Ready for Halloween? Then you’re ready for Halloween candy and wine! Ten or so years ago, my wine-loving friend Len and I came up with pairings for Halloween candy and wine. Since Halloween candy is so sweet, we overlooked the traditional rule of having the wine be sweeter than the food. Sweet wine atop sweet candy felt like too much. This year I decided to consult with some experts.
Let’s Start with a Great Graphic
A big thank you to eRNDC for their wonderful graphic, along with their great notes.
Now for Expert Halloween Candy and Wine Recommendations
| Wine | Notes, Primarily from the Recommenders | |
| Tootsie Roll | Giant Eagle recommends:
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These wines have just “the right heft to complement the milk chocolatey sweetness.” |
| Hershey Bars and M&Ms | Bright Cellars recommends:
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The fruit notes in both of these wines pair well with gooey milk chocolate. |
| Candy Corn | WineEnthusiast recommends:
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Pairs well with the vanilla flavors |
| M&Ms | Bright Cellars recommends:
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The fruit notes in both of these wines pair well with gooey milk chocolate. |
| Baby Ruth, Snickers and other nutty candy bars | WineEnthusiast recommends:
Wow. Sherry, yes. But my Madeira (from V. Sattui) is too precious to use for Halloween 🙂 |
These wines complement rich nut flavors. |
| Sour Candies | eNRDC recommends:
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As you chew sour candies, they tend to get sweeter towards the end, making sparkling wine perfect in that the effervescence of the wine will cut through the sweetness lingering on your palette. |
| Red Licorice | eNRDC recommends:
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They say this pairing is brilliant. I will need to try it. |
| Taffy | Again, eNRDC recommends:
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They say this is a match made in heaven. Woo hoo! |
| Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Bright Cellars recommends:
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The dark fruit flavors complement the nuttiness of the peanut butter, while notes of cocoa pair well with the chocolate. |
| Malted Milk Balls | Bright Cellars recommends:
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Full-bodied and bold, Petite Sirah can stand up to the malt flavor, plus it goes nicely with the milk chocolate shell. |
Now you’ve heard it from the experts.
The big questions for you are:
- Have you tried any of these combinations?
- Will you try any of them?
- What do you think of the ones you tried?
- Do you have other pairings that you recommend?
I would love to hear about your Halloween candy and wine adventures.
Happy Halloween!
