Trick or Treat! HobNob Wines & Halloween The Perfect Candy Pairings Guide for Grown-ups

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween is the one time of the year when perfectly sane people will get in touch with their wild side and try to out dress each other in the year's most creative costumes.  Halloween is the most untraditional of all annual celebrations so make sure you celebrate the unusual this year from start to finish!  From interesting costumes to indulgent treats and the smoothest sips, put on your creative cap and make your party one to remember.  HobNob Wines, who is at the center of every cool party, can help you every step of the way.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111011/NY84548 )

Kick It Costumes

Among the coolest costumes already trending are a variety of retro choices inspired by old ideas that are suddenly new again, including: zombies (this year's vampire!), Mad Men characters or the latest crop of superheroes such as Captain America.  The favorite candies for the season also promise to be an array of good old fashioned crunchy, gooey, chocolately treats. So, slip on that Mad Men inspired sleek suit, get your best zombie groove on and select your stash candy of choice and pair it with one HobNob Wines varietals for a sensational combination.

Note to Self: Everybody's Doing It

According to the NPD Group ( a group of very smart research folks), which researches eating trends, about 5 percent of all candy consumed for the year is eaten between Halloween and the week after, with the most popular choices being chocolate, chewy candies and hard candy.

"'Candy and wine is an unusual combination and Halloween is by far the year's most unusual holiday.  Today, people enjoy socializing at Halloween with creative costumes, outrageous parties and indulgent treats," says Nicolas Ronteix, Director, French and Italian Portfolio at W.J. Deutsch & Sons which sells HobNob Wines.  "HobNob Wines is social and non-traditional, so pairing HobNob with candy is one of the most creative/stylish ways to celebrate Halloween with your friends and make sure you are at the center of it all."

Here are our recommendations for best sips and sweets:

HobNob Chardonnay, Retro Fabulous

Chardonnay is the perfect pairing for classic sweets that scream Halloween, such as candy corn, gumdrops or gummy fish.  Pour them into big bowls to sit on the bar and watch them disappear.  See for yourself how your friends will love the flavors of the Chardonnay meshing with the always popular candy corn. Care for a handful of gummy fish and a glass of the Chardonnay?  Yup, a little bit of heaven -- a handful of gummy fish are sweet but don't overpower the flavors of the Chard.  Tip: avoid sharp, citrus, and sour candies as those flavors clash with the fruitiness of the Chardonnay.

HobNob Shiraz No Tricks…Just Treats

It's no surprise that the night's most popular candy – chocolate – will be hitting the scene.  For chocolate lovers everywhere, we recommend the sweet combination of HobNob Shiraz with chocolate -- and if you want to step it up a notch chocolate and caramel is even better—we promise the taste won't disappoint.  Hints of blackberry in the Shiraz bring out the intense, smooth flavors of the milk chocolate and caramel. Looking for an easy way to make your taste buds POP?  It doesn't get much better than chocolate-covered raisins and a glass of the Shiraz.  Done and done.

PeaNUTTY with HobNob Pinot Noir

Think you're a superhero? Well, even if you end up wearing tights, you can still be the hippest guy or gal at the party by bringing a bottle of HobNob Pinot Noir for your host along with a few bags of your favorite peanut inspired candy -- peanut and chocolate, peanut and caramel, peanut and that sticky gooey stuff --  you get the picture. Close your eyes and imagine your happiness when you and the host enjoy that first sip of HobNob Pinot Noir and your snack of choice -- chocolate-covered peanuts or that chocolate, peanut gooey thing.  You can probably taste the lush taste of the wine against the saltiness of the nuts, right now, #delish.

MMMMMM HobNob Merlot

There are so many ways to enjoy HobNob Wine's Merlot it's hard to choose just one.  It goes well with every candy you can imagine, from dark chocolate to milk chocolate and peanuts to licorice. The Merlot has hints of licorice and a dark finish perfect for a one night of devilish "Hobnobbing" fun  (get it, Hobnobbing??).  Yum, yum, yum.

Time to party!

As you can see, HobNob is just a little bit excited about Halloween this year. In addition to helping you throw a great party, they are throwing some parties to prove it! Stay at the center of it all this Halloween!  Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to learn more about Halloween, free music downloads and other cool stuff @hobnobwines.

HobNob Wines are sold in the US by W.J. Deutsch & Sons.  Varietals include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot and Shiraz.  All are available at retailer store and fine wine and liquor stores and range from $10.99 to $11.99; restaurants/bars across the country also carry HobNob Wines for $8 - $10 by the glass. www.facebook.com/hobnobwines or www.twitter.com/hobnobwines

About  W.J. Deutsch & Sons

W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. was founded in 1981 by Chairman Bill Deutsch to market quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. In 2009 Deutsch announced the expansion of the award-winning company to include a separate Spirits Division, W.J. Deutsch Spirits LLC. Deutsch's wines and spirits are sold to the trade with well-planned marketing support and are offered to U.S. consumers at fair market prices. Today the company is renowned for its brand building prowess and its ability to meet the needs of the modern consumer. Bill's son Peter Deutsch is CEO; thus two generations of the Deutsch family work side by side in their continuous quest to build strong brands and relationships throughout the wine and spirit industry.

The W.J. Deutsch & Sons portfolio includes award-winning wines from Australia: [yellow tail], [yellow tail] The Reserve, [yellow tail] Bubbles; California: Girard Winery, Windsor Sonoma, Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Kunde Family Estate, Joseph Carr, Josh Cellars; France: Andre Lurton, Georges Duboeuf, Hob Nob Vineyards, Patch Block, Pierre Sparr, Sauvion et Fils, Vidal Fleury; Italy: Barone Fini, Castello di Monastero, Coldisole, Poggio alle Sughere, Lionello Marchesi, Villa Pozzi; New Zealand: The Crossings; Nine Walks; Portugal: Quinta Do Vale Meao; Spain: Mar De Frades (Rias Baixas), Cruz de Alba (Ribera del Duero), Ramon Bilbao Vinos Y Vinedos (Rioja), and Volteo (Castilla); Chile: Llai Llai; Argentina: Ruta 22, and award-winning spirits from Landy Cognac (France), Luksusowa Vodka (Poland), The Original MOONSHINE and Adult Chocolate Milk (USA) and Villa Massa (Italy). www.wjdeutsch.com.   

SOURCE W.J. Deutsch & Sons