If you’re a long-time reader of this site, you know that I typically choose to review unique food products on my other website, Foodette Reviews. However, when I received these at the Fancy Food Show, I knew I had to write about them here. I’ve written extensively about a few of Bissinger’s product line on Foodette, because they’re easily one of my favorite artisanal companies. It’s a treat to find an older, classically styled chocolatier who is comfortable recreating standards as they are preserving them, and their chocolate-covered wine grapes are one of the nicest things I’ve had from them. 
Bissinger’s has a knack for creating candies that appeal to childhood nostalgia, yet are reformulated for an adult palate. I’ve waxed about lemon ginger yuzu gummies and have developed an addiction for ghost-chili caramels, but no other candy from them has enticed my palate as much as these have. Using dried Muscat grapes soaked in a potent mix of Bissinger’s own Shiraz wine and vodka extract for an additional kick, and covered in 60% dark chocolate, these are definitely not the Raisinets of your youth.
The grapes are decadent, ranging in size from smaller, Tic Tac-sized pieces to larger ones roughly the diameter of a nickel. The candies are not panned and tend to get a little scuffed in their bag. One thing I’ve noticed with the company is that their portions run toward the skimpy side. A bag of these is $7 for 3.5 ounces and yields maybe 25-30 grapes depending on the size, and if you’re using these to entertain you’ll need at least two bags. They’re incredibly easy to eat and have a crunchy outer texture and thick, gelatinous inner core with a slight chew from the raisin.
The dark chocolate is smoky and smooth and the raisin, while not exactly identifiable to a dried Muscat grape, is definitely infused with the wine and alcohol and carries a sweet, boozy flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste and an earthiness from the raisins. They taste like a poppable ruby Port. While these won’t replace a glass of wine with dinner, they certainly offer a charming supplement to wine and are a nice way to prolong the oenological bliss once the bottle is finished.
Bissinger’s Chocolate-Covered Wine Grapes
MSRP: $7
90/100
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