Well, what do you know? Halloween finally falls on a Saturday night. And not just any Saturday night. It also happens that this year is the first time in a long time that there will be a full moon!
With perfect conditions like this during a pandemic, there’s only one sane thing to do: Find a scary movie on the television, turn down the lights and open a great bottle of Halloween wine.
While it is true that this year’s Halloween festivities will certainly be toned down a bit, it doesn’t have to stop adult ghosts and goblins from enjoying their very own night of magical mischief, especially since several winemakers and producers are taking this opportunity to have some fun with special Halloween-themed wine names and labels.
So this Halloween, the only treats in our house will be appropriately named wine bottles, just waiting for the opportune time to pop their corks and seduce my unsuspecting palate with enchanting aromas and frightfully delightful flavors.
Here are a few wines to get you into the “spirit” of the evening. And while I know that you can’t judge a trick-or-treater by his or her costume, or a wine by its label, these tasty treats will get you in the mood to wake the dead this Saturday night.
A great white wine to serve at your Halloween get-together is the 2018 Ghost Pines Chardonnay from California. This chillingly good Chardonnay is full of bewitching aromas of stone fruit and citrus scents.
Flavors of baked apple, pear and lemon cream are heightened by a touch of creamy vanilla on the finish. Produced using quality fruit from three of California’s most recognized appellations: Sonoma, Monterey and Napa counties, this wine would be a hit with caramel apples. $17
Brothers David and Michael Phillips — A.K.A. the Lords of Lodi — must be clairvoyant with their 2017 Michael David Vineyards “6th Sense” Syrah from Lodi, California.
It’s a deep, brooding wine with big, lush flavors of black cherry, dark plum, back raspberry and cocoa in harmony with the soft tannins. Small amounts of Petite Sirah round out a balanced finish where notes of black pepper and spice linger for over a minute. What’s scary is how good this wine is for the price: $14
I’m not sure if you could find a more appropriately named wine than the 2015 Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon from California, which is dressed appropriately with a red cape draped around the bottle.
Enticing aromas of blackberry, ripe plum and mocha that bleed into flavors of rich black currant and ripe black cherry. The wine finishes with hints of cocoa and oak spice. I’m sure if the Count drank wine, this would be his pick. Best of all, you’ll only be “coffin” up $19.
The legend of Sleepy Hollow never tasted so good. The 2017 Talbott Vineyards “Sleepy Hollow” Pinot Noir from Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, California, rides into town with a captivating nose full of cherry, rose petals and wild strawberry scents.
Bright flavors of cherry, raspberry, cocoa and cinnamon fall in layers over the entire palate while hints of roasted meat add complexity to the elegant finish. It’s almost enough to lose one’s head over. $40
