October 29, 2022
There is no doubt about it, candy and wine can be frightening, but as always - we have you covered! We put a lot of thought into each of these pairings, and below you can read about 9 candies to pair to 9 of our favorite Texan grape varieties.
TEMPRANILLO & ALMOND JOY
Why?...In Spain, Tempranillo is often made in a style to include coconut, spice, and nutty notes. This is one of my go-to pairings for the exotic feeling of drinking Texan Tempranillo on an island!
PETITE SIRAH & SOUR PATCH KIDS
The super jammy red and blue fruit characters of Petite Sirah plus the very tannic nature of the wine are perfect for the pack of salt and sweet in a bag of Sour Patch Kids. The salt and sour will do its trick and make the 'tannins' in the wine change from the dry, sandpaper feeling to a soft, velvety feeling!
SANGIOVESE & TWIZZLERS
Sangiovese is a ball of intriguing flavors such as cherry, herbs, tomato leaf, spices, and sometimes licorice. Twizzlers might be just as intriguing in flavor, with many in common with the Sangiovese grape.
MOURVÈDRE & TOOTSIE POPS
Mourvèdre, the savory-smokey grape we love, is a chocolate-lovers dream: Powerful flavors, bold body, and driven by flavors of spice, smoke, cocoa, and nuttiness. In Texas you can expect a strong Bing cherry or blackberry note that makes a Tootsie Pop the perfect simple candy pairing - it's like the Halloween candy version of a chocolate covered cherry!
TANNAT & BUTTERFINGERS
The tannins that dry out your mouth are doing that tenfold in Tannat! What tames these down is saltiness in food, and Butterfingers has a SURPRISING amount of sodium in its many layers. Exactly what the doctor ordered ;)
ROSÉ & SMARTIES
Sometimes, you don't have to think too much and the pairings just make sense. I always say "sour with sour", so the tart nature of rosé goes hand in hand with the sweet-sour bite of Smarties candy.
VIOGNIER & STARBURSTS
The highly floral and fruity Viognier is set right up for the range of fruity and citrusy squares in a roll of Starbursts. Plus, the full body of Viognier is necessary to be able to stand up to the super juiciness of these babies!
SYRAH & SNICKERS
This one is a wildcard that I had to do a little tasting-research on. Snickers has a lot going on and peanut butter can be very good with the right red wines... The black pepper, herb, and blackberry note of Syrah makes for an explosive pairing with Snickers! Try out the milk AND dark chocolate versions, but stay away from any mint additions that will prevent you from tasting the wine after.
MALBEC & PEANUT MnM'S
I mentioned that peanut butter can be great with red wine, and Malbec is my go to selection. It's also worth noting, a candy with some texture - a snap or a crunch - can make a wine really 'pop'!