Halloween Wines: not as ghastly as they look

We served many very decent wines at a recent Halloween Party

When my sister Linda Lilly asked if I would be interested in putting on a Halloween themed wine tasting for her condo owners association, I wasn’t too keen on the idea to start with.  However, as I started looking around the market to see what was out there, I was surprised that it wasn’t just a bunch of generic low grade wines with scary looking labels.  I actually thought of not using any Halloween themed wines at all and just re-name some of my old favorites.   For the most part, I didn’t have to do too much of that sort of thing.  Where I had to come up with a Ghoulish sounding name, that will be listed below in “quotes”.   Surprisingly enough, many of the wines on the Halloween displays appeared to be legitimate wines.

So, here is the menu that Linda served and the wines we served with each course.  Below that are my tasting notes on each of the wines. All of them were under $15, some under $10 probably even less if you can find them in a close-out bin on November 1st.

2018 Velvet Devil (Charles Smith Wines) Merlot, WASHINGTON  The color is very deep rich black red with very ripe, almost sweet smelling fruit components which are rather jammy.  It is volatile enough to have a blackberry brandy-like feel to it.  Though very one dimensional and not particularly elegant, it packs a lot of rich fruit and smooth tannin.  84 points

2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Ghostly White” Vinifera Rooted Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley WASHINGTON  Even though our local AWS chapter puts on a well-attended Sauvignon Blanc judging every year, you’ll notice an absence of Sauvignon Blanc notes on this blog site.  It’s just not a flavor I’m fond of and we rarely drink Sauvignon Blanc unless attending some kind of wine judging.  When I stuck my nose into a glass of this CSM vinifera rooted Sauvignon Blanc, it screamed Sauvignon Blanc yet, I loved the vivid fruit purity and fresh clean “in-the-vineyard” essence.  It was like being on the crush pad with such a pleasant balance that I just loved the flavor!  100 points

2013 Mal de Ojo (Evil Eye) Castillo Monseran Grenache Tempranillo, Carinena SPAIN  The super elegant sophisticated nose dominated by Tempranillo, shows lots of black fruit with terra cotta and cedar nuance.  The palate is generous, vividly fresh and has the depth and length of a Rhone Cru.  It shows more of the Grenache fruit than a typical wine from neighboring Rioja probably due to its lack of prolonged oak aging.  89 points

NV Vampire Winemakers “Casket” Red (Cab Sv/Merlot/Syrah/Zin), CALIFORNIA  This wine which used to be a vintage wine made and grown in Romania, is now being produced in California.  Though not as complex as the old European version, there is still plenty of fine black fruit in the nose and a very engaging balance of light tannin and juicy texture on the palate.   Maybe a bit smallish compared to its predecessor, but, you won’t be embarrassed if you open the crypt for Halloween dinner.  83 points

2017 Z Alexander Brown Uncaged “Mythical Guardian Owl” Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands CALIFORNIA  The very full bouquet shows lots of lemon with slightly creamy smells.  This is a very well endowed Chard though not particularly oaky or buttery.  It mostly presents clean varietally correct fruit with an ideal acid/sugar balance that stays and cleanses the palate.  90 points

2018 [I’TALJA] “Bleeding” Rose of Pinot Grigio della Venezie ITALY  Though marketed as a rose, in fact, not much bleeding (sangue) took place here and unless you put a piece  of white paper behind the glass, it looks like a white wine.  But, even though the skin contact didn’t give it much color, the smell and taste is full of light strawberry-like fruit as you’d expect from a rose.  The body is sufficient to accompany a protein salad or charcuterie.  There is lemon, grapefruit and ginger in the nose with bright clean bosque pear on the palate.  For me, it is just a bit too acidic but most white wine drinkers will like the fresh zing it adds.  87 points

2015 Walking Dead by the Last Wine Company Red Blend (Merlot/Cab Sv/Petite Verdot/Malbec) CALIFORNIA  The color is extremely deep black red with surprisingly rich earthy, cedar and forest floor combining with very stylish Meritage* varietal smells.  There is lots more of the same plus some oak tannin on the palate; a complete mature classy package exceeding anyone buying Halloween wine’s expectations.   With a normal label, it might seem like a value at $30.  94 points

2016 Spellbound Pinot Noir CALIFORNIA  With a fine fresh correct Pinot bouquet, the ripe fruit smells and deeper than usual red color suggest and delivers a flavor of preserved plums and marmalade.  The fruitiness on the palate melts into a soft easy lightly tannic finish.  88 points

NV Blue Blood (Blueberry Port) by Tanglewood Winery, Holland MICHIGAN  The color lives up to its name.  It is fortified with grape alcohol giving the locally grown blueberries a big lift.   Although this wine does not display the precise, edgy, orchard fresh blueberry essence of its cousin, Blue Silk, it nonetheless offers up an unmistakable sense of where it is grown and what fruit it is born of.  Like all of Trevor Wassink’s wines, the sweet is balanced by a healthy dose of tannin from the fruit skins giving it a rich texture.  It is not too sweet to serve as a “sipping” wine.   Yet, its strength will pair nicely with bloody red cupcakes or reduced fruit compote.  87 points

Enjoy in Good Health,

Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner

*Meritage is a word that rhymes with heritage as in Bordeaux heritage grape varieties, namely Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec, Carmenere, Gros Verdot and St. Macaire.  It can apply to any wine made anywhere with at least two of these varieties and no more than 90% of any one.   To use the term Meritage, one must pay a fee and belong to the Meritage Association.