Halloween Candy, Wine, & Cheese Pairings That Actually Work!
Halloween Candy, Wine, & Cheese Former Skeptic Turned Enthusiast
Did I think my first blog post ever would be about Halloween candy? No.
Did these pairings really surprise me (in a good way)? Definitely.
We’ve done a Halloween candy, wine, and cheese flight at the shop for at least five years now. I’ve never actually participated in the taste testing - partly because I’m a traditionalist who doesn’t love novelty when it comes to cheese and wine, and partly because, well, I think I’m just no fun sometimes.
But the people want it and the team has fun with it so I turn a blind eye every year around this time.
This year, though, a good friend (shoutout Emily!) asked me to put together some Halloween pairings for a private event she was hosting. Let me tell you, my girl Emily can throw a party, and I wasn’t going to let her down. So I begrudgingly purchased a pile of Halloween candy, gathered some cheese, opened a few bottles of wine, and hoped for the best.
I was shocked.
As one of my team members, Kallen, put it: “These pairings are way better than they should be.” And they were right. EVERY SINGLE ONE was fun, delicious, and, honestly, I wouldn’t hesitate to steal some of my son’s Halloween candy and do this again after bedtime.
The Winning Pairings
Kit Kat + Trillium by Tulip Tree Creamery (cow, Indiana) + Raventós “de Nit” Cava Rosé 2022
This seems controversial, but Kit Kat is my least favorite candy bar. (I’m a Snickers and Butterfinger girlie, neither of which made the lineup, I just realized.) But put a Kit Kat next to the buttery, triple cream Trillium, and I instantly became a fan.
This pairing is all about texture : the crispy Kit Kat, luscious and soft Trillium, the little tiny bubbles of the sparkling wine. The sparkling wine acidity cuts through the rich cheese and the bubbles cleanse the palate to make each bite a brand new experience.
Raventós Cava is a shop favorite, one of my personal favorite Cava producers, and always such a treat to drink!
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Trillium · Raventós “de Nit” Cava Rosé 2022
Candy Corn + Mimolette (cow, France) + Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Blanc Brut NV
This was THE standout for me. When we tried this one, one of my team members said, “Oh Mimolette and candy corn, classic.” I felt like such an elder millennial, I had no idea it was a thing. Candy corn seems as divisive as blue cheese, you either love it or hate it. I’m a candy corn lover. And judging by the way my 3-year-old shoveled them into his mouth, he is too. My husband is a hater. Clearly my son inherited the superior candy corn gene.
Somehow, each partner in this pairing elevated the other. Tasted together, the candy corn felt less waxy and more complex, the Mimolette became more butterscotch-y and sweet, and the Crémant lifted everything perfectly - brighter, lighter, and beautifully balanced. Side note: I can’t believe I just wrote “beautifully balanced” in a description of a candy corn and Mimolette pairing….but here we are.
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Mimolette · Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Blanc Brut NV
Twizzlers + Leonora (goat, Spain) + Peyrassol “La Croix” Rosé 2024
Twizzlers are my least favorite candy. What flavor are they really? I had to ask my team. The “standard” ones that come in a mixed bag are strawberry, the pull-aparts are cherry, just FYI.
So I started thinking - what do I enjoy with strawberries? And one of my favorite pairing memories came flooding back. My husband and I were in Wisconsin doing some R&D before opening The Rhined, and it was peak strawberry season. We picked up local strawberries and goat cheese from the farmer’s market and swung by the wine shop for a bottle of rosé from Provence. We sat on the picnic table at this little farm Airbnb we were staying at and had the most wonderful afternoon together. The photo is from this day! It will forever be in my top three wine & cheese pairing experiences.
So while Twizzlers are a poor substitute for in-season, local strawberries, this pairing is my best attempt at recreating this memory.
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Leonora · Peyrassol “La Croix” Rosé 2024
Crunch + Cabricafé (goat, Belguim) + Domaine Alliet Chinon 2023
Now this is dessert. Of all the candies we tried, Crunch grew on me the most. Crunch is seriously underrated, in my opinion.
This pairing is a mocha latte in disguise. Milk chocolate and crunchy bits (what are those?) complement the coffee-kissed, decadent goat cheese, while the Chinon brings in an earthy depth and a touch of pepper. It’s dark and rich and mysterious and kind of spooky.
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Cabricafé · Domaine Alliet Chinon 2023
Twix + Sneek Gouda by Frisian Farms (cow, Iowa) + Montenidoli “Il Garrulo” Chianti Colli Senesi 2021
Excuse my language, but this Gouda is so damn good. When I first tasted it a few months ago, I didn’t know much about it and had no idea it wasn’t from the Netherlands. Well aged, loaded with cheese diamonds (those little crunchy bits everyone goes nuts for - maybe I’ll do a blog post about cheese diamonds one day), notes of toffee and caramel and butterscotch - Sneek freakin’ delivers. It’s basically candy in cheese form.
The Twix echos the butterscotch and depth of this cheese and the bright cherry and earthy spice from the Chianti (by one of my favorite producers in the world) cuts through the sweetness and adds a really nice fruity lift.
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Sneek Gouda · Montenidoli “Il Garrulo” Chianti Colli Senesi 2021
Reese’s Cup + Bayley Hazen Blue by Jasper Hill Creamery (raw cow, Vermont) + Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel 2022
This one goes out to all my blue cheese folks out there! Wherever you are, whoever you are, know that you have exquisite taste buds and I respect you. For the blue cheese haters - I truly believe you just haven’t found YOUR blue cheese yet. And maybe, just maybe, a fun little Reese’s (my fave candy) pairing can lead you there. That is my hope for you.
Bayley is one of those cheeses that can really transport you. To me it tastes like Vermont in the fall - rich, woodsy, a hint of cigar. And paired with a peanut butter chocolate situation - it becomes magical. With the Zin adding a little fruit, a little pepper, it’s an incredibly well rounded pairing that I 100% guarantee you’ll love…or your money back (kidding!).
Shop the goods here (Rhined Pickup or Delivery) → Bayley Hazen Blue · Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel 2022