June 1, 2005 Rich Chocolate Is chocolate the next wine? Left to up-and-coming chocolate maker Noka, the answer would be a resounding yes. Noka breaks its chocolates down by region, similar to the way wine makers do, with the emphasis on single-origin sources. The grapes — er, cacao, comes from plantations in Venezuela, Trinidad, Cote d'Ivoire and Ecuador. The emphasis is on purity, since the chocolates are made without vanilla or lecithin. No milk either, so we're talking dark chocolate only — except some fresh organic cream in the ganache truffle center. Noka is a young company, but their aim is high. High-end, that is. A single box of chocolates can run you $140 — okay, that's for the largest size, but it's still only 16 truffles. Each of this year's Golden Globe nominees got one. Less is more — at least you hope — when a two-piece box costs you $40. Drop the stainless lid and you've got their Encore collections — same chocolates, but now your $40 buys eight pieces. So how does it taste? A bite of Noka chocolate reveals a flavor that is not overly sweet. The tasting guides point out certain flavor notes such as acidity, citrus, tobacco, dark berries, coconut, etc. But if those flavors are there, our buds are way too inexperienced to pick up on them. Guess we'll just have to practice. Now if only we had the money for another box… Noka chocolates are available at NokaChocolate.com.