Halloween is right around the corner, and now is the time to prepare for all the spooky activities that come along with the holiday. In my opinion, there are three types of people when it comes to celebrating Halloween: The first group buys costumes and attends all of the parties; the second group stays at home and passes out candy to trick-or-treaters; and the third group says that they will pass out candy, but give up halfway through the evening — this last group is my personal favorite.
After the exhausting work of complimenting small children on their creative costumes and tossing treats into their plastic pumpkins, the third group of Halloween celebrators quickly turn off their porch lights, lock their doors and run to the couch with the big bowl of candy that they were supposed to pass out.
Then, while ignoring all the knocks, doorbell rings and little screams of trick-or-treaters echoing in the night, these Halloween celebrators eat mini candy bars, drink wine and watch classic horror movies. The third group includes the true unsung heroes of Halloween. If you think about it, they should be rewarded for the public service of keeping all of that unhealthy candy away from the kids.
If you decide to include yourself in the third group this year, you’re probably making a checklist as you read this. Candy? Check. Scary movies? Check. All that’s left is the most essential item of spooky season necessities: the wine. But, considering that it’s Halloween, you can’t drink any random wine. What kind of wine best aligns with Halloween? Well, I am so glad you asked.
1. Witches Brew
Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and wine glass bubble.
To be clear, your wine glass likely won’t bubble for real, and this wine is not really made by witches — at least I don’t think it is — but it is delicious and perfect for Halloween. Created by the expert winemakers at Leelanau Cellars.
Witches Brew is a unique red wine with added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Although this wine still tastes great when chilled, its flavors are best experienced when warmed. When heated, the spices in this wine explode with flavor. Leelanau Cellars offers two variations of Witches Brew: a red wine and an apple-flavored wine, both of which are made with the aforementioned fall spices.
Overall, Witches Brew is an excellent wine that can be enjoyed on Halloween or during the entire fall season in general.
2. Bats Blood
Coming straight out of vampire country’s spooky vineyards is Bats Blood. To clarify, no bats were harmed in the making of this wine, but I can’t say the same for the grapes used to make this legendary wine from Transylvania. This single grape merlot — which, by the way, is smooth as velvet — is grown and crafted in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.
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Prepared by Hartley Smithers, one of the greatest winemakers in the world, and enjoyed by people all around the globe, this is one wine you will not only want to experience on Halloween but every other day as well. Nothing says Halloween quite like a big glass of Bats Blood.
A quick note: Please don’t really drink any real bat’s blood. I’m not sure what it tastes like, but I imagine it wouldn’t be good.
3. Vampire Wines
In an effort to capitalize on the time of year, countless wine companies will release select wines for Halloween specifically. These limited-time items appear at the dawn of the season and vanish as soon as the holiday ends, leaving you to wait an entire year to enjoy those delicious drinks again. However, that definitely is not the case when it comes to Vampire Wines from Vampire Vineyards; they hang around all year long — did you catch that bat pun?
Even though Vampire Wines are always available, they still remain a top candidate to drink this Halloween. Wine enthusiasts can give all the credit to the spooky mind of winemaker Michael Machat. The wine was first produced in Transylvania in 1988 but found its way to California in 2007. Similarly, Vampire Vineyards, whose slogan is “Blood of the Vine,” has an extensive selection of wines that share the Vampire name in addition to wines such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir and chardonnay. Keeping in line with the vampiric aesthetic, the vineyard even has a rosé that they named Dracula — one of many wines perfect for Halloween.
4. Poizin Wine
Have you ever opened a coffin in order to open a bottle of wine? If you answered yes, I hope that it wasn’t very often. Nevertheless, thanks to the winemakers at Armida Winery in California comes Poizin, which is available with or without the coffin case.
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Armida claims that Poizin is the “wine to die for,” and when I explain why, it’s hard to refute such a statement. The wine is infused with hints of dark chocolate and strawberries and packaged in a bottle with a red skull and crossbones — the bottle is my favorite part. As such, Poizin is not only delicious, but its sinister design ensures that it will be a big hit this Halloween.
As I’ve explained, these wines are perfect for a Halloween-themed party. Bringing out a bottle of Witches Brew or Bats Blood at a Halloween party will surely turn some heads. Sipping a nice glass of Rosé is a great way to end any normal Monday, but a glass of rosé named Dracula is the perfect way to end your Oct. 31.
If you’re looking to spice up your celebrations, all of these wines are available to purchase online; don’t worry, you will not need to travel to California or Transylvania. Always remember that if you are planning to drink this Halloween, do not Bats Blood and drive. Whether you are planning to go out or stay on the couch and eat candy, remember to be safe, drink responsibly and, of course, have a happy Halloween.
