Spooky Sips: Wines for Halloween

October 23, 2005

Wondering what to serve at (or bring to) your Halloween party?  Consider these spooky treats:

• Alexander Valley Sin Zin (California)
• Bonny Doon Cardinal Zin “Beastly Old Vines”(California)
• Bonny Doon Le Cigar Volant (“Flying Saucer”) (California)
• Cockfighter’s Ghost (Australia) Chardonnay or Shiraz   (Australia)
• Concha y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo “Cellar of the Devil,” various types (Chile)
• d’Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (Australia)
• Devil’s Lair Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
• Egervin Egri Bikavér ("Bull’s Blood") (Hungary)
• Leitz Dragonstone Riesling (Germany)
• Trevor Jones Wild Witch Shiraz (Australia)
• Vampire Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir (Romania)

	Producer: Devil's Lair (Australia) Wine: Chardonnay Margaret River Vintage: 2003 Cost: $25 Track it down: www.winespecialist.com/159416
This Aussie triumph manages to do what many Chardonnays can’t: straddle a razor’s edge between richness and zest, between oakiness and refreshment. Creamy aromas and flavors of tropical fruit and almonds mingle with essences of pears and lemons.  Its taste, combined with the wine’s bloodcurdling, fossilized Tasmanian Devil label drawing, will chase away the demons of undistinguished Chardonnay.