Wine and Candy Pairings
I’ve never (consciously) mixed candy and wine, but have you ever had that awful taste of orange juice right after you brush your teeth? Sugar and dry wine can have the same affect, making the wine taste bitter and gross. Whether you have a sweet tooth or are just looking for fun wine recommendations, here are some pairings to look into!
Milk Chocolate (M&M’s, Hershey bars)
Sometimes, Halloween chocolate candy can be sickly sweet for me. Especially the milk chocolate candies like the fun-sized Hershey’s bars, Mr. Goodbar or even M&M’s (with their additional candy coating). Because you’re already dealing with ultra sweet flavors, a pairing that would work here would be a lighter to medium-bodied red wine. We don’t need tannins here, and we want something that isn’t too bold, to match the light palate of milk chocolate. A Pinot Noir, Gamay or Merlot could be great partners to milk chocolate candies. The fruitiness in the red wines can help bring out a fuller chocolate taste, enhancing the candy rather than covering it up with acidity or tannin structure. Look for unoaked, light - medium bodied reds with an abundance of fresh fruit flavors.
Chocolate Bars With Cookies/Wafers (KitKats, Twix, Snickers, Milky Way)
Those Halloween value packs always have an array of chocolate / wafer/biscuit like candies like KitKats, Twix, Snickers and Milky Way. Flavor-wise, these are essentially cookies, coated in milk chocolate. Did you know chocolate (especially dark chocolate) contains tannins? Just like the milk chocolate pairing, you’ll want to avoid mixing these candies with reds that are high in tannins, as they can clash. However, it won’t clash with dessert wines which can be fortified and have additional sugar like a Port. A good Port can compliment the light and fruity flavors and spice within chocolate. Moreover, a Tawny Port is known to have flavors of cinnamon, caramel and chocolate - upping your candy game with additional flavor (dare I say, making the candy bars better???). If the thought of a Port seems too overpoweringly sweet, look to another dessert wine, Sauternes, a white wine made mostly of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. For caramel-y and chocolate-y candies, the salt and caramel flavors bode nicely with the sweetness and richness of Sauternes, while the acidity of the wine refreshes the palate so you’re not stuck with that teeth-numbing sweetness.
Sugary Sweets! (Candy Corn, Peeps, Laffy Taffy)
This is the category of candy that you just KNOW gives you cavities the more you eat. Super sweet marzipan candy corn (yes, I know, controversial, but that debate is for another forum, not here), marshmallow-y Peeps, and taffy-like candies are unrelentingly sweet and require a thoughtful pairing to avoid disaster. Here, I’d suggest a Prosecco, or Sparkling Riesling that’s fruit-forward, crisp and simple. The fruity notes can complement the sugar, while crisp bubbles provide a foil to the undulating sweetness. Even an off-dry Rosé works here. If you’re a glutton for sugar with a ever-present sweettooth, you can always go the Sauternes route or pair with a creamy, crispy Chardonnay to further accentuate the sweetness and sugar.
Fruity Sour-Sweet (Starburst, Skittles, Jolly Ranchers)
These candies are sweet, but sour, and have some (albeit, artificial), fruit flavoring, whether its blue raspberry, watermelon, cherry, strawberry or orange (onetime I threw an all-pink party and spent over an hour picking out only pink Starbursts, to find that they actually sell bags of ONLY pink Starbursts 😅). You don’t want anything TOO dry or acidic here, as it can clash with the sour turn of the candy. Look for an off-dry Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc with notes of ripe stone fruit and/or melon. There’s typically enough acidity to cut through the sugar content, but the off-dry saves it from being too bracing. Rosé is also a good option here, as it picks up the range of fruit flavors (from strawberry, citrus, to cherry), further enhancing the taste.
Dark Chocolate (Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate)
Dark Chocolate lovers, rejoice! You do know Hershey’s does sell a Dark Chocolate Lovers mini candy pack (and who says it has to just be for Halloween???!)? Rich, dark chocolate calls for an equally rich, full-bodied wine that matches it - without overpowering the candy. Zinfandel is a good choice here - it’s full body, velvety texture, fruitiness brings out the best of a dark chocolate bar. It has just enough sugar content (and extra alcohol content) to keep your chocolate sweet without overpowering the flavors.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate (Reese’s)
Whoever thought up the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate was a mastermind (is that you, Mr. Reese’s?). Up that pairing and add in a Cabernet Sauvignon and you’re living the life of luxury! We know chocolate pairs well with berries (hello, chocolate-covered strawberries!) The salty, creamy peanut butter pairs well with the soft, dark fruitiness of the red, complimenting the nuttiness, while the milk chocolate meshes well with the warm fruit and tannin.
