Wine and Cupcakes?
These days, it seems like the latest hot trend is cupcakes. In light of all the buzz over these sweet treats, we thought we'd provide some advice about cupcake-wine pairings. *

Peanut Butter: Try pairing with a Beaujolais... The fresh, fruit-forward, jammy Beaujolais will help you make your own adult version of peanut butter and jelly.

Coconut / Vanilla: Try a sweet or late-harvest Gewürztraminer. The wine's tropical notes will pair well with dry, sweet, tropical-tinted coconut and vanilla flavors.

Red Velvet: Try pairing with a red sparkling wine, such as Castello Banfi Rosa Regale. The effervescence complements the lively flavors of the Red Velvet, and the two distinct sweetnesses reinforce each in a cotton-candy combination. Also try a Black Muscat for a Cherries Jubilee flavor.

Chocolate: Port is always a winning combination with chocolate. Another option is Pinot Noir, which accentuates the cacao tannins and texture.

Lemon: The crisp, green, tart flavors of Sauvignon Blanc or New Zealand whites cut the lemon's acid and reinforces the cupcake's pound-cake flavors. Also try a Tokaji, which will work well with the lemon's zest, or a late-harvest white, which will intensify the cupcake's citrus notes.

Carmel Variants: The dry, sweet caramelized notes in Sweet Oloroso Sherry parallel the caramel.

And if you don't know what to drink, try Inniskillin's Riesling Icewine, which can pair with carrot cake, banana bread, and many others.

* For more information about pairing wine with cupcakes, read Wine Enthusiast's full article on this topic.