Halloween Candy Corn and More Sweet Treats

Are you ready for Halloween and all that candy?

Now I'm not suggesting that we sit around at night raiding the kids candy loot and drinking wine. It's a tummy ache and a sleepless night waiting to happen, you know what I mean - all that sugar!?

No, No, at my age I'm just trying to have a little fun figuring out how the elements in wine work with the sugar elements.




The dessert rule to keep in mind is when pairing wine with sweets the wine should be as sweet or sweeter than the sweets/dessert - or in this case the candy. The sweet wine with the sweet candy or dessert will be a perfect pair. If you drink a dry wine with the sweets/dessert the acidity in the wine will become more pronounced and may not be as enjoyable. Stick with the sweet.

This next "rule" is not so much a real rule, but I like it especially for those of us who only drink one type of wine -- "if you like it that's all that matters!" This is my favorite wine pairing tip because everyone's palate is different and what the wine experts like may not be what we like . . .

For those who enjoy their sweets these pairings will be Heaven. For others it can be sugar overload so this may not be for the faint of heart but I always have fun with this and I like to share.

Candy can range from sugary sweet to caramel and chocolates.

• Smarties and Starburst candies are quite sweet. The starburst will have some fruit flavors, though artificial.
• The quintessential, deliciously sweet, and colorful Halloween treat Candy Corn is chock full of gritty sugar with a hint of vanilla flavor.
• The stick to your ribs, I mean teeth, caramels that we all love so much.
• Last but not least lots of chocolates from M&Ms to the various milk and dark chocolate candy bars.

There may not be a perfect pairing for the gritty sugar, powerdery coatings, and artificial fruit flavors in the big sweet candies. You can try a muscat, moscato, or late harvest zinfandel and hope for the best. A tawny port with dried fruit and toffee flavors can be a good choice for the caramels and dark chocolates.

An oaky Chardonnay has some vanilla flavors which just might pair well with the candy corn. It's worth a try if Chardonnay is your wine.

A fruity zinfandel with hints of cocoa and balanced tannins can be a good pairing with milk chocolate.

Dessert wines come in many varieties. Tawny port, Banuyls, and Sauternes are recommended for dessert. They can be pricey but worth the splurge for a special evening and dessert.

For the upcoming holiday season keep a dessert wine or two on your wine rack. Great desserts, good wine with family and friends can be memories in the making for years to come.

Have a Safe and Fun Halloween!
Winelady Cooks