These Halloween Wine And Candy Pairings Actually Taste Amazing

Wine and chocolates go hand in hand. The sweetness of white and milk chocolate complemented by a bright wine, the bitterness of dark chocolate paired with tannins in red – it’s a classic dessert pairing.

So, as Halloween approaches, the combinations of wine and candy emerge. Yes, chocolate is the main choice for wine pairing, but what about those leftover gummy worms? Or those Skittles? Can you even pair ridiculously sweet, tangy candy with wine?

I’m here to tell you: yes, there are many ways to pair your Halloween candy with your favorite wines. Adult desserts have never been so delicious.

Chocolate and Wine Pairings

We’ll start off with the classic pairing I mentioned earlier: wine and chocolate. 

If you love dark chocolate, the obvious choice is to pair it with a tannin-filled red wine, like Merlot. The tannins’ bitterness complements the dark chocolate’s bitterness, but the leftover sweetness in the chocolate keeps the wine pairing from combining into a one-note, bitter party.

If you have milk chocolate, a Pinot Noir wine is the way to go. Milk chocolate is silky, melt-in-your mouth delicious, and Pinot Noir has light tannins that are perfect for tempering the sweetness while maintaining the smoothness of the chocolate.

White chocolate is the sweetest of them all, so it’s best to go with a white wine. Pinot Grigio has less of a vanilla taste than Chardonnay, but it still has sweeter notes, so the combination of white chocolate and white wine won’t overwhelm your palate with sugar. 

Finally, chocolate combinations – think caramel and peanut butter – can still pair with wines, no matter how odd that may seem. 

For rich peanut butter, like in Reeses, Banyuls dessert wine is sweet to cut through the fat. If you’re dining on caramels, Oloroso Sherry wine has fruity, subtly-nutty notes that pair nicely with the savory caramel. And if you love your Milky Ways, nougat pairs well with Madeira, a sweet wine with caramel, walnut, and burnt sugar tasting notes.

Gummies and Chenin Blanc

I know, I know. Who wants to eat gummy bears and worms with wine? Well, some do – especially if it’s the only dessert available, or, like me, gummies are a weakness.

The best choice for a wine and gummy pairing is Chenin Blanc. Gummies are notoriously sweet, and Chenin Blanc’s fruity notes play into those bears and worms. On top of this, the wine, made from white grapes, is filled with acidity, giving your tongue a slight zing.

Candy Corn and Chardonnay 

Candy corn, the controversial candy, is super sweet, and one of the main draws is its added buttery taste. Therefore, a Chardonnay is the best choice for the classic Halloween candy, thanks to its own buttery taste cutting through candy corn’s pure sugar.

Fruity Candy and Wine Pairings 

If you’re into Starbursts, you know there’s a slight sourness that hits after the first fruity chew. Moscato is low acid, contrasting the after-bite of the Starbursts. It’s still sweet and has a fruity aroma, pairing nicely while balancing out the sour.

If you like Skittles, Sauvignon Blanc is the right move. There are so many fruity flavors combined with sugar in a Skittles package, so it’s important to find a wine that complements the fruit while cutting down on the sugar with some acidity. Enter: Sauvignon Blanc, which is light and refreshing.

At the end of the night, either your kids will be dumping out (way too much) candy from their bags, or you’ll have leftover packets from your own bowl. So open that bottle, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy those Starbursts — you deserve it.

What are your favorite wine pairings? Are you a chocolate and wine gal, or do you prefer gummies and fruits? Tell us in the comments!

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