Check out the new 2017 Candy and & Wine Matchmaker!
To really nerd out, check out the tasting notes from our wine experts:
Karen MacNeil
Candy Corn + Moscato
- Moscato and candy corn are a fantasmagorica of sweetness. Think candyland on steroids. The sugar in the candy corn amps up the fruitiness in the Moscato. Both taste better as a result. Try it: St. Supery Moscato or Castello del Poggio Moscato de Pavia
Almond Joy + Madeira
- The rich, caramelized, brown sugar nuttiness of Madeira is just waiting for coconut to come into its life. Both the Almond Joy and the wine have a certain weight and gravitas and they need each other the way Humphrey Bogart needed Lauren Bacall. Try it: Blandy's 10 Malmsey 10 Year Old Madeira
M&MS + Port
- The dark, sweet, black fig and dried fruit character of Port is a great counterpoint to the milk chocolate in M&Ms. The hard crunch of the candy shell is perfect with the soft pillow of lavishly textured Port. Try it: Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port
Joel Caruso
Tootsie Rolls + Amarone
- In order for a chocolate and wine pairing to work, the wine needs a lot of horsepower. Amarone, with its rich tones of leathered blackberry, strawberry, and currant has the strength to stand up to one of life's greatest pleasures, chocolate. Try it: Corte Guala Amarone or Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Whoppers + Cabernet Sauvignon
- The huge malty character of whoppers needs a wine with backbone and depth to keep from being overpowered by the malt and chocolate. I love dessert wine with Whoppers, but something more accessible is a ripe, bold Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Paso Robles. Try it: Parrish Family Silken or Mount Eden Vineyards Domaine Eden Cabernet Sauvignon
Jolly Ranchers + Gewürztraminer
- You need a dynamic wine with enough acid and depth to stand up to the berry Ranchers and mesh with citrus ones. Grand Cru Alsatian Gewürztraminer has strong lychee tones and low acidity, so the candy the reigns without drowning out the flavor of the wine. Try it: Maurice Schoech Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf Gewürztraminer or Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Alsace
Courtney Schiessl
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups + Sherry
- Reach for a bottle of Oloroso Sherry to toast the now-probably-sainted person who first married chocolate and peanut butter. Toasted nuts, caramel, raisins, and brown sugar, accented by salt, blend harmoniously with the rich flavor of a Reese’s. Try it: NV Bodegas Grant ‘La Garrocha’ Oloroso or Gonzalez-Byass Cristina Oloroso Abocado
Swedish Fish + Lambrusco
- Swedish Fish holds the title for best gummy Halloween candy—yup, I said it. They’re not too sweet, bursting with flavor, and just plain fun! Lambrusco’s berry and cherry flavors mirror those of the Swedish Fish, while underlying earth and floral notes add complexity. Try it: 2015 Cleto Chiarli ‘Vecchia Modena’ Lambrusco di Sorbar
Sour Patch Kids + Riesling
- If Sour Patch Kids are “first sour, then sweet,” off-dry German Riesling is just the opposite! The Riesling’s sugar hits first, countering the candy tartness, and finishes with a cleansing kick of acidity. Try it: 2015 Bex Riesling or Louis Guntrum Niersteiner Bergkirche Riesling Kabinett
Pixie Stix + Sauvignon Blanc
- These fruity tubes of sugar rush-inducing powder beg to be paired with something equally peppy and fun—Sauvignon Blanc! The juicy tropical fruit and refreshing acidity match well without any sugar to get in the way. Try it: 2014 Tiefenbrunner 'Turmhof' Sauvignon Blanc or Alpha Omega 1155 Sauvignon Blanc
Laura Burgess
Hershey Kisses + Zinfandel:
- The best wine contrasts creamy milk chocolate with ripe berry flavors. America’s sweetheart, Zinfandel, turns every bite into a raspberry cordial on the palate. Try it: 2014 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel
Sweet Tarts + Riesling
- Rieslings labeled “Spätlese” are sweet, but not dessert-level sweet, making them a great match for sour candy. Dominated by intense orange and candied lemon with touches of minerality, they make the candy taste less sour, enabling the eating of way too many packets at once! Try it: S.A. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese or Schloss Johannisberg Grunlack Spätlese Rheingau Riesling
Starburst + Moscato d’Asti
- The best Moscato d’Asti wines bring a refreshing sparkle to trick-or-treating frenzies with seductive orange aromas and candied citrus flavors. Like Starburst, Moscato d’Asti balances fruity sweetness with a tart tang. Try It: Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti Nivole or Ceretto Moscato d'Asti di S.Stefano
Morgan Harris
Twizzlers + Brachetto d'Acqui
- The appeal of Twizzlers is the chewy texture and that synthetic raspberry-strawberry-cherry flavor. Piedmont's Brachetto marries brambly, wild fruit, and perfumed red floral aromas with a pleasant sweetness and easy-going bubbles, it's basically nature's liquid Twizzlers. Try it: Giulio Cocchi Asti Brachetto d'Acqui
Twix + Madeira
- Twix are top-of-list candies for me because they mix the crunchy-salty cookie with chewy-buttery caramel, and the creamy satisfaction of the milk-chocolate coating. You need an equally complex wine, and Malmsey Madeira has everything: salty, sweet, nutty, caramel-y, with hints of coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and exotic baking spices. Try it: Rare Wine Co. Historic Series New York Malmsey Madeira