Credit to SBNation for this image—had to share it. Good to see my girl having some fun for once.
Tag Archives: Wine
No. Not that Weeknd.
Happy Holidays! I hope your celebrations are merry. Maybe you have snow where you are but I certainly do not. Regardless of whether you have snow or not, I have a festive pairing that’ll have everyone decking the halls.
The Wine: WKND, 2016 American Sparkling Wine, California 
The Candy: Oh Snap! Gummy Gingerbread Men. Paper Source.
The Dream: 
Who doesn’t love a nice sparkling wine for the holidays? Very festive! Plus I imagine this dry wine would go well with the spicy gingerbread men. It was a bit of a gamble because I didn’t know how the gingerbread men would exactly taste.
The Reality:
The wine has a citrus edge to it and it is delightfully bubbly! I absolutely recommend for the holiday season and for New Year’s Eve. 
The candy smells strongly of gingerbread and they are very chewy. In terms of flavor, it tastes mostly like vanilla.
The vanilla and bubbles merge delightfully and do not overwhelm the senses. I might have to try more gummies with sparking wines because I love how they fizzle. I absolutely recommend this pairing!
Lemon Know What You Think of this Pairing
Hello all! It’s the end of the summer and I have one last fresh summery post for you readers. The school year is coming up, so these posts may be even more sparse. But never fear I will provide you a post when you least expect it.
I bought a lemon ginger haribo candy while vacationing in Grand Cayman and created a lovely pairing to toast the end of the summer.
The Wine: If a Tree Falls Riesling, 2014
The Candy: Ginger-Lemon Gummi Candy, Haribo
The Dream:
As always, a gummi proposes a challenge. But I felt confident since ginger candy won’t overwhelm with sweetness. The riesling was a daring choice since they are typically quite sweet. I felt the ginger could cut through and make an impression.
The Reality:
The wine is smooth and grapey (for lack of a better word) with a syrupy texture.
The candy is intense! It busts in with a strong lemon flavor that fades into the burning ginger. If you are not a ginger fanatic like me, you may not like it as much as I did.
The wine stays very sweet and smooth when eating the candy. The flavor is slightly warped and becomes slightly bitter. Overall, I consider the pairing a win since I couldn’t stop eating and drinking.
And as always, drink responsibly you guys.
You Spin Me Rind Round Baby Rind Roundf
Hello! I am about to go on a well-earned vacation but before I do, I thought I would provide you some reading. Today I am following up on a promise I made a long time ago to my friend at Medieval Vegetarian. I am featuring a candy she made and brought to a casual holiday get together that somehow turned into a party. Quite a few months later, the candy is still amazing if not better. So no matter how this pairing goes, check out the recipe here.
In regards to our little wine give away, you all certainly acted quickly! There will be another one once I accrue some more giveaways. If you are interested in joining Club W before then, please leave a comment! Club W wines are often portrayed on this blog, just like they are today!
The Wine: Imperial Red Blend, Thracian Valley
The Candy: Candied Orange Peels, by Medieval Vegetarian
The Dream:
This candy has a very strong flavor since it is made directly from an orange peel. I needed a wine that could tango with this candy adequately without overpowering it. I thought a red blend was a safe bet since I was not sure what flavor notes would balance this unique candy best.
Making Candied Orange Peels from Medieval Vegetarian
The Reality:
The wine is tangy and sharp with very ripe blackberry and raspberry flavors. The rinds are bitter, sweet, chewy, and taste just as good as when I got them in December.
The rind enhances what I enjoy about the wine. The tangy sweet flavor of the fruit is brought to the front while the ripeness fades. The aftertaste of the rind and wine left a delightful dance of flavor on the tongue.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your July dear readers. I look forward to preparing a new pairing for you in the near future!
When Life Gives You Lemonheads…Read for a Chance to Win!
Hey friends! It has been over three months. Spring was a hectic time for me. I had a full course load, a full-time internship, and the rest of my life to keep going. I finished finals in May and had about 12 days off before starting summer semester. But soon I will be done and have a proper break! In the mean time, I am avoiding some work to bring you a brand new post!
I am featuring one of my favorite childhood candies today–lemonheads! I love anything lemon scented or flavored in the summer, don’t you?
