Some things naturally go together, like pineapple and vodka, pancakes and syrup, and ice cream and... wine? While the rule typically stands that your wine should be sweeter than your food, that shouldn't stop you from pairing your wine with your fave Halo Top flavor. I mean, what else are you going to eat and drink while binge watching holiday movies? Plus, Halo Top ice cream is super low-cal and high in protein, so you can justify that extra glass of wine. Aaand the next one.
Vanilla Bean + Pinot Grigio
If you're going for something basic and mellow after a rough day, this is the pairing for you. Pinot Grigio is a dry white wine that's not super bold, so it won't lend an overpowering taste to that creamy vanilla pint. Just sip, relax, and chill out, bro.
Chocolate + Pinot Noir
Smooth and rich, Pinot Noir typically has notes of raspberry and cherry, both of which pair wonderfully with chocolate. The flavors, though complex, are subtle and will please even the snobbiest of wine drinkers when paired with chocolate.
Lemon Cake + Moscato
I think the only wine to compete with rosé for the #basic award is Moscato. It's a light, sweet, somewhat tropical-tasting wine that will pair well with lemon cake—or anything tart, really. Also? Chinese food. Don't believe me? Give it a try—like you really need an excuse to drink wine and eat Chinese food, though.
Strawberry + Rosé
I like to imagine rosé as that one super tan, sun-kissed girl at the beach who's all about summer fun, and what says summer more than a bunch of succulent strawberries? Reminiscent of fruits like melons, peach, and (of course) strawberry, rosé was made for this variety of ice cream, making it a perfect Halo Top and wine pairing.
Mint Chip + Barbaresco
Barbaresco is probably a lesser known wine amongst college students, but we're here to break that trend and open up the gates of experience. It's a sexy wine with smoky notes of cherry and rose, which match the cool intensity of mint chocolate.
Chocolate Mocha Chip + Syrah
Syrah (or Shiraz) is a bold red wine that can hold up the intensity of something as dark and rich as Chocolate Mocha Chip. It's a full-bodied glass that's not for the faint of heart. If you're not super up to the challenge, try a Syrah from the Americas—they're usually a touch fruitier.
Birthday Cake + Champagne
This might just be the ultimate Halo Top and wine pairing. I mean, nothing says "celebration" quite like birthday cake, and nothing says "drunk celebration" quite like champagne. Bring the two together for the perfect cold and creamy party.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough + Chardonnay
Possibly one of the most recognized wines on the planet, Chardonnay comes with buttery, vanilla-y flavors due to oak-aging. This mimics the creamy goodness in chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and brings back childhood memories—only now you can get wine drunk and eat an entire pint of ice cream. Freakin' blessed.
Peanut Butter Cup + Fino Sherry
While there are a bunch of different varieties of Sherry wine, Fino Sherry has a light, salty taste and goes great with bar snacks like pretzels and peanuts. To bring out the flavor of Peanut Butter Cup ice cream, I totes recommend this light wine.
Cookies and Cream + Champagne
Now we get to the best—I mean, my personal favorite, aka the best—flavor of ice cream: cookies and cream. Vanilla with just a hint of rich, crumbly, chocolate cookie pieces, goes great with Champagne. I mean, Champagne really goes well with anything, but especially cookies.
Sea Salt Caramel + Cream Sherry
Typically used for cooking rather than for getting lit, cream sherry doesn't usually get much notice. Cream sherry is actually Oloroso Sherry, but sweetened just a touch. It carries a salty cocoa flavor and is perfect for accentuating the tastes of sea salt caramel ice cream.
S'mores + Cabernet Sauvignon
Though different places offer different tones to the taste of this full-bodied wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its dark fruit flavors and savory taste, often with a dash of vanilla. With the chocolate and marshmallow gooeyness of s'mores, this red wine is the way to go.
