Sweets And Sips

Children don’t have to be the only ones enjoying the Halloween spoils. Try pairing your childhood favorite candies with adult treats. Mairin Moore, owner of Hummingbird Wine Bar, advises which wines to pair with which candies based on their flavor profiles.

Chocolate:
M&M’s, Hershey’s Bar

Braida Brachetto d’Acqui

“This sweet, sparkling red is served chilled and is a perfect match for chocolate. It can even stand up to the bitter notes in dark chocolate. If you like chocolate-covered strawberries, you’ll love this duo. We get this wine in seasonally around Halloween and Valentine’s Day or by request. Another great option is Bava Rosetta Malvasia di Nero, a similar sweet red that we always have available by the glass. A dry, chilled red also works. Try Las Jaras Glou Glou or the Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Indie Bookstore Light Red, both fairly versatile and great for all-night snacking and sipping.”

Sour/Fruity:
Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst

Frisk Prickly Riesling

“This off-dry, slightly sparkling wine from Australia is a great complement to anything sweet and sour. We love this light, effervescent, and only slightly sweet wine with our sour candies because the candy highlights the wine’s natural fruit flavors, while the bubbles add an electric tingle to puckered mouths. This is a Hummingbird staple that we serve year-round by the glass. Not into sweet wine? Ask for Bonny Doon Picpoul or Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc for a zestier match.”

Caramel:
Twix, Milky Way

El Maestro Sierra PX

“It’s great on its own, but if you’re looking for that Ratatouille fireworks moment, have it with chocolate and caramel. If you can crumble some Twix bars over vanilla ice cream and pour the sherry right on top, even better. Not into sweet wine? Ask for a sparkling rosé. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that doesn’t shine with a bubbly, fruity, high-acid wine with persistent creamy bubbles. Ask our somms on staff for their current favorites.”

Crispy Wafer:
Crunch Bar, KitKat

Wine & Soul Manoella 10-year Tawny Port

“Unlike many port wines made predominantly from touriga nacional, this one comprises a field blend of over 30 different varieties. It’s then aged in chestnut barrels for 10 years before release, yielding a beautifully complex and smooth wine. Expect heady aromas of fig and nuts, with a palate of dried dark cherries, toasted coconut, and honey. It’s fabulous with milk chocolate candy like KitKat and Kinder, but it’s also a match for Almond Joy or Mounds. Or, look for a light, fruit-forward red like our Craven Cinsaut from South Africa.”

Candy Corn

Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Red Label

“Why not pair one of the most controversial, oft-reviled candies with one of the most renowned wine styles of all time, sometimes referred to as ‘liquid gold’ or the ‘wine of kings’? Tokaji is a superb dessert wine from Hungary made from Botrytized Furmint grapes. To me, it’s the only dessert wine that retains enough acidity to wipe candy corn’s waxy, tongue-coating film away with ease. Tokaji’s flavor profile of rich honey, dried apricots, ginger, and yellow plums actually makes candy corn seem less saccharin and just plain pleasant. Not into sweet wine? Go for a high-acid Chardonnay. We like Triga, a barrel-fermented stunner from Spain with toasty notes that play off candy corn’s rich butterscotch flavor.”

Peanut:
Snickers, Reese’s, Butterfinger

M. Chapoutier Banyuls

“We love this complex dessert wine from the Roussillon in France. Made from predominantly Grenache Noir, it has layers of warm spice and dried fruit that really complement nutty chocolate desserts. Think about the sweet and salty combo of a peanut M&M, and it really makes sense. For a less sweet taste, try a juicy, dark Merlot or Zinfandel to capture the PB&J vibes. Selby Merlot or Turley Zinfandel would both do the trick for this treat.”