Our friends at Hob Nob wine recently sent us a Halloween present of wine and candy. Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than that. If you added ice cream, you would be combining all of my vices. Plus the Hob Nob Halloween gift gave us an idea for an article on wine-candy pairings for adult trick or treating this Halloween.
We thought that the wine and candy pairing was a brilliant idea for Halloween. For all of those folks out there who love wine or don’t want to spend their Halloween whipping up cocktails (or don’t have time to batch them before the party), the wine-candy pairing party is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday! Conveniently for us, Hob Nob wines also sent us a nice little summary of major wine varietals (those represented by Hob Nob wines) and their recommended candy pairings. We tweaked the list and then augmented it with a few pairings of our own.
- California or Australian Cabernet Sauvignon with peanuts or peanut butter: The salty peanuts and peanut butter pairs nicely with the lush black fruits of California or Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Try a Reese’s or Snickers bar.
- Pinot Noir with dark chocolate raspberry or cherry truffles: The dark chocolate contrasts with the acidity of the Pinot Noir but the raspberry and cherry in the Pinot Noir and the truffles harmonize the flavors.
- Shiraz or Syrah with chocolate covered raisins: Dry Syrahs often appear sweet and some are almost even port-like in their intensity and flavor. The intense dark fruit and white pepper perfectly balances the chocolate covered raisins.
- Chardonnay and caramel: While I don’t normally recommend oaked Chardonnay (my personal preference), I would recommend a lightly oaked Chardonnay that displays a nice caramel flavor paired with actual caramel. If you buy a white Burgundy, then try salted caramel to enhance the salty minerality in the Burgundy.
- Sauvignon Blanc and gummy bear: The chewy texture of the gummy bear balances the acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc (and the thickness of the gummy bear is an interesting contrast to the lightness of the Sauvignon Blanc) and the flavors both match and contrast.
- Riesling and red licorice: The chewiness and sweetness of the red licorice pairs nicely with an off-dry Riesling. The chewiness offsets the acidity in the Riesling. Yummy!
- Sauternes and honeycomb chocolates (think English Crunchy bars): The sweetness of the honeycomb brings out the honey and honeysuckle notes in the Sauternes.
- Port and dark chocolate: Pair port with any nice dark chocolate or a number of dark chocolates. For kicks, try chocolate with sea salt! It’s the dessert of the wine-candy pairing. Save the best for last.
