30 Oct There will be Halloween candy…and there will be wine…so pair them!

Wine snobs wouldn’t even think of pairing Halloween candy with wine.

But we’re not wine snobs.  We are wine pragmatists.  We know there is a high likelihood you have Halloween candy.  And if you’re reading this website, there’s an even higher likelihood you have wine.

You will eat the candy.  You will drink the wine.

Why not pair them in a way that will make each taste better?  Pragmatism in action.

Here are popular Halloween candies paired with wine in a way that brings out the best in both.

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Kit Kat and Zinfandel or Malbec

The marriage of Kit Kat’s crispy rice wafer with chocolate works well on its own but works even better when paired with the fruity, peppery nature of quality Zinfandels.  One caveat:  there are many inexpensive, sub-par zins on the market.  The better the zin, the better the pairing with Kit Kat.  You could also try Malbec here.

Sour Patch Kids and Riesling

Opposites attract.  Sour Patch Kids, laced with tartaric and citric acids, taste sour.  Riesling is usually (not always but usually) on the sweet side.  Bite a Kid, sip a Riesling and they cancel each other out…in a good way.  Sounds like a weird combination until you try it.

M & M’s and Port or Cabernet Sauvignon

This might seem like a contradiction.  How can a big tannic Cabernet Sauvignon and a sweet fortified Port both pair well with the same candy?  I’m not sure.  All I know is we poured the Cab and the Port in our office, grabbed handfuls of milk chocolate M & M’s, tried the different combinations and workplace productivity fell to an all-time low for the rest of that afternoon.

Candy Corn and Sparkling Wine

What wine could you possibly match with super-sweet, waxy candy corn?  Before you say “none”, try sparkling wine/champagne.  The average bottle of Champagne-style wine has over one million bubbles. Those bubbles hold their own when matched with the waxy texture of the candy corn.

Those are just a few combos that will make your All Hallow’s Eve more interesting.

And there’s nothing to stop you from trying others.  Milk Duds and Merlot anyone?

Happy Halloween!