5 Classic Easter Candy & Wine Pairings

Easter is one of those Holidays that can be tough to celebrate once you’re an official grown-up.

Chances are your parents were always in charge of the ham,  you had younger cousins to plan an egg hunt for. Now, its kind of just another Sunday. What to do?

Take a trip down that Easter candy aisle in the drug store and give in to the pastelly nostalgia that comes but once a year. Peeps. Cadbury Eggs. Jelly beans. You know you want ‘em.

Now, just add wine, and you’ve got some amazing plans for Easter. These classic combos are a great way to spend a Sunday… you’re welcome.

 

The Holy Grail: Cadbury Creme Eggs & Port

How do YOU eat a Cadbury egg? Do you bite the chocolate top off and coax the filling out in a somewhat sexual manner? We invite you to revisit the filling on its own- it is somewhat… chalky. Also incredibly sweet and of course- creamy. Its a quite textural experience.

There’s really only one way to pair this candy, and that’s to embrace the fact that it is chocolate based. Go for a big, smooth, sweet dessert red: a cool avenue to explore might be a port-style California Zinfandel.

 

The Little Brother: Cadbury Mini Eggs & Merlot

These tiny guys are a delight. They’re also easy to forget about, since they live in the shadow of their larger, creamier filled sibling.

Cadbury mini eggs are a study in simplicity. Once you get past that paper-thin pastel candy shell, it’s all smooth milk chocolate waitin’ on you. Best to let these melt on the tounge, we think.

In any case, keep it simple with this one. An often overlooked wine that goes well with chocolate is Merlot. Merlot offers a soft, smooth palate with hints of chocolate found alongside a vein of tannin.

 

Peeps & Prosecco 

Oh little sugar ducks, you might just be the strangest candy ever invented. You vaguely resemble a baby chick, but also a yellow version of the poop emoticon.

You are spongey, yet have a slight crunch… and that crazy interesting sound you make while we chew you into a squidgey mass, hmmm. This combination of factors can lead to only one thing: sparkling wine.

The tingle and crunch of sugar, when met with the effervescence of an easy little Prosecco or Cava will lead to a happy place. Or as happy as one can be while massacring legions of deformed looking baby chickens.

 

The Classic: Jelly Beans & Dry Riesling

Such fun is to be had with the good ol’ jelly bean! A dry Riesling is actually a match made in heaven for jelly beans. With their pleasant tartness and searing fruit content, a Riesling with a nice sturdy backbone of acidity will make their flavors dance a jig on your tastebuds.

Skip the black licorice ones (does anyone actually like those?) if you’ve picked up a Riesling. Stick with the popular colors- red, pink, yellow, orange, purple, green… even the elusive white. All will be well.

The best thing to do with the black licorice ones is leave them in there, so you can crush the dreams of whomever finds the discarded jelly bean bag.

 

The Reese’s Egg & Banyuls

Another epitome of the Easter candy experience. The key here is to make the nuttiness the focal point.If you want to get really crazy, look for a bottle of Banyuls.

Banyuls is a fortified wine made out of mostly Grenache grapes, hailing from the South of France. Offering a way cool flavor profile of macerated berries accentuated by toffee, caramel and espresso- what could be a better complement to peanut butter and chocolate? Hint: PB&J is an iconic match for a reason.