It’s that time of the year to think about having a Halloween party for friends, family or office mates. Whether your guests wear costumes or not, you must have party treats and drinks for everyone.
For those adult Halloween guests, Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa has a perfect lineup of wines to go with all those deliciously fun treats.
Eric Rabin is The Cave Operations Manager at Gervasi and the expert on wine pairings such as those for an upcoming spooky extravaganza. He pairs Gervasi wines with 11 of the most popular Halloween treats below.
Double, double toil and trouble, some wickedly fine wines this way comes.
Caramel and Candy Apples: Caramel Apples pair nicely with a wine with high acidity to soften the caramel notes but intensifies the crispness of the apple. I suggest an off-dry Riesling such as our Piove. A candy apple works well with our Dolce Sera, a late harvest Riesling. This wine will intensify the cinnamon characteristics, but the sweetness of the wine can stand up to the candy coating.
Caramel Candies: Caramel Candies have a sugary sweetness but also some depth due to the caramelization of sugar. A nice Pinot Noir, such as our Velluto (meaning Velvet) will bring out the smoky notes of the candy while balancing the sweetness.
Milk Chocolate and Milk Chocolate with Nuts: Milk chocolates have less tannins and more milk fat compared to dark chocolate. It pairs well with lightly sweet white wines. Our Tesoro, crafted from the Vidal Blanc grape varietal, has acidity to balance the creaminess of the candy with a slight sweetness to pair off the sugar in the candy. Milk chocolates with nuts can work well with our Santo, a sweet tawny port style wine, which has characteristics of raisin, mocha, and nuts. This will complement the tannic and buttery qualities within the nuts.
White Chocolate: White chocolate contains milk fats but no tannins. A crisp, but sweet Moscato will work well with the candy, not overpowering the delicate notes of the chocolate.
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolates love a Cabernet Sauvignon. Abbraccio (meaning Embrace) has big tannins, complementing the tannins in the dark chocolate. They fit together like a match made in heaven.
Candy Corn: Candy corn, which is typically marshmallow, vanilla, and honey flavors, will pair well with a buttery chardonnay. Bellina, a barrel-fermented and barrel aged wine, will have creamy and bready notes to it and will enhance the flavors within the candy corn.
Skittles and Sour Patch-Type Candies: Sour candies have a lot of acid in them, which is what leads to their tart sensation. Since these candies are also sweet, a dry, aromatic wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc will pair well. Our Fioretto (meaning Little Flower) is high in acidity. When consumed with sour candies, it will cancel out the tartness of the candy and bring some relief to the palate.
Pumpkin-Flavored Treats: Pumpkin treats work well with red wine. Our Malbec, Serenata (meaning Serenade) is filled with spice notes of clove, anise, and almond. This complements the baking spice aromas within pumpkin-flavored confections.
Fruit-Based Treats: Fruit-based treats, such as an apple dumpling, will pair nicely with our Barrel Aged Sweet Riesling. This wine spends about 6 weeks in a used bourbon barrel, lending to pineapple, coconut, and a slight cinnamon note.
Spooky Cupcakes: A cupcake will depend on the flavor profile of the treat. Chocolate can usually hold up to red wine, while vanilla would work well with an off-dry to dry sparkling wine. A strawberry cupcake will work with our Lascito (meaning legacy). This wine is a medium-sweet rosé, with hints of strawberry, banana, and guava. The favors will complement each other.
Wishing you a happy Halloween! Hope it is a total scream with less tricks and more treats…and Gervasi wines.
