Wine Expert Sandra Guibord Pairs Halloween Candy and Wine

By October 31, 2022Mixology News

Dipping into your kid’s Halloween candy may make you feel a little guilty, but once you try out these wine pairings with the different candies usually found in their Halloween bags, you may just change your mind!

 

Sandra G

 

Wine expert Sandra Guibord of Sandra’s Wine Life  has a vast knowledge of wine and is passionate about helping wine lovers find the perfect wine that suits them. Her newest book, Sandra’s Wine Life: Find Your Wine Identity, is a guide that offers fabulous suggestions to turn year-round entertaining into more memorable events.

 

Check out Guilbord’s wine and candy pairings and enjoy Halloween with these sip-worthy suggestions:

  • Pair Prosecco with lemon Sour Patch Kids or Starbursts, Smarties, Sweet Tarts, or Almond Joy.
  • Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with lime or lemon Sour Patch Kids.
  • Chardonnay goes great with Butterfinger, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, and Twix.
  • Pinot Noir complements Reese’s PB Cups, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, Twix, and M&M’s.
  • Sip Cabernet Sauvignon with Snickers, Reese’s PB Cups, Twix.

 

Chilled asked Sandra more about her wine pairings and to share tips with bartenders on serving and suggesting wine.

 

Tell us a bit about your background in wine.

I have spent twenty years teaching wine seminars and entertaining corporate executives on all things relating to wine; how to serve wine, how to pair it with foods, what wines to bring as a gift, comparison tastings, and much more. In all these years I must say that everyone has the same questions and insecurities about wine. I took all my notes of questions and conversations I have had with people across America and arranged it into my book “Find Your Wine Identity.” My book encourages the reader to change their wines with the seasons, focusing on varietals that represent the food and celebrations of each season.

 

What should bartenders know about selling and suggesting wine to their guests?

A good bartender should know the story, the region, and the growers behind the wine they’re suggesting in order to create conversation with the customers they’re selling to. If a bartender takes the time to learn the details about the wines they carry, it will make selling and suggesting the wines easier and more enjoyable for both parties.

 

What makes a great By the Glass menu?

A great By the Glass menu is one that doesn’t focus on the popular wines that everyone is aware of and can recognize immediately when they enter a wine shop. A by The Glass menu should have an introductory to various and different varietals and regions that can help the customer learn about wines without committing to a whole bottle purchase. It should help people explore the world of wine and their pallets, rather than stay drinking the common Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

 

Wine & Candy

 

What are some categories / wines that today’s bar should not be without?

Today’s bars should not be without a couple of important categories and wines! Organic and Biodynamic wines, along with small growth producers, are important to have because wine lovers are getting more interested in the wines they drink. “Drink your values” is a term in the industry. Consumers like to know if the wine is ethically sourced, has a female winemaker, donates a portion of profits to charities, environmentally aware wine growing practices, these are all important issues and sought out wines for many consumers. Bars should also not be without wines from emerging markets such as Croatia, Greece, and Lebanon. Including wines like this in your bars allows for more exploration, conversation, and connection. It also makes for more curious people and if you can get them interested…they may try them all!

 

What is your stranded on an island wine and why?

My stranded on an island wine is simple! I am assuming it will be a very warm climate that my island will be in. So, I must say rosé is my stranded on an island wine. It will complement the fish and coconuts that I will be living on. One of my favorite rosé wines is Chateau Minuty from Provence. Al least I could pretend to be on a beach in St. Tropez.

 

5 skills every bartender should have to suggest and serve wine like a pro?

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks to help anyone serve and suggest like a pro!

  • Pour a bottle and not have it drip by adding a little twist at the end of your pour, as you pull it away from the glass. This always makes anyone seem like they know what they’re doing.
  • Always have a suggested alternate to the usual Chardonnay order. Customers will trust that you’re wine savvy when you have other good recommendations on deck.
  • Serve the red wines at the proper chilled temperature. I think it’s still not a very known fact that red wines still need some chilling too! Not as much as white, but you’ll do the wine justice with a slight chill. For example, Pinot Noir should be served at a similar temperature as Chardonnay, 55 degrees.
  • Be certain to have tasted each wine so you can form your own suggestions to the customer. “My favorite is..”, is always welcome advice to a curious wine lover.
  • Never pour a bottle by holding the neck, always hold the bottom of the bottle. Easy and simple enough but will make you look like a pro!

 

Talk to us about your wine and candy pairings. What inspired you to make these pairings?

I have spent many Halloween nights handing out candy and sipping wine with my friends. And of course, eating all the various candies that I would hand out. As time went by, I simply started to figure out and notice which candy tasted best with each wine. Definitely a very fun way to pass the time during trick or treat hours! And a way to still feel like a kid… kind of!

 

What other out-of-the-ordinary pairings are interesting to note?

I am a big movie fan and, of course, must have a big bowl of warm, buttery popcorn to indulge in. The best wine to enjoy with buttered popcorn is a big buttery California Chardonnay. I they complement each other perfectly and make every bite delicious.

 

What are some of the wine trends you like today and why?

I am so happy to see that people are more interested in how wine is made. Specifically organic wines. The more that people inquire and request wines to be organic and biodynamic, retailers will focus their inventory in that direction.

 

The post Wine Expert Sandra Guibord Pairs Halloween Candy and Wine appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

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