Castello del Poggio Announces US Launch of Limited-Edition Candy Corn Italian Wine

Miami, FL, October 7th, 2026, FinanceWire

Italian wine brand puts a playful, nostalgic twist on Halloween as Americans prepare to spend $13.5 billion celebrating one of fall's biggest adult entertaining occasions

This Halloween, the candy bowl isn’t the only place to find candy corn. Castello del Poggio, the Italian wine brand known for celebrating the sweeter side of La Dolce Vita, today announced the US launch of Castello del Poggio Candy Corn, a limited-edition Italian wine inspired by one of Halloween’s most recognizable flavors and created expressly for grown-up seasonal entertaining.

As Halloween continues to evolve beyond a single night of trick-or-treating into a seminal fall occasion for entertaining, decorating and celebrating, Castello del Poggio is giving grown-ups a treat of their own. The National Retail Federation (NRF) projects Americans will spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, with 74% of consumers planning to celebrate. Halloween’s appeal also extends decisively into adulthood with NRF reporting that three-quarters of American adults participate in Halloween activities, while nearly one-third of consumers plan to either host or attend a Halloween party.

America’s quintessential candy holiday has become an adult entertaining occasion – and Castello del Poggio is reimagining one of Halloween’s most nostalgic flavors through Italian wine.

“We are excited to reveal this decorative spirit of an adult Halloween gathering,” said Rob Gelwicks, Managing Director, Americas, ZONIN1821. “Candy corn has a wonderful sense of nostalgia about it – and is one of those unmistakable flavors that immediately takes people back to Halloweens past. We loved the idea of taking something so familiar and completely reimagining it in an unexpected way through Italian wine. Castello del Poggio has always celebrated the sweeter side of La Dolce Vita, and our limited-edition Candy Corn offering gives adults a playful new way to bring a little Italian flair to their Halloween festivities.”

Celebrating Halloween with Creative Winemaking

The launch comes as consumers continue to demonstrate an appetite for flavor-forward wine beverages, even against a challenging backdrop for the broader still wine category. According to NielsenIQ (NIQ) data, flavored wine beverages increased +1.9% in value over the latest 26 weeks and +2.7% over the latest 13 weeks, demonstrating continued consumer interest in flavor-led wine innovation.

The opportunity also extends beyond any single holiday. Across beverage alcohol, seasonal and limited-edition innovations increasingly allow brands to tap into specific consumer occasions – from Valentine’s Day and summer entertaining to Halloween and year-end holidays – creating new reasons for discovery while generating excitement and urgency around the celebration itself.

Castello del Poggio Candy Corn brings that occasion-led thinking to wine, combining the equity of a storied Italian wine brand with a flavor virtually synonymous with Halloween.

An Italian Wine with an Unexpected Halloween Twist

Crafted in Piedmont, Italy, and finished in the US, Castello del Poggio Candy Corn begins with an Italian white wine blend made primarily from Moscato, which is then brought to the US and masterfully blended with natural flavors inspired by classic candy corn.

Upon tasting, the wine immediately captures the familiar confectionery character of the Halloween favorite with notes of marshmallow, vanilla and warm honey, creating a rich yet balanced flavor profile complemented by the natural fruit character of the wine. At 12% alcohol by volume (ABV), Candy Corn is offered in a 750ml bottle format that is best served chilled at 46 – 49°F.

The limited-edition package is every bit as distinctive as the wine inside. Drawing inspiration from candy corn’s instantly recognizable orange, yellow and white palette, the bottle incorporates playful Halloween imagery designed to stand apart on shelf, while adding playfully to the decorative spirit of an adult Halloween gathering.

Candy Corn Brings the Sweet. You Bring the Salty.

With Candy Corn already providing the sweeter side of the equation, the trick to pairing it lies in contrasting the rich flavor profile rather than adding more sweetness. For an easy Halloween aperitivo, serve Castello del Poggio Candy Corn chilled alongside sharp white cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salted nuts, briny olives or other salty and savory bites, where salt, acidity and umami can counterbalance the wine’s confectionery notes of marshmallow, vanilla and honey.

Conjure Up a Signature Halloween Pour

For those looking to bring a little cocktail magic to the party, Castello del Poggio Candy Corn can also become the foundation for The Witching Hour, a simple signature Halloween tri-layered serve inspired by candy corn’s iconic three-color palette.

The Witching Hour

Ingredients

• 4 oz Castello del Poggio Candy Corn
• Teaspoon Aperol
• Vanilla-citrus aquafaba foam
• 1 candy corn garnish

White Foam

• 1 oz aquafaba (liquid drained from canned chickpeas)
• ¼ oz fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 drops vanilla extract

Note: Shake the aquafaba, lemon and vanilla vigorously (without ice) in a shaker until a dense, ‘spoonable’ white foam form

Build

1. Pour 4 oz Castello del Poggio Candy Corn wine into a clear stemmed cocktail glass to establish the yellow base (pour over ice chips if desired).
2. Gently spoon ½ inch of aquafaba foam across the surface to create the white crown.
3. Very slowly, introduce a teaspoon of Aperol over the back of a spoon in the center of the white crown, creating an orange layer or gradient above the wine, rather than allowing the two to fully combine.
4. Top off the cocktail with enough aquafaba foam to cover where the Aperol was added to create 3 distinct colored rings.
5. Simply garnish with a single candy corn on the rim or cocktail prick.

The goal with this cocktail is to be as visually striking as it is flavorful: a cocktail evoking candy corn’s distinctive yellow, orange and white progression, while introducing acidity and effervescence to balance the wine’s sweeter confectionery profile.

A Treat Available for a Limited Time

Castello del Poggio Candy Corn is immediately available at a suggested retail price of $12.99 per 750ml bottle, while supplies last. The limited-edition release will be featured at major retailers including Meijer, HEB and SPECs in select markets nationwide. Only 3,000 cases representing 36,000 bottles have been crafted and released exclusively for Halloween 2026.

For more info, visit Castello del Poggio and follow @CastelloDelPoggio on social media.

About Castello del Poggio

Located in Asti in Italy’s Piedmont region, Castello del Poggio takes its name from an historic medieval fortress whose origins date back to the 12th century. Today, the estate brings that centuries-old heritage to a decidedly approachable and contemporary expression of Italian wine, with a portfolio known particularly for aromatic, fruit-forward wines that celebrate the sweeter, more playful side of La Dolce Vita.

About ZONIN1821

Founded in 1821, ZONIN1821 is Italy’s largest family-owned wine company, guided by seven generations of family ownership and more than two centuries of winemaking heritage. The company combines a deep respect for tradition with sustainable viticulture, modern winemaking and a commitment to producing wines that authentically express the character of their origins, while bringing the scale, consistency and operational expertise required to serve leading retailers, distributors and hospitality organizations around the world.

ZONIN1821’s award-winning portfolio spans brands including Zonin, Castello di Albola, Ca’ Bolani, Castello del Poggio, Rocca di Montemassi, Oltrenero, Masseria Altemura, Principi di Butera and Bocelli 1831 – bringing the diversity, craftsmanship and authenticity of Italian winemaking to consumers around the world.

For more on Zonin 1821, users can visit at https://www.zonin1821.com/

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