These spooky wines, plus perfect recipes to pair with each, will guarantee a spectacular Halloween bash. Scallop-and-olive eyeball canapés, anyone?
2009 Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon
Rob Mondavi, one of the fourth generation of Mondavis to make wine in California, produces this balanced, affordable Cabernet from vineyards in the Lodi region.
Pairing: Chorizo Poached in Red Wine
2010 Charles Smith the Velvet Devil Merlot
Big, lush and chocolaty, this Washington state Merlot comes in a bottle with a big black pitchfork on the label.
2008 Clos des Fées les Sorcières
The name of this southern French winery translates, more or less, to “the walled vineyard of the fairies,” and the name of the wine itself to “the witches”—hence the pointy-hatted woman riding a broomstick on the label. It’s a juicy, spicy, Syrah-based red blend.
Pairing: Grilled Marrow Bones with Rosemary-Lemon Bruschetta
2011 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserva
Blending grapes from two coastal regions—Leyda and Casablanca—gives this lime-inflected Sauvignon Blanc its mouthwatering crispness.
Pairing: Scallop-and-Olive Eyeball Canapés
2008 d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz
Made from d’Arenberg’s best Shiraz barrels, this muscular red gets its name from old, “one-armed” grapevines.
2011 Owen Roe Sinister Hand
Primarily Grenache, this Washington state red is full of raspberry and currant flavor. The label has a severed hand, relating to an Irish legend about two families, a boat race and a desperate attempt to touch the finish line first.
2009 Bogle Vineyards Phantom
Black in hue, this plummy blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre from California has a label depicting silhouettes of gnarled old vines, probably located on a desolate hillside. Next to a graveyard.
Pairing: Beef Chili with Beans
2011 Craggy Range Kidnappers Vineyard Chardonnay
A cool vineyard on Cape Kidnappers produced grapes for this lithe, citrusy, lightly oaked white.
Pairing: Carrot Macaroni and Cheese