After lunch
Chocolate & coffee
A square of dark with the espresso, once the table slows down. Look for a chocolate that stands up to the bitterness without doubling it.
Ask for the pairingChristmas 2026
The right chocolate, for every name on the list.
Tell the sommelier who you are shopping for, what they like and what you want to spend. It chooses from its catalogue and explains why, before you set foot in a shop.
For Christmas, I'm looking for a chocolate to give.
Ask the sommelierThe December list
A list, not a basket.
You don’t choose a chocolate for Christmas, you choose one for someone. Start with the person; the sommelier takes care of the bar.
- Dad, who swears by 85%Very dark, barely sweet, a long finish. He will tell you if he is disappointed.Ask Ask
- Gran, loyal to milk chocolateRound, gentle, something that tastes of childhood teatimes.Ask Ask
- The sister-in-law who doesn’t eat dairyA proper present, not a fallback.Ask Ask
- The friend who has tasted everythingYou need to surprise them. A bean, a process, a story.Ask Ask
- The kids, for their stockingsMild, indulgent, no alcohol, easy to share without a squabble.Ask Ask
- The colleague you drew for Secret SantaA small budget, good taste, no way to get it wrong.Ask Ask
Each line opens the conversation with the question already asked. You can rephrase it.
At the table
Christmas pairings
Chocolate doesn’t only belong under the tree. Four moments at the festive table, and the question to ask for each.
Explore all pairingsBy the fire
Chocolate & mulled wine
Cinnamon, orange, clove: a chocolate that answers the spices rather than drowning them out.
Ask for the pairingChristmas Eve
Chocolate & mince pies
Dried fruit, peel and warm pastry. A chocolate with fruity notes to carry the mincemeat a little further.
Ask for the pairingFor pudding
Chocolate & Christmas pudding
Beside the pudding, or melted into the sauce: a chocolate that keeps its character next to rich fruit.
Ask for the pairingChristmas Eve eve, and you still have time.
XOCOA sells nothing and ships nothing: no parcel to wait for, no last order date. Ask the sommelier for a chocolate that is usually easy to find at a good chocolatier, wine shop or deli, with a second option in case the first is not on the shelf.
Find a last-minute presentChristmas questions
Describe what you do know: their age, what they drink, whether they take their coffee black or prefer sweet puddings. The XOCOA sommelier turns those clues into a taste profile and suggests bars from its catalogue that fit, explaining why.
No. XOCOA does not sell or ship chocolate. The sommelier helps you choose bars from its catalogue; you then buy them from the chocolatier, wine shop or deli of your choice, and put the hamper together yourself.
It is a lovely one to build yourself: a few bars broken into squares, arranged from gentlest to most intense, or from one flavour to the next. Ask the sommelier for a progression of tastes and it will suggest a tasting order.
Mention the constraint in your question. The sommelier filters its suggestions using the information in its catalogue. For an allergy, always check the label on the bar when you buy it.
A coffee, a smoky tea, a sweet wine or simply a few clementines. Tell the sommelier what will be on the table and it will suggest a pairing and how to serve it.
Not necessarily. Ask the sommelier for a chocolate that is usually easy to find in a good shop, and keep an alternative in mind. Availability depends on the shop; XOCOA does not know it.
Every table of the festive season.
From Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, every occasion has its question. Start with yours, the sommelier does the rest.