October means it’s time for HALLOWEEN. This is a post dedicated to my best friend, because she’s obsessed with Halloween and I know that she would be happy to know that I’ve written something for her favorite holiday. I’ve taken a few popular Halloween candies and paired wine with them because why not? Some of the wine elitists out there are rolling their eyes at the thought of wine and candy together, but wine is subjective and these are fun pairings.
Without further ado, here are some wine and candy pairings that’ll spook the elitists:
1. Twix + Chardonnay
Twix is a pretty sweet candy with milk chocolate, caramel, and shortbread cookies all in one. I feel like Twix is one of those classic candies that everyone got in their bag while trick-or-treating. Now that I am a drinking-age adult, I’ve paired it with Chardonnay aged in oak. I like that the Twix has a buttery cookie and creamy caramel, which enhances the buttery, vanilla flavors of the wine. This pairing may not be for everyone, but I think it’s awesome!
2. Reese’s + Lambrusco
Honestly, I pair a lot of things with Lambrusco. I think Lambrusco can be really versatile and that’s one of the things I love about it. I really enjoy the taste of chocolate with red wine, but because Lambrusco is an off-dry to semi-sweet red, it contrasts with the saltiness of the peanut butter while complementing the sweetness of the chocolate. Reese’s is the BEST chocolate out there IMO and Lambrusco is my favorite sweet wine. It’s subjectively the perfect pairing.
3. Snickers + Pinot Noir
Snickers is a candy that has a lot going on (peanuts, caramel, chocolate, nougat), which means it needs a wine that will complement it instead of overpower its flavors. Pinot Noir is a light to medium-bodied red that won’t take away from the flavor of the Snickers. The Snickers will bring out more richness from the Pinot Noir and the salty peanuts will bring out more of the fruit aromas in the Pinot Noir. If you don’t like this pairing, it’s not my fault, but in my defense, you’re not you when you’re hungry.
4. Sour Patch Kids + Sauvignon Blanc
Sour Patch Kids are well… sour. That’s why I recommend pairing it with a white wine that’s high in acidity such as Sauvignon Blanc. You could even try something with higher acidity, but Sauvignon Blanc tends to be widely available and easier to find. The acid from the sour sugar and the acid in the wine will “cancel” each other out, allowing the flavors of the wine and the sour patch kids to really shine through. Plus, Sauvignon Blanc is not too citrusy which allows you to really taste the fruity flavors of the Sour Patch Kids.
5. Starburst + Dry Rosé
Starburst are full of citrus, strawberry, and cherry flavors which makes them the perfect pairing with dry Rosé. Depending on the Rosé, it can have flavors of citrus, strawberry, watermelon, and cherry. These flavors match nicely with the pink and red Starburst, plus the acid in the wine will pair beautifully with the slight tartness of Starburst. Let’s be real… only the pink ones get eaten.
