Pairing Halloween candy with wine may sound unconventional, but it’s a playful way to enhance both the flavors of your favorite sweets and the depth of some well-loved wines. Here’s a fun guide to make this Halloween a bit more refined for the adults, with fun and surprisingly delicious wine-candy pairings that balance the richness, sweetness, and unique flavors of Halloween treats. While this list isn’t an absolute and may vary with taste, mess around with some of your favorite treats and see which wine makes them even more enjoyable! 

Milk Chocolate Bars (Milk Duds, Reese’s, Kit Kat) – Cabernet Sauvignon
Milk chocolate, especially when paired with peanut butter or caramel, calls for a wine that can hold its own against the sweetness without overpowering it. A smooth, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon has enough structure to balance the creamy texture of milk chocolate while enhancing its richness. Look for a Cabernet with notes of dark cherry, plum, or even a hint of cocoa for an extra boost to the chocolate flavor. If you love the nutty edge of Reese’s, a Cabernet with hints of almond or spice can elevate that note.

Dark Chocolate (Dark Milky Way, Dark Hershey’s) – Syrah or Shiraz
Dark chocolate has bittersweet, sometimes earthy flavors that demand a wine with bold, dark fruit notes and a bit of spice. Syrah, with its black pepper and blackberry notes, adds depth without overshadowing the chocolate. Choose an Australian Shiraz if you want a bit more intensity, or a French Syrah for a more subdued experience with herbal and smoky elements. Washington State Syrahs will give you a great middle ground of both!

Candy Corn – Chardonnay
Love em or hate em, candy corn is iconic. This waxy, ultra-sweet candy needs a wine that can cleanse the palate and cut through the sweetness. A lightly oaked Chardonnay provides a refreshing contrast, with crisp acidity and mild fruit flavors that bring out the honeyed notes in candy corn without making it overly syrupy. Avoid heavily oaked Chardonnays as their buttery texture may be too rich for the candy. Instead, go for an unoaked variety or a lightly oaked wine with hints of citrus or green apple.

Peanut M&M’s – Merlot
The combination of peanut, chocolate, and candy shell finds an ideal partner in a soft, fruit-forward Merlot. Merlot’s dark berry and cocoa notes play nicely with the earthy, roasted peanut flavors, while its smooth tannins don’t overwhelm the delicate crunch of the candy. Try a Merlot with subtle chocolate or coffee undertones for a well-rounded flavor pairing. The wine’s plummy, jammy qualities can even enhance the nutty notes of the candy.

Twix – Tawny Port
A caramel-forward candy like Twix deserves a wine that celebrates sweetness, and Tawny Port’s caramel, nutty, and dried fruit flavors make it an irresistible match. The richness of the Port complements the layers of shortbread, caramel, and chocolate in Twix, creating a decadently indulgent pairing. Tawny Ports come in a range of ages (10, 20, 30 years), with older Ports offering more complex nutty and caramel notes. A 10-year Tawny Port is typically light enough to keep it fun without overshadowing the candy’s flavors. For the caramel lovers out there, try my personal favorite, a 20-year tawny!

Skittles – Riesling
Skittles are bright, fruity, and tangy, making a Riesling—especially one with a bit of sweetness—a perfect choice. The natural acidity and fruit-forward profile of Riesling mirror Skittles’ bold flavors, while the wine’s sweetness softens the tartness of the candy. Make sure to choose a German or Alsace Riesling with off-dry sweetness, to balance the acidity of Skittles without overwhelming your taste buds. If you love super sweet Rieslings already, feel free to lean more American style!

Snickers – Zinfandel
Snickers combines peanuts, nougat, caramel, and chocolate, calling for a bold, high-octane wine to match its complexity. A Zinfandel offers spice, berry, and sometimes chocolatey undertones that harmonize beautifully with each component of a Snickers bar. Go for a California Zinfandel with ripe berry flavors to enhance the bar’s nuttiness and caramel notes. Zinfandel’s body and spice cut through the richness, making every bite and sip a party.

Sour Patch Kids – Sparkling Rosé
Sour Patch Kids have a unique, mouth-puckering sourness followed by a sweet, fruity flavor. A sparkling Rosé with bright acidity and bubbles balances out the sour and sweet notes, enhancing the candy’s fruitiness without amplifying the sugar. For best results, choose a dry or semi-dry sparkling Rosé, which has enough sweetness to match the candy but keeps the overall pairing refreshing.

Jelly Beans – Moscato 
Even though I would typically think of this one around Easter, Jelly beans are sweet and often a mix of fruit and candy flavors, making Moscato the perfect choice. With its own tropical and citrus notes, Moscato pairs well with a variety of jelly bean flavors, bringing out each one’s fruity essence while its natural sweetness matches the candy’s sugary profile. Pick a semi-sweet Moscato if you prefer a balanced experience, or a sweeter one if you want to turn this pairing into a truly indulgent treat. If you enjoy Jelly Bellies with their multiple flavor combinations, you could have a lot of fun with Moscato or branch into other wines if the flavors make sense. (buttered popcorn, chocolate, grapefruit)