Trick or Tawny? 10 Halloween candy and wine pairings

It’s that time of the year when an army of young children come to your door, asking ‘trick or treat?’, but adults enjoy the event too, by pairing sweets with wine.

Pinot Noir with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Pinot goes with a number of fruity sweets and is a glorious combination with a number of staples of the Halloween pot, such as Fruit-tella or Refreshers. But the earthiness of the variety is a wonderful complement to the nutty, salty, creaminess of Reese’s Butter Cups.

Chardonnay with Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer

The smooth outer layer and crisp wafer with gooey caramel is a fantastic match for the buttery, clean minerality of chilled Chardonnay.

Cabernet Sauvignon with Snickers or Oreos

A New World Cab Sav, perhaps a bold Napa cult wine or a spicy Chilean or a South Australian bottle, works wonders with the boldness and saltiness of the nuts and caramel of the Snickers. Also recommended with Oreos with the dark, bitter biscuit and creamy vanilla filling a wonderful match.

Port with Double Decker

The thick, tough gooey nougat and crispy mess of a Double Decker is beautifully matched with the thick, sweet intensity of fortified wine. The caramel, peanuty, plum, raisin, and walnut flavours of Port are an indulgence made in heaven. Recommended for Christmas too.

 Zinfandel with Haribo Tangfastics 

Zinfandel’s fruity and spicy profile is a carnival for the tongue with these gelatinous, zesty sweets.

Sauvignon Blanc with Sour Patch Kids

The acidity and citrus-led flavour of a Sauvignon Blanc with its green apple, passion fruit, peach and gooseberry and hits of lemon could not be better matched with these tart little sweets.

Syrah with Minstrels 

The dark, full tobacco and plum of Syrah works in a deep, satisfying way in the mouth with the tough shell and creamy milk chocolate interior of these buttons.

Riesling with Skittles

A complex Riesling comes with tasting notes that match the colours of the Skittles rainbow: apricot, nectarine, peach, apple, pear, pineapple, lime, lemon. Try a different Skittle for each mouthful of wine. There are also a number of varieties of Skittles now, including squishy ones, sour ones, and even those with sweet heat.

Rosé with Starburst

A chilled, fresh rosé works wonders with the bursting fruitiness of Starburst. Similar to the Skittles, try a sip of wine with each sweet.

Champagne with Nerds

Nothing quite beats this on the tongue. The bubbles and effervescence of good fizz with the tangy Nerds, dropped in little morsels into the mouth, is something special.