Rhonda Carano, co-founder of Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, may be in the wine business, but growing up she was in awe of something a little sweeter.

"I have always had a fondness for delicious chocolate, as my grandmother was a chocolatier,” she says. “Some of my happiest memories are of watching her dipping chocolates on a marble slab.” 

And it was those memories that inspired her to work with Scharffen Berger Chocolate.

Beginning July 2, Ferrari-Carano’s Seasons of the Vineyard shop will become the flagship store for Scharffen Berger chocolates in Healdsburg Plaza in California. It will offer a range of gourmet chocolate for sale, wine and chocolate pairing events and a fun educational experience about bean-to-bar chocolate making.

“It seems like a match made in heaven for the discerning palates of Healdsburg residents and visitors alike to experience," Carano says.

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker was established in 1997 in San Francisco, California, and first earned national recognition for its artisan-quality chocolate in 1998.  All Scharffen Berger chocolate is composed of proprietary bean blends from up to nine different cacao-growing regions throughout the world.  

John Scharffenberger, who co-founded Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker with Robert Steinberg, says he’s really pleased with the new partnership.

“The complex layers in Scharffen Berger chocolate complement the well-developed flavors of Ferrari-Carano's wine," he explains.

Throughout the years, guests to Seasons of the Vineyard have enjoyed one-of-a-kind shopping experiences, signature wine tastings from Ferrari-Carano and Lazy Creek Vineyards, and live performances by local jazz musicians.

Now, Scharffen Berger chocolate's gourmet assortment of products, including gifts and baking chocolates, will be available for purchase in the boutique. The Seasons of the Vineyard tasting bar will also feature the Scharffen Berger chocolate in new, expertly coordinated wine and chocolate pairing events.

Since 1985, Ferrari-Carano has been a leading producer of world class, nationally acclaimed wines. Vintage after vintage, the wines exhibit a remarkable consistency of style and elegance.