13 Popular Halloween Candy and Wine Pairings to Both Scare and Delight You
I may or may not have carried a Yeti full of red wine when my kids were younger and needed a chaperone for the annual Halloween trick-or-treating festivities. I will admit to being known for putting together some fun and oftentimes scary Halloween candy wine pairings.
The perfect pairings are the ones your mouth savors so, what I like may not mesh with your preference. Regardless, there are a few things to consider when thinking through your Halloween candy wine pairings. The first is, candy – unlike a multilayered desert – is all sugar. I know you already knew that but it does matter for wine pairings since all that sugar can change the flavor profile of the wine. Too much sugar, can make a dry, red wine taste bitter. A simple thing to note is that the more complex the candy, the richer the wine. And vice versa, the lighter the candy, the lighter the wine.
It’s taken me a few years to perfect my Halloween candy wine pairing guide, but I’m ready to share. The results might scare you but I promise they’re delicious!
Halloween Candy Wine Pairings
Twix + Rosé or Champagne
Rosé and Champagne pair with just about everything, including the caramel, biscuit and milk chocolate in a Twix bar. The acidity in both contrast beautiful with this candy. To experiment even more, a light, fruit forward Gamay with excellent acidity would make for a fun wine pairing for this Halloween candy.
Suggested Wines: Cotes de Rose, Louis Roederer Collection 244
Candy Corn + Prosecco or Chardonnay
You either love or hate Candy Corn; there is rarely a middle ground. For those who love it, try pairing the candy with bubbles. I prefer a Prosecco since it’s usually a little sweeter than Champagne but won’t be too sickly sweet. The bubbles in the Prosecco will cut through and cleanse your mouth from all the sugar in the Candy Corn. It’s actually a pretty refreshing little pairing for your mouth.
Suggested Wines: Andreola Col del Forno Prosecco, Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay
Peanut Butter Cups + Merlot
One of my ultimate favorite Halloween candies is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. What makes them even better is pairing them with a medium-bodied Merlot. This candy is a little more complex in flavor – peanut butter and chocolate. That said, the tannins and light jamminess in the wine creates a little PB&J feel to this Halloween candy wine pairing.
Suggested Wines: Clos Pegase Mitsuko’s Vineyard Merlot 2021, Stags’ Leap Merlot, Doubleback Merlot
Hershey’s Dark Chocolate + Zinfandel or Port
Dark chocolate wine pairings can be a bit tricky since the chocolate itself contains tannins, which give it a bitter taste. This is for sure a red wine Halloween candy pairing. The key is finding a red wine that’s sweeter than Hershey’s Dark Chocolate. I personally don’t think you can never go wrong with a Port or a Zinfandel, but a few other favorites are Malbec and Syrah. The robust, rich red fruit in these wines enhances the complexity in the dark chocolate and balances its bitter flavors.
Suggested Wines: Kokomo Winery Zinfandel, Cline Eight Spur Zinfandel 2022
Milky Way + Merlot (or experiment with bubbles)
The smoothness of the nougat and creamy caramel and chocolate in a Milky Way bar is perfectly paired with medium-bodied red wine such as a Merlot. I’ve also found Champagne to be a fun pairing, given the texture of the nougat and how the bubbles cut through it with a clean, crispness.
Suggested Wines: Charles Krug Napa Valley Merlot
Smarties + Sparkling
The light, crisp acidity and bubbles in Sparkling wine cut through the fruity, chalky textures in Smarties leaving your mouth feeling refreshed.
Suggested Wines: Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut
Snickers + Sauternes, Cabernet Sauvignon or Port
There’s a lot going on in a Snickers bar – salted peanuts, caramel, nougat and chocolate. So, it makes sense that there are a few different Halloween wine pairings. A big, robust Cabernet Sauvignon will stand up to all the flavors in the Snickers. The same is true for a Port, although, with its nutty, spice, and big red fruit flavors, the Port can enhance the peanuts and caramel in a Snickers at another level. If you really want to up the game, try a Sauternes. Its rich, sweet flavors and acidity goes really well with the peanuts and caramel.
Suggested Wines: Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Chateau Laribotte Sauternes
York Peppermint Paddy + Syrah, Petite Sirah or Mouvedre
Dark chocolate and smooth mint need a rich, bold full-bodied wine such as a Syrah, Petite Syrah or even a Mourvedre.
Suggested Wines: Clementine Carter Mourvedre 2021, Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2021, Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2018, Michael David Winery Petite Petit 2021
Starburst + Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling
Your multipack Starbursts contain a rainbow of fruit flavors, but rest assured, Pinot Grigio will pair with each one. Pinot Grigio will actually pair really nicely with more fruit-forward Halloween candy given its low alcohol, a light structure that will accurate the fruit notes in the candy. Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc or an off-dry Riesling will also be great wine pairings for this Halloween candy.
Suggested Wine Pairing: Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling, Elk Cove Estate Willamette Valley Riesling 2022, Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Schiopetto Pinot Grigio 2020
Kit Kats + Pinot Noir
Crisp wafer cookies and milk chocolate – yes! Kit Kats are one of my favorite Halloween candy wine pairings. Maybe because it’s the one candy my kids get fist fulls of, or maybe because it goes perfectly with my fridge full of Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. The light, crisp wafer and milk chocolate are elevated by the light fruit in a Pinot Noir.
Suggested Wine Pairing: Van Duzer Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir, Archery Summit Vireton Pinot Noir 2022
Sour Patch Kids + Sauvignon Blanc
This fun Halloween candy wine pairing is perfect for sweet and sour lovers. The zest and fruit-forwardness of Sauvignon Blanc balances and cuts through the sourness in the candies to highlight its sweet side.
Suggested Wine Pairing: Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Skittles + Sparkling Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc
Like Starburts, there are a rainbow of flavors in a package of Skittles. While a still rose could work, I’d like to kick it up with a sparking rose. The bubbles and bright acidity balance the sweet and sour Skittles.
Suggested Wine Pairing: Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Plain M&M’s + Pinot Noir or Gamay
The silky-smooth milk chocolate and hard candy coating of M&Ms pair perfectly with a lighter, fruit-forward red wine. My go-to is usually Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, but that’s likely because that’s what I stock my wine fridge with. While it is a fabulous pairing, a fruit-forward Gamay is equally as lovely and a bit more outside of the bow. Quick note, while chocolate is known for sipping with big red wines, these candies have that extra sugar kick in the coating, so big red wines like a Cab or Syrah will make the combo taste too bitter.
Suggested Wine Pairing: Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir, Archery Summit Vireton Pinot Noir 2022, Domaine Lucien Lardy Fleurie Les Moriers 2021, Evening Land Seven Springs Gamay Noir 2022
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.