3 spooktacular reds for Halloween

What’s more perfect than blood red wine for Halloween? We looked through many, many of the kitchy holiday wines on the shelf this time of year, and found three we will drink all year long. Serve one of these at your next haunted event!

FREAKSHOW, 2015, Cabernet Sauvignon, Michael David Winery, California, $18
We love every wine that comes from this super creative California vineyard. Their marketing is funky, and their flavors are delish! This wine has evolved over the years, and this vintage has pulled together all of the best parts of previous years. It is deeply fruity, and voluptuous. The texture, alone, is so rich. It has the traditional pomegranate edge with a hint of smoke and dirt you expect from a good Cab. Drink this now and all year long!

INFERNO, 2016, Red blend aged in charred whisky barrels, Apothic Wines, California, $17
I recognize the snoots may find alcohol-barreled wine as an abuse of nature, but damn they are tasty. And many of the national vineyards realize the cash flow benefits of offering this sort of party wine- they fly off the shelves. I also find they can be a bridge for beer and alcohol lovers to other types of wine.

All of the Apothic wines are juice bombs, mostly on the sweet fruit side. For me, aging this wine in charred whiskey barrels for 60 days mellows out and balances Apothic’s red blend. The minute you pop the cork you realize there is alcohol involved. The fruit flavor is on the dark side, and you can easily taste shades of maple and spice with every sip. If you’re a whisky fan this is an awesome choice, and wine lovers can easily turn this sip into a guzzle.

BOOK OF SHADOWS, 2015, Zinfandel, California, $12
The texture of great Zin can vary from medium-bodied to thick and hearty. They all have a welcomed jammy, dark fruit-forward quality with some spice and even a little pepper. Think chocolate and vanilla. This wine adds a little Petite Syrah, Cab and Tannat which gives it a hearty, fruity, almost smokey flavor. The texture is super smooth and rich. There is depth of flavor here. And the finish lingers with a jammy quality. For the price, especially, this is a wonderful sip for Halloween with its gothic title and logo.

I would pair this with any hearty and spicy sauce- barbecue, buffalo, or General Tso’s, for example. It would boost any stinky cheese, especially anything blue. And its a great choice for flavorful Asian food, and good BBQ.

Wishing everyone a safe Halloween season, and happy sipping!