The Festival of Samhain approaches, when the otherworld draws close to our own. Once a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter on November 1st, it was appropriated by Western Christianity as All Saints Day starting in the 9th Century. Also called All Hallows’ Day, and still marked with a feast, the eve of the celebration became All Hallows’ Eve, by which we get the name of today’s festivities.
While fairies were more associated with Samhain in the distant past, these days we think of monsters when we think of Halloween. Blame Dr. Frankenstein, I guess. Whether you’re gearing up for some Trick or Treat-ing or curling up with some popcorn for a monster flick (Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is my personal favorite), the odds are this evening will involve some wine.
Monstrous isn’t an adjective we use lightly when it comes to wine. To deserve the moniker, the wine should be more than merely powerful. It should ooze with a certain supernatural or alchemical force, overcoming the senses like the onslaught of an unholy beast. Concentration, alcohol, and flavor should be unapologetic and nearly unlimited, and an incautious imbiber should be left feeling like a zombie the next morning.
Here’s what we’re unearthing this Halloween:
Domaine Georges Vernay, Condrieu, Coteau de Vernon – clocking in at around 15% abv with an oily weight and decadent floral notes, few would argue that this is Condrieu’s finest expression. One of the few wines of the region that is built to age (at least for a few years), we still think it shows best when it’s flesh, erm… fresh.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave, Hermitage, Blanc – the definitive producer of this powerhouse white, Chave is always a palate-filling, expansive beverage. To boot, the hermit after which this appellation was named no doubt featured in the spooky children’s stories of the time, told at bedtime on dark, stormy nights when lightning framed the imposing hill of Hermitage.
Ridge Zinfandel – from East Bench to Litton Springs, these powerful, concentrated wines showcase the strength of old-vine, bush-trained Zinfandel in Northern California. And perhaps like the long-time winemaker’s name suggests, you’ll be draping a white sheet with eye holes cut out over yourself for a last-minute ghost costume this evening.
Dal Forno Romano, Amarone della Valpolicella – no list of monstrous wines is complete without Italy’s dried-grape masterpiece: Amarone. Dal Forno makes some of the region’s best wines in the Amarone style, and what better image than the forno, Italy’s wood-fire oven, to evoke the bonfires that were the calling card of Samhain festival rituals.
Hundred Acre, Wraith, Napa Valley – perhaps the most obvious pick on this list, Hundred Acre is known for its unapologetic approach to the modern Napa style. Powerful, extracted, heavily oaked, and ready to overpower all but the fattiest cuts of meat, this bottling also comes ready-made with a Halloween-approved name.
Kongsgaard, Syrah, California – we end our danse macabre with a Syrah so opaque that the ghosts of your vengeful enemies will never be able to see through it to recognize your face (so long as you keep drinking, at least). According to some traditions, the donning of masked costumes originated to confuse vengeful ghosts who rose to attack their enemies on Halloween. If they couldn’t see your face, they couldn’t take their revenge and would rise again the following year. They might not be able to see you through this inky Syrah, but you might not be seeing straight after a few glasses, either.
We wish you a wild, chilling, wine-filled Halloween, whether you dress up as a monster or drink one.