The Wine: The Independent, Chenin Blanc, 2014
The Candy: The Original Lemonhead
The Dream:
I originally planned to pair this with a bottle of wine that had a distinct lemon flavor, but Sam drank it accidentally before I told him not to open it. It probably was too sour anyway. So I moved onto the other white I got with my Club W wine box and tried the Chenin Blanc. I thought I would buy a chardonnay, but the Chenin Blanc is sweeter and a more interesting pair.
I Didn’t Know
The Reality:
The Chenin Blanc is very ripe and natural with a distinct sweetness. True to the theme of the post, each sip gets tangier.
The Lemonheads are delicious but a little stale since I waited a long time to pair them. The pairing is ok but the result is overall bitter. But Sam really liked it, so you may want to give it a shot. The wine did not turn with the sharp and challenging candy. Lemon and all citrus is always a challenge!
Club W:
I am a member of Club W which is a wine subscription service. I am not working for them or receiving any benefits from them whatsoever.
Once in awhile they give me a number of boxes to give away. You sign up on the website and they will send you three wines in one box. Their wines are often featured on Uncorked Unwrapped–like today! You will have to pay shipping with the order but you can unsubscribe if you don’t want to continue receiving them. I will send the first three to fill out this contact form an email with information on how to get a box. This offer expires July 9, 2015.
Arsenic & Poor Taste
Hello Friends,
I come to you on a rather serious matter. Last Thursday it was reported that many of the beloved cheap wine brands have high levels of inorganic arsenic. I have featured several of these brands on this website. In addition, if you live in a state where alcohol is sold in Trader Joes (I do not..I might be bitter), many of the TJ brands were affected. There is currently a lawsuit regarding this matter but, to be safe, I would avoid the brands I have listed below.
Since I care about all of you, the wines reported to have high inorganic arsenic are listed below (source). For every wine that I love, there is gif portraying my honest reaction to this knew. I was literally yelling “Oh why god!” in my apartment. I am not joking, I was yelling.
1. Acronym’s GR8RW Red Blend 2011
2. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
3. Almaden’s Heritage Moscato
4. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
5. Almaden’s Heritage Chardonnay
6. Almaden’s Mountain Burgundy
7. Almaden’s Mountain Rhine
8. Almaden’s Mountain Chablis
9. Arrow Creek’s Coastal Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
10. Bandit’s Pinot Grigio
11. Bandit’s Chardonnay
12. Bandit’s Cabernet Sauvignon
13. Bay Bridge’s Chardonnay
14. Beringer’s White Merlot 2011
15. Beringer’s White Zinfandel 2011
16. Beringer’s Red Moscato
17. Beringer’s Refreshingly Sweet Moscato
18. Charles Shaw White Zinfandel 2012
19. Colores del Sol’s Malbec 2010
20. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Pinot Grigio 2012
21. Concannon’s Selected Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011
22. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Merlot 2010
23. Cook’s Spumante
24. Corbett Canyon’s Pinot Grigio
25. Corbett Canyon’s Cabernet Sauvignon
26. Cupcake’s Malbec 2011
27. Fetzer’s Moscato 2010
28. Fetzer’s Pinot Grigio 2011
29. Fish Eye Pinot Grigio 2012
30. Flipflop’s Pinot Grigio 2012
31. Flipflop’s Moscato
32. Flipflop’s Cabernet Sauvignon
33. Foxhorn’s White Zinfandel
34. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Grenache
35. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Zinfandel
36. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Merlot
37. Franzia’s Vintner Select Burgundy
38. Hawkstone’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
39. HRM Rex Goliath’s Moscato
40. Korbel’s Sweet Rose Sparkling Wine
41. Korbel’s Extra Dry Sparkling Wine
42. Menage a Trois’ Pinot Grigio 2011
43. Menage a Trois’ Moscato 2010
44. Menage a Trois’ White Blend 2011
45. Menage a Trois’ Chardonnay 2011
46. Menage a Trois’ Rose 2011
47. Menage a Trois’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
48. Menage a Trois’ California Red Wine 2011
49. Mogen David’s Concord
50. Mogen David’s Blackberry Wine
51. Oak Leaf’s White Zinfandel
52. Pomelo’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
