enough, and it stops asking as soon as it knows enough to suggest something.
It chooses from a catalogue of rated bars.
Every suggestion comes from a catalogue of described and rated bars. It only names what is in there, and never makes up a bar or a detail about one.
It explains each choice, and that writes the card.
For each bar, it says why it suits this particular person. Those two or three sentences are exactly what you want to write on the card that goes with the gift.
By occasion
Every gift has its context
- SeasonChristmasFor the table on Christmas Eve, the children's stockings or a Secret Santa at work: a choice made for each person rather than the same box for everyone.
- MomentsBirthdays, thank yous, hostsThe chocolate you bring to a dinner party is not the one you give to say thank you. Each occasion has its own page and a ready-made question for the sommelier.
- BusinessClients and teamsFor a client gift or something for your team, describe how many people and the tone you want, and the sommelier helps you put together a selection that hangs together.
The card
Writing the note that goes with it
The hard part is not always the choice, it is the card. Once you have found the bar, ask the sommelier for a short note: it starts from what it knows about the bar and the person, and writes you a few lines, warm or understated depending on the tone you want. You stay in charge; just ask it to try again.
Choose and write the noteYou ask
“It's for my sister, she's just moved house and loves coffee. Could you write me two lines for the card?”
Common questions about giving chocolate
You describe the person you are buying for, what they like, your budget and any dietary needs. If it needs to, the sommelier asks one or two questions, then suggests a few bars from its catalogue and explains why each one suits them.
Yes. Chatting with the sommelier and getting its recommendations costs nothing.
No. XOCOA recommends; it does not sell or ship anything. Once you have chosen, you buy the bar from the chocolate maker or a shop that stocks it.
Yes, mention it at the start: lactose-free, vegan, no hazelnuts or anything else. The sommelier treats it as a strict requirement. For a serious allergy, always check the ingredients list and any 'may contain' warnings on the packaging before you give it.
Give a range, for example under €10 or €10 to €25. The sommelier uses it as a limit when choosing. The actual price depends on the seller you buy from.
That is the most common case. Tell it what you do know about the person, even if it has nothing to do with chocolate: what they drink, what they cook, whether they have a sweet tooth. The sommelier works out a first suggestion from that, and you refine it together.
Whatever the occasion, start with the person.
Tell the sommelier who the gift is for. It asks the right questions, then suggests and explains.