New Halloween Wine List

It’s Halloween time for the little kids… which means candy… and “Hallo-wine” time for the big kids… and you know what that means…

I was in a WORLD MARKET store recently and was inundated with Halloween wines.  Keep in mind that I am not necessarily recommending these wines – as I personally have not had 95% of them… But they sure know how to bring out the SPIRIT of the holiday… (pun intended…)

• The one that really stood out is a German wine whose bottle is in the shape of a cat.  It comes in red or black bottles, and it’s called Cat Riesling by Moselland.  According to the sign in the store – “German lore, in which a cat selects the best barrel of wine of the vintage, is the inspiration for this cat-shaped bottle.  100% Riesling, fresh, fruity with crisp acidity.”  And the website from the wine marketing company tells us that  “it goes well with salads, chicken dishes and Asian cuisine, and can of course be enjoyed on its own as an easy drinking summer wine or aperitif. Serve well chilled.”  I am not a consumer of Riesling wine, but the bottle sure is KILLER.  (Yeah, keep on reading… It gets better.)

• What would Halloween be without Monster Mash?  Well, this is a wine that really sings.  This blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah from Lodi “COMES TO LIFE” with grilled meats. (I didn’t write that one.  It came from their website.)

 

• Hobnob Wines came out with a wicked red blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.  That does sound WICKEDLY delicious… and it comes from France.  (Do the French have Halloween?)

 

• How can you pass up a wine called Rest In Peace?  It comes from Santa Barbara County – specifically Buellton.  The only thing on their website is that it’s a blend.  It does make me wonder what’s in it.   It has “aromas of boysenberry with hints of leather, cedar and cigar tobacco. Flavors are of raspberry jam, chocolate and black pepper, with a faint echo of black tea on the long finish.”  Hmmm… What writing aficionado wrote this?

• Then there’s Skeleton Malbec – all the way from Argentina.  I personally like a good Argentinean Malbec.  They sell this one by the liter.  Finally… a perfect size wine bottle… Make no BONES about it.  (Insert groan here.)

 

 

• According to their website, Zombie Zin is 95% Zinfandel and 5% Syrah, and can be paired with “bloody BBQ meats, sinister soups with eye of newt, bubbly cauldron of fleshy stew”.  It is aged 18 months in American oak barrels.  You know, it wouldn’t KILL you to try this one… Or would it?

 

• If you are looking to make Sangria, you can try using Vinos De Los Muertos Rojo Dulce… or you can just drink this wine while you dine on BBQ or red sauce pasta dishes.  It is called a “sweet red blend” with Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  That doesn’t sound really sweet to me.  But then I haven’t had this.

 

• Another wine that caught my attention came in a box in the shape of a coffin called Vampire.  Upon doing some research on this one, I have come to learn that Vampire Vineyards makes a variety of wines including their red blend – “Sip the Blood of the Vine® and Enjoy A Taste of Immortality!®”  I couldn’t find what the varietals are, but they stated on the website that it is a food fiendly wine that goes with steaks, pizzas, pastas, burgers and chicken.
In addition to Vampire, the winemakers also produce Dracula Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah; Trueblood Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon; and a Spanish wine called Fangria Sangria Española.  That all sounds BLOODY well good to me.

• Now finally a bottle that I did buy… Poizin… It comes from Armida Winery – which actually makes some pretty nice wine from Sonoma County.  And it’s funny that not only do they tout Poizin (a good Zinfandel) as the “WINE TO DIE FOR”… They also make a Pinot Gris called Antidote.

 

Happy Hallo-wine to all you boys and ghouls!

 

 

Enjoy more holiday wine ideas from these Wine ponder articles:
• Halloween Wine [2014 Edition]
• Thanksgiving Wines
• Giving Thanks… For Wine
• Wine For The Holidays
• More Wine For The Holidays
• Champagne Valentine