Our Favorite Halloween-Themed Wines!

We're grabbing our sweaters and bundling up with these awesome red wines now that it's finally SWEATER WEATHER! Check out the fabulous white and rosé varietals these brands offer as well, but for today we're focusing on everything from the light Pinot Noir to the big bold Zinfandel grapes.

 19 Crimes

We're going to go ahead and assume if you've been into any sort of wine shop or liquor store, you've seen 19 Crimes. But what a lot of people don't know is the theme of this wine is steeped in history and is a great conversation piece. If you explore their website, you can spend hours learning about the real life prisoners as well as these Australian wines themselves.

Starting in 1787, British criminals were sentenced to "Punshiment by Transportation" to Australia. The 19 Crimes are available for viewing on the website and each cork lists a different crime, so you'll have fun collecting them as you sample through their entire collection (not all in one day, of course!). Our favorite crimes include #5 Impersonating an Egyptian, #13 Assaulting, Cutting, or Burning Clothes, and #17 Watermen Carrying Too Many Passengers on the Thames, If Any Drowned. Added to the fun, you can download the Living Wine Labels app, focus your phone's camera on the prisoner's image, and experience their stories straight from their own mouths as the bottles come to life before your eyes.

Newest to the line is 19 Crimes Snoop Dog's California Red, which relates Snoop's defiant, bold character to the quality and nature of these wines. Other varietals include The Punishment Pinot Noir, The Warden Red Blend, The Banished Red Blend, Uprising Rum Barrel-Aged Red Blend, and Cabernet Sauvignon; among others.

The Velvet Devil

Brought to you by Charles Smith, former rock-band manager turned two-time award winner of "Winemaker of the Year", The Velvet Devil was created as a rebuttal to the movie Sideways and its anti-Merlot depictions. Timeless design stands out on the shelf, and what Halloween night is complete without the Devil himself? The taste is, well, velvety! Ideal for any red wine lover, the sultry Washington State Merlot has earned itself 90 Points with Wine Enthusiast as well as "Best Buy" and "Top 100" awards.

We also enjoy the story of how Smith came into winemaking: Despite growing up in California just an hour from wine country, he didn't find interest in wine until living in Europe while appreciating the rock & roll lifestyle that included restaurant-ing with clients. In 1999, during a trip to California, he was convinced by a winemaker to follow his passion and start creating his own great wines.

Gnarly Head

There's something eerie about old gnarled vines that just makes you think graveyard. Stunning yet spooky, the label of Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin screams Halloween and is perfect for your table.

The Winemakers who created this wine sought out the century old Zinfandel vines of Lodi, California; and were surprised at the amount of ripe fruit yielded. They took it upon themselves to produce the boldest Zinfandel possible. Luscious berries are enhanced with spice, pepper, and soft vanilla. Personally, we're pairing it with the gobs of chocolate we'll be buying but it is also perfect with steak or red sauce dishes all year round.

With 9 others in the portfolio, this isn't just a fall brand. You can find something for every season or mood as well.

Tenet The Pundit

Brought to you by Chateau Ste Michelle Estates, this serious little owl is exactly the friend we need right now. Glaring at anyone who gets too close, you can enjoy this Syrah from Washington State social-distance style. CSM partnered with Rhône winemaker Michael Gassier to take advantage of the optimal terroir for this grape. Syrah comprises 90% of the juice, with 4% Grenache, 4% Mourvèdre, & 2% Viognier to blend it out. Aged for 15 months in oak, you'll find the complexity of deep raspberry jam, earthy undertones, and a silky smooth finish. The Pundit typically retails around $25.

Chateau Ste Michelle is also celebrating 25 years of their Artist Series, which partners with a different artist each year to make a uniquely beautiful label. The 2017 vintages also feature an owl on the label, and you'll find this luxurious collector's bottle  for around $65 each on wine shop shelves. They even have a 3-Bottle Giftbox. We encourage you to gift one to yourself because after a year like this, you deserve it.

7 Moons

Werewolves rejoice! We're howling at the seven phases of the moon with 7 Moons Red Blend and 7 Moons Dark Side Red Blend. October 2020 is delivering 2 full moons this month (the 1st and Halloween night!), and what better way to celebrate than with a wine blended with 7 varietals of grapes honoring just that? You'll find Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Malbec, & Grenache. Both wines consist of the same seven grapes, but their ratios are different to give you a completely new taste profile.

Incredibly versatile, this is an easy people-pleaser that pairs with virtually any dish. Described on their website as having, "aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, baking spices, and vanilla bean. Flavors of strawberry preserves, cherry cola, and milk chocolate follow through to a smooth, fruit-forward, lingering finish." Sounds like this wine will also compliment our Halloween candy quite nicely.

Freakshow

Winemakers & brothers Michael and David Phillips are the 5th generation growers behind the name Michael David. Together with Michael's children, Michael David Winery ushers in this fun and fantastical line of wines with their Freakshow collection. While everyone's dressing up, the bizarre circus freaks lend itself to an old-school costume party feel. Grab your strong man suit and fake dumbbells, have your girlfriend don her leotard for the trapeze act, and pair up with these wines to complete the theme.

Retailing around $20 a bottle, their portfolio includes a Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Cabernet, Red Blend, and Zinfandel. The Chardonnay and Cabernet are even available in convenient 4 pack cans, which we love when we only want to enjoy one glass with dinner and don't want the commitment of an entire bottle. We love that the descriptions of these wines are on point with the topic at hand; take for instance their Cabernet: "Prepare to experience the brawn and finesse of the strongest man on Earth! Freakshow Cabernet sets the stage with aromas of Bing cherry, fig, strawberry jam and a hint of baking spice. He is larger-than-life, medium in body and showcases flavors of bright red fruits, toasted hazelnut and clove with a fruit-forward, lingering finish." Perfection!

That's all for now - thanks for checking us out! Drop a comment below with YOUR favorite Halloween-themed wine.

For up to date info on events and promotions, visit our social media pages @hartagencyny.com. We look forward to seeing you soon and are excited to be working hard for you again.

Cheers,

The Hart Team