It feels good to buy Girl Scout Cookies. You’re supporting a great cause in the most fun way possible—by eating delicious cookies! Actually, scratch that, the very best way to enjoy your cookie treats is to pair them with wine, because, we’re sure you agree, everything is better with wine.
Tasting notes from the pros:
Do-si-Do’s® + Malbec
Few things provide pure food joy like the combination of peanut butter and jelly, and that’s the flavor explosion created by pairing Do-si-Do’s® and Argentine Malbecs. The jammy flavors of Malbec are ripe, sweet, and smooth – think of this variety as the wine equivalent of grape or strawberry jelly. This wine will balance the richness of peanut butter, without harsh tannins or earthy flavors that would be just plain weird with a cookie. This combination is your elementary school lunch all grown up.
Girl Scout S’mores® + Madeira
The Girl Scouts are experimenting with this new cookie, so you should experiment with new wines and treat yourself to Madeira! This Portuguese dessert wine is caramelized, sweet, and incredibly delicious. Toasted almond, butterscotch and dried fruit flavors elevate the graham cracker and chocolate without overpowering the fluffy marshmallow filling. Bonus: Madeira literally never goes bad, and this pairing works with Girl Scout S’mores® and the fireside classic, too.
Trefoils® + Chardonnay
In the world of food and wine, there are good pairings and not-so-good pairings, and when it’s good, it sings! Shortbread cookies “sing” for me on a regular basis all by themselves, and Girl Scout Trefoils® are extra special. A clear wine winner if you want a “Like With Like” pairing is a rich Chardonnay from Argentina for a Buttered-Popcorn-on-Butter-Cookie experience.
Tagalongs® + Sparkling Rosé
As mentioned above, peanut butter and jelly puts most of us in pure food bliss. And for good reason, as PB&J is a classic pairing almost everyone adores. To add some jelly to the Tagalong’s® peanut butter flavor, look for a pink sparkling rosé with strawberry jam notes. Italian Brachetto d’Acqui, with its soft effervescence to cut through the rich, creaminess of the peanut butter, is a match made in heaven.
Thin Mints® + Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
It’s a crime that Thin Mints® aren’t available all year round (hence why some of us stockpile boxes in the freezer), so to truly cherish these happy months, wine is obviously necessary. The region of Coonawarra in South Australia produces especially eucalyptus-flavored versions of Cabernet Sauvignon. The bold, dark cherry fruit and vanilla flavors from new oak stand up to chocolate, while the eucalyptus highlights the cookie’s characteristic mintiness.
Samoas® + Rioja
Samoas® may be the most polarizing Girl Scout cookie; you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em! The classic chocolate and coconut combination is mirrored in only one wine: Rioja from Spain. This Tempranillo-based wine is characterized by the use of new American oak, which tastes like sweet coconut and dill (and smells a bit like Banana Boat suntan lotion). The full-bodied, succulent black cherry and sweet spice accent the chocolate and caramel, while layers of coconut line up in perfect sync.
Savannah Smiles® + Riesling
Lemon cookies are often underrated compared to their chocolate and caramel counterparts, but how can you beat a delicious kiss of citrus and sugar? To match the lightness of Savannah Smiles®, look for a delicate, lower-alcohol wine with a touch of residual sugar, like off-dry German Riesling. The word “Kabinett” is a tip that a wine is this style, but there are plenty of other off-dry options as well. Round lemon and peach with bright acidity makes the cookies sing!
Thanks-A-Lot® + Zinfandel
Thanks-A-Lot® cookies combine two classic dessert flavors: chocolate and shortbread. The chocolate is the dominant flavor so you need a wine that will stand up to the chocolate. A great choice for Thanks-A-Lot® lovers is Zinfandel; its rich fruit profile is backed with a touch of pepper, so it works without being too rich or overly jammy.
Trios® + California Cabernet Sauvignon
Trios® are peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips—that’s a lot of big flavors for the wine to match. Without getting too adventurous, you can find a balanced pairing for these cookies in certain elegant Cabernet styles from the Paso Robles region of California. The wine here strikes a balance in the richness of fruit and earth. It compliments each element of the cookie without overpowering any single one, all the while maintaining its own identity.
Lemonades® + Albariño
Lemonades® are a classic shortbread cookie with tangy lemon icing. With the right wine pairing, you can bring a lot of depth to this Girl Scout Cookie experience. You want the wine to highlight the acidity of the lemon flavor, of course, but also consider wine with a floral component like Spanish Albariño. This creates a dovetail of lemon blossom flavor to marry the cookie and wine.
Source: vivino.com