Halloween isn’t just for the kids. Once the trick-or-treaters are tucked in and the candy bowl is yours again, it’s time for the grown-up treat: a rich, sweet pour that was practically made for a pile of chocolate. San Antonio Winery’s two port-style dessert wines—Chocolate Bar and La Quinta—are exactly that. Here’s why they belong on your Halloween night.
Chocolate Bar: A Chocolate Port Made to Smile About
Chocolate Bar Chocolate Port is as fun as it sounds—a port with a wonderful hint of chocolate. Playfully delicious and uncommonly fun, it’s a flavored dessert wine built for sweet temptation. On Halloween, it’s the natural pour: liquid dessert that tastes like the best part of the candy bowl, no unwrapping required. Think of it as a chocolate treat you sip.
La Quinta: A Ruby Port with Dark, Brooding Depth
If Chocolate Bar is the playful one, La Quinta is its richer, moodier companion—fitting for the spookiest night of the year. La Quinta Syrah Port is a ruby port, named for its dark red color. The Syrah grapes are grown in Paso Robles, where the climate ripens them to a concentrated 25–27° Brix. During fermentation, California brandy is added to arrest the process, locking in deep, sweet, dark-fruit richness. It’s a warming, after-dinner sipper with real intensity.
Pairing Ports with Your Candy Haul
The best part of a Halloween night in: matching your ports to the candy bowl. A few combinations to try:
- Chocolate Bar + chocolate candy. Lean into it. Chocolate Bar alongside milk-chocolate minis, peanut butter cups, or chocolate-caramel bars is pure, decadent fun.
- La Quinta + dark chocolate. The ruby port’s dark-fruit depth loves bittersweet and dark chocolate, bringing out the richness in both.
- La Quinta + caramel and toffee. The port’s sweetness and warmth play beautifully with buttery, toffee-forward treats.
- Either port + a cheese board. If you’ve had enough sugar, both ports are classic with blue cheese, aged cheddar, and nuts for a savory-sweet finish.
How to Serve Them
Ports are easy hosts. Pour them in small servings—these are rich, sip-slowly wines—and serve La Quinta at cool room temperature to show off its depth, or give either port a brief chill if you prefer. They’re a perfect end to a Halloween dinner, a cozy movie-night companion for a scary film, or the grown-up reward after the porch light goes off.
Make It a Halloween Tradition
A bottle of chocolate port is a simple way to turn Halloween night into something a little more special—and these two California dessert wines are as fun to gift as they are to pour. Learn more about both on the La Quinta & Chocolate Bar page.
FAQs
What is chocolate port wine?
Chocolate port is a flavored dessert wine—a port with chocolate notes. San Antonio Winery’s Chocolate Bar Chocolate Port is a playful, rich example made to taste like a chocolate treat in a glass.
Is La Quinta a sweet wine?
Yes. La Quinta is a Syrah-based ruby port. Brandy is added during fermentation to arrest the process, preserving the grapes’ natural sweetness for a rich, sweet dessert wine.
What candy pairs best with these ports?
Chocolate Bar shines with chocolate candy, while La Quinta pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, caramel, and toffee. Both also work with a cheese board if you want something less sweet.
How should I serve dessert port?
Serve ports in small pours since they’re rich. La Quinta is great at cool room temperature, and either port can be lightly chilled to taste. They make an ideal after-dinner or movie-night pour.
Where can I find these California dessert wines?
Both Chocolate Bar and La Quinta are San Antonio Winery wines—see the La Quinta & Chocolate Bar page to learn more and shop.