53. R Collection by Raymond’s Chardonnay 2012
54. Richards Wild Irish Rose’s Red Wine
55. Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc 2012
56. Simply Naked’s Moscato 2011
57. Smoking Loon’s Viognier 2011
58. Sutter Home’s Sauvignon Blanc 2010
59. Sutter Home’s Gewurztraminer 2011
60. Sutter Home’s Pink Moscato
61. Sutter Home’s Pinot Grigio 2011
62. Sutter Home’s Moscato
63. Sutter Home’s Chenin Blanc 2011
64. Sutter Home’s Sweet Red 2010
65. Sutter Home’s Riesling 2011
66. Sutter Home’s White Merlot 2011
67. Sutter Home’s Merlot 2011
68. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2011
69. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2012
70. Sutter Home’s Zinfandel 2010
71. Trapiche’s Malbec 2012
72. Tribuno’s Sweet Vermouth
73. Vendange’s Merlot
74. Vendange’s White Zinfandel
75. Wine Cube’s Moscato
76. Wine Cube’s Pink Moscato 2011
77. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio 2011
78. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio
79. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay 2011
80. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay
81. Wine Cube’s Red Sangria
82. Wine Cube’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
83. Wine Cube’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2011
Goodbye all my sweet, sweet friends. PLEASE fix this issue because I would rather not die from wine.
Pinot Noir, Shooting Star, Let’s All Go to the Candy bar
Hey friends. How are you? It has been awhile, but I am writing this post because I am putting off going to gym.
Before we get started let me set the mood:
This pairing isn’t even for Pinot Noir, but I couldn’t resist posting this great video from the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. If you haven’t seen this show, you should know it includes a scene that defines my entire life:
Today we have a special Texas themed post. I went to Austin to visit my friend Lauren and we went to a Texas candy shop called Lammes and had some Texas wine.
The cutest candy store ever, no?
The Candy: Lammes Taffy Kisses (Cinnamon, Peppermint, Molasses, Spearmint, Peanut Butter)
The Wine: Fall Creek Vineyard 2015, Merlot
Some Cat with your Wine?
The Dream:
I chose the taffy because I knew I wanted a red wine. Taffy and white wine could be a bit too tricky since taffy is so sticky. You may recall I have featured taffy before on this blog: here, here, here, and very recently here. I have learned you often want something to be able to wash that taffy out. I chose Merlot because the Fall Creek brand was recommended and we don’t include enough Merlot on this website.
The Reality:
The wine is nice and simple with a mild flavor. There is a slight tanginess which is followed by a burst of sweetness on the tongue. Yum.
Let’s break this down by flavor:
- Cinnamon: The cinnamon goes fairly well with this wine but the spiciness of the cinnamon numbs the tongue a tad. The wine is never thrown. This was the best pair of the selection.
- Molasses: This pairing is not good at all. I didn’t even write that many notes besides “not great” which usually means it is very bad.
- Spearmint: These flavors clashed and created an overall odd experience. The wine was thrown by the mint which is pretty typical.
- Peanut butter: The nuttiness battles with the wine’s sweetness. The taffy is too nutty to be enjoyable with the wine.
- Peppermint: Oh, this was very bad. It was way more minty than spearmint and the wine hardly came through.
I want to note that I actually didn’t note carefully the taffy flavors Lammes was serving. I bought a mix and just interpreted the flavors while I was eating them. This isn’t science ok? I am not taking that many notes.
Overall, cinnamon was the clear winner here! A fun time for all nonetheless. Thank you to Texas, Lauren, Lammes, and Specs!
Malbec Mini-Mentos
Happy Snow Day! Well, it is a snow day here anyway. If you are in Boston, every day is a snow day and for that I apologize. I have lived in both Wisconsin and Massachusetts so I know a thing or two about winter but…yikes! You certainly have it bad this year.
Yes, I did not do a post dedicated to Valentine’s Day. Sorry! I hope you could invent your own (if so, please tell me about them!). I hope your Valentine’s/Valentime’s/Galentine’s was delightful.
For Christmas, I received a lot of candy full of pairing potential. I feature one of those candies today!
