Halloween sort of loses its glow once you cross a certain barrier. Once your kids are off and it’s just
you, hogtied to your door, with a bowl of candy, coming to terms with your age just by the simple fact
that half of the costumes are unrecognizable. “Who is that suppose to be?” Long gone are the days
when you used to waltz around the block in a blood-soaked hockey mask. It’s been ages since you
tried to look sexy for that college bash. And that epoch of looking over your kid’s shoulders – in the
night when stranger danger doesn’t apply – turned right out of your driveway and left you in the dust.
The worst of it? You still love Halloween. It’s by far the funnest and most bizarre holiday on the
calendar. That’s why, given this paradigm shift, the good folks at Trader Joe’s have decided to give
that witchy day a new spin — with eerie, bizarre, odd, strange Halloween wines. Wines that go great
with bite-sized Snickers, a couple of Hershey bars, and are divinely paired with some sugary corn
candy.
What are Halloween Wines?
If you ask a sommelier what Halloween Wines are and should you partake in them, they would
probably do a double-take and smack you over the head. Halloween Wines are spooky, fun,
gothic-themed concoctions that according to expert tasters are most of the time crafted to go great
with sugary treats — with your Halloween haul.
Unlike your average dessert, which is complex, and carefully balanced, your Halloween candy is
entirely made out of sugar. Great sugary sweetness, yummy to eat, but it can make wines feel dry,
taste astringent, and have a bitter aftertaste.
That’s where Halloween Wines come in. It’s not just a marketing gimmick. It’s not just a cool looking
label.
For example, milk chocolate coated in colored dyes, for that extra sugary kick, goes great with
unoaked reds like Pinot Noir and Gamay. Kit-Kats’ taste can be complemented by a light Port.
Candy corn, the most hated Halloween treat, according to a Mashable survey, suddenly transforms
into sultry marzipans thanks to a great Prosecco or a Riesling.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? A sherry can really enhance the nutty flavors and balance the sweetness
of the chocolates.