Pistachio + Sauvignon Blanc
Pistachios deserve a light, zesty wine to bring out their full flavor. With primary flavors of lime, passion fruit, green apple, and white peach, Sauvignon Blanc presents itself as a fruity wine with a kick of bell pepper (and sometimes jalapeño) to give it that extra sumthin' needed to make Pistachio Halo Top ice cream really wow your tastebuds.
Oatmeal Cookie + Viognier
Oatmeal cookies never get the love they deserve. These warm, sugary, cinnamon circles of love deserve a wine date. Pair them with Viognier, which has superb hints of vanilla with spices such as nutmeg and clove. It's the perfect combo of two underrated things for you to cozy up and have an ideal self-care night.
Chocolate Almond Crunch + Malbec
Malbec is a full-bodied wine and should be paired with full-bodied food. Chocolate Almond Crunch is a bold move for an ice cream choice, so you deserve a bold glass to go with it. The fruitiness compliments the crunch of almonds, and the chocolate finish is legitimately divine.
Black Cherry + Malbec
Malbec is totes two-timing it here, running off with a pint of Black Cherry. Of the Halo Top and wine pairings, this one is among the most harmonious due to the similarity in flavoring; Malbec often has notes of cherry and is known for its dark, smokey finish. (It's totally worth the cheating scandal.)
Red Velvet + Merlot
One of the most basic cake flavors deserves one of the more basic wine varieties, amirite? Merlot accent the chocolate tones in this red velvet ice cream with cherry and berry. And with those colors, your meal will be #twinning.
Cinnamon Roll + Riesling
I'm a sugar fanatic. Thus, I down—I mean, elegantly sip—riesling. It's sweet, bubbly, fruity flavors make it literally alcoholic juice. So, to give into the kid side of you that's attracted to cinnamon roll ice cream, go with the bottle of riesling (or two bottles, cuz you're real with yourself).
Pancakes & Waffles + Tawny Port
In an ideal world, it'd be acceptable to have wine with breakfast. Halo Top gives us the next best thing with Pancakes and Waffles ice cream for a breakfast dessert. Tawny Port, with its cinnamon and caramel flavor, is the perfect companion for your late night indulgence.
Chocolate Covered Banana + Ruby Port
Similar to its tawny counterpart, ruby port offers touches of cinnamon, which complements the bananas perfectly. The deeper tastes of raspberry and black cherry appeal to the chocolate in this ice cream, too.
Mochi Green Tea + Sake
Mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert that consists of a chewy outer layer stuffed with ice cream. To follow the traditional trend, we're pairing this ice cream with Sake—fermented rice wine with a typically sweet flavor. Throw in some sushi and call it a night.
Rainbow Swirl + Sauvignon Blanc
Crisp and refreshing with floral notes, Sauvignon Blanc matches the powerful burst of flavor you expect from any food that claims "rainbow" in the title. Truly, this is a pair you'd want to throw a party with—they're fun, lively, and always offering a surprise twist.
Candy Bar + Merlot
If you're going to down a glass of wine while stuffing your face with all the discounted candy you bought on Nov. 1, it's gotta be Merlot. The dark fruit flavors complement the chocolate perfectly for this candy bar-inspired ice cream. And after a few glasses, you'll totally come up with a genius justification for that 12th Kit Kat.
Caramel Macchiato + Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet is one of the more complex wines out there, and if you're sipping away on a caramel macchiato, you're probs super sophisticated and not one to mess around. Plus, the Cab brings out the intense, rich flavor of the macchiato, making these two the perfect pair.
Pumpkin Pie + Madeira
From a tiny-little island off Portugal, Madeira has a mixed palette of burnt sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. Keeping with the fall season, this wine is basically the autumn aesthetic and pairs gloriously with pumpkin pie. Plus, it'll make dealing with those family questions about college a lil easier.
When it comes down to it, any of these Halo Top and wine pairings will lead to a good night, because wine is good. Wine is always good. And adding ice cream makes it even better.