While cheese and wine are a perfectly delicious pairing, we’ve got something different in mind when the Halloween season rolls around.
Wine and candy are both delicious on their own, of course, but when you know the ideal flavor pairings, they can make for a palette-pleasing duo that is next-level delicious.
To come up with a list of proper pairings, the writers at Food52 asked a sommelier for her recommendations about which wines pair best with various Halloween candies. The trick, according to the sommelier, is making sure the wine is sweeter than what you are eating, and also ensuring that the intensity of flavors are matched.
Here are some of the pairings she recommended for iconic candies:
Candy Corn
Candy corn, with it’s slight savoriness, pairs best with an amontillado because the sherry is slightly sweet and very flavorful. This wine will bring out the sweet undertones of this iconic — yet divisive — Halloween treat. If candy corn and coffee is a pairing that also sounds delicious to you, check out our instructions on how to order a Candy Corn Cold Brew from the secret menu at Starbucks.
Milk Chocolate
It turns out that milk chocolate and port are a perfect match! The port is light and fresh, which in turn enhances the berry notes found in the chocolate. So a glass of port should go down nicely with a handful of Hershey’s Kisses.
Peanut Butter-Chocolate
Peanut butter and chocolate make a phenomenal duo alone, but pairing them with a chardonnay can make them even more delicious! Chardonnay’s acidity will cut through the fat of peanut butter, so you are able to enjoy the nutty flavor. So, if you’ve got surplus Reese’s Cups after Trick or Treat, grab the chardonnay!
Sour Candies
A full-bodied, rich wine like a chenin blanc will round out the intensity of sour candies, such as Warheads or Sour Patch Kids.
Caramel
When eating caramel, you’ve got choices for your best pairing: enjoy a glass of a dark sherry, rich malbec or merlot. These wines will provide a sweet berry effect to counteract the salty caramel taste. Who doesn’t love a sweet and salty combo?
Gummy Bears
Gummy bears pair best with pinot gris. This floral wine will bring out the flavors and intriguing aroma of the gummy bears. Meanwhile, if Fireball Whisky is more your style, try some boozy gummy bears infused with that spicy cinnamon liquor!
Coconut
Coconut-flavored candies and a really dark wine that’s been aged in oak complement each other extremely well. This could include everything from a cabernet sauvignon to a red blend. These wines give a bitter tone, which helps to offset some of the sweetness your coconut candy brings.
We even put all the pairings into a handy chart to make it a cinch to keep track of them. You can save the image to your phone for easy access when it comes time to pick out a bottle.
Choose your favorite(s) and enjoy!
[h/t: The Huffington Post]
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