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The best part about being an adult during Halloween? You can still get the candy-fueled sugar rush of your childhood, but you can give it an extra boost courtesy of, yes, booze. With that in mind, we tasked five real-deal New York sommeliers to pair top-notch bottles of vino with your favorite childhood candy. Now that is what we call a happy Halloween.
CANDY CORN
The somm: Mandy Oser, the Camlin
The wine: Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2014
"I selected a chardonnay that has a touch of oak, but also some nice underlying acidity. The round and full body of the wine really brought out the corn flavor and also toned down the sugar."
POP ROCKS
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Samantha Miller,
City Winery
The wine: Lantieri Franciacorta rosé
“Lantieri brings a little of that trick-or-treat nostalgia back for me with its lovely bubbles and bright fruity flavor. The two [items] together bring a lot
of excitement on the
palate with exploding flavors—literally.”
TWIX
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Dean Fuerth, Betony
The wine: Navarre Pineau des Charentes Vieux
"Pineau des Charentes is a fortified wine typically made by adding young Cognac eaux-de-vie to lightly fermented grape must, creating a slightly sweet and acidic apéritif. The end product is loaded with toffee, butterscotch, raisins and baking spices. The flavors both complement and nullify the chocolate and caramel of the Twix, which accentuates the nuances and florality of the Cognac."
YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIE
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Nora O’Malley, Lois
The wine: Round Pond Kith & Kin cabernet sauvignon
“The telltale eucalyptus notes in a Napa cabernet sauvignon amplify the mint in the candy, while the lush, red-berry fruit plays perfectly with the dark chocolate. One bite next to the dark fruits of the wine will have you unwrapping as many patties as you can get your hands on.”
NERDS
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Bobby Conroy, Günter Seeger
The wine: J.J. Prüm Bernkasteler Johannisbrunnchen Riesling Eiswein
"Sweet, luxurious liquid gold. These grapes freeze in the vineyard and are pressed while still frozen to release nectar fit to satisfy any zombie's thirst. With the Nerds' sweetness and acidity, one of the world's greatest and rarest dessert wines will surely make you happy.”
REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Mandy Oser, the Camlin
The wine:
Crémant de Bourgogne Reserve
“I tried several reds but felt like the candy was dulling the bright flavors of the wines, so I turned to a sparkling. The bubbles really help to refresh your palate after a bite of the creamy peanut butter.”
SKITTLES
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Dean Fuerth, Betony
The wine: Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett
“German riesling is innately distinct from all other white wine on the planet, but a dead giveaway for me is a distinct candied green apple and key lime fruit profile, similar
to what you find in a bag of Skittles.”
TOOTSIE ROLL
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Bobby Conroy, Günter Seeger
The wine: D’Oliveiras Boal
“The wine is fortified to about 20 percent alcohol using a neutral spirit and then is gently ‘cooked’ by the natural heat of the subtropical climate on the island of Madeira, Portugal. It tastes like caramel, brown sugar, toffee and bitter chocolate—delicious with a Tootsie Roll.”
ALMOND JOY
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Nora O’Malley, Lois
The wine: Kreinbacher Brut Classic
"Almond Joy is a slightly polarizing candy, but I love the combo of shredded coconut and crunchy almond, especially with a sparkling wine. The lively blend of furmint and chardonnay lightens up the coconut and almonds for a surprisingly delicious combo. I'm also digging the textural play here with the shredded coconut and intense fizz of the wine."
ROLOS
Paul Wagtouicz
The somm: Samantha Miller,
City Winery
The wine: City Winery Pinot Noir
"Rolos start off with lovely sweet chocolate and hang around with savory sticky caramel. With the chocolate bringing out the bright fruit and the caramel really helping the oak and rustic quality of our beautiful 2015 pinot noir to sing, I might have to withhold this candy from those trick-or-treaters!"