The Wine: 2013 One from the Quiver from Club W
The Candy: Mini Mentos Fruit Mix
The Dream:
While I do have a strong Malbec preference, it is warranted. I think it is a great wine for pairing with candy and I always want to test its limits. I thought the rich and robust Malbec could potentially take on the more astringent flavors of the lemon candy. In addition, I imagined the Malbec would pair nicely with the strawberry mentos.
The Reality:
The wine is tart, crisp and refreshing. It slides lightly off the tongue.
Here are the rulings:
Lemon: The flavor is slightly thrown with the lemon. The result is a very fruity and tart mouth sensation. I would not necessarily call it a winning pair, but it is not bad.
Orange: This pair was fabulous–the wine and orange flavor combined to make a blood orange flavor. I loved it
Strawberry: I was disappointed in this pairing. It wasn’t horrible, but it also didn’t go anywhere for me.
I have a region-specific pairing coming up in the next few weeks, so keep checking in!
A Chewy, Spooktacular Pairing
Hello all,
As tired as I am of seeing/hearing/tasting the word spooktacular I used it in my blog post—what can I say? ‘Tis the season.
Bottoms Up!
It has been a little over a month since my last pair which I have decided is respectable. Evidently, you all needed some TRUE candy/wine pairing since Halloween is when a lot of various blogs become wine/candy experts. I can’t have you be led astray, now can I?
My friend Megan requested I pair a candy of her choice with a wine, so this post is a result! Let’s get to it, shall we?
The Wine: Alamos, Chardonnay, 2012
The Candy: Laffy Taffy, Caramel Apple
The Dream:
I chose a chardonnay because it could balance the sweetness of Laffy Taffy. I also thought the subtleness of the wine would play well with the caramel apple flavors. Chardonnay is also very light whereas taffy is very sticky and cumbersome to chew.
The Reality:
The taffy is very sweet and reminds me more of a candy apple versus a caramel apple (yes, there’s a difference). The taffy is not all that chewy either. Readers, you may be thinking: Liz, Laffy Taffy is never that chewy. Well, some of us choose to eat taffy after it has gone stale ok…..
The chardonnay is lovely–not too distinct and not too dry. It is a very neutral chardonnay. The wine goes slightly sour when paired with the candy, but otherwise they combine nicely. The apple of the candy leaves an appealing after taste when combined with the wine. We decided it was a hit!
(If you were thinking I was going to pair candy corn, well, been there, done that.)
I hope you all have a fabulous and SAFE Halloween (look both ways when crossing the street, don’t block your vision with a mask, and DON’T DON’T DON’T drink and drive….use this directory of national designated driver services).
BOO!!
Starburst Candy Corn…A True Scandal
Hello Friends!
My last post was in July which, in reflection, isn’t TOO bad considering the hectic nature of my life lately. I moved, started grad school, went to NYC, and now I am changing jobs. Bananas! This entire time, I have had a back up wine pairing. I did this pairing months ago before I moved.
I figured tonight was the best night to post my pair because a certain wine-drinking, white-hate wearing woman is back in our lives.
That’s right, Scandal is back and so am I…so let’s get crackin.
The Wine: Brethen of the Road, 2013, Grenache, Santa Cruz Mountains
The Candy: Starburst Candy Corn. Yeah. Yup. It is real.
The Dream:
This was months ago so I do not remember what I was thinking. All I know is this: I was unpacking and I found a sample pack of Starburst Candy Corn that I bought in a fever dream.
Have you ever held a mistake? Because I have.
The Reality:
I don’t know exactly what this is or why I ate it. The candy is basically a Starburst but with a candy corn texture. I don’t understand it. My brain could not handle it. I love candy corn and I love Starbursts, but together they are truly horrifying. If you want to be disgusted and frightened this Halloween, this is the choice for you.
My Thoughts Exactly Olivia
The wine has a yeasty, cherry smell. It is not very fruity and it is dry, which I thought might be good. But I was wrong. Horribly wrong. The texture of the candy meets the wine and it….bubbles. How? HOW? What a mistake.
Anyway, what a post to come back on right? I wish I could have made this more Scandal appropriate…..but that would just be straight wine right? What makes a Scandal pairing?
Uncorked, Unwrapped 