Don't know if you've been Trick or Treating with a gaggle of small people any time recently but I find it kind of stressful!
I always find that I need my own treat in the form of a wine afterwards - So, keeping in the "spirit" of Halloween, I have picked some spooky themed wines for you to enjoy that are a so much more than just "Boos". Ok, ok, I'll stop now.....
First though, a Halloween related wine fact: Did you know that in the 17th century when they started making sparkling wines they really didn't understand really how second in-bottle fermentation (the one that gives us the bubbles) worked. So as the bottles sat in cellars the CO2 would build and build and the bottles became under so much pressure that they would spontaneously explode and often one bottle exploding would cause a chain reaction & many would explode & the producer could lose anywhere from 20-90% of their bottles - working in wine cellars in those days was a hazardous job! In the 18th century they finally figured out the science behind the bottles but until then Sparkling Wine was thought to be possessed and was dubbed "The Devil's Wine”
The first of my picks is a Rosé- I do love a Rosé, this one is called Take It To The Grave Rosé and is from the Australian Barossa, hard to believe that a Rose made from Grenache & Shiraz - big bold red grapes - could create such a modern, dry elegant style of Rosé, but they most certainly have. This baby oozes with red berry & candied fruit flavours. Apparently this vintage - 2016, was an exceptional one in the Barossa & you just cannot talk about this wine without calling out the artwork. The cute little "Day of the Dead" Style Skeletons on the bottles are super endearing & make this one really attractive on shelf. This Rose will set you back a very non-scary $20
I love Rockburn, in my eyes they can do no wrong. Devil’s Staircase is their secondary label which makes it easier to access their great wines at a more accessible price. This 2015 Devil's Staircase Pinot Noir is inspired by the winding road leading from Queenstown to Kingston along the shores of Lake Wakatipu. This is an easy drinking, approachable wine with the usual Central Otago giveaways of stonefuit (specifically plums) and blueberries. To get a Central Otago Pinot Noir of this quality for $22 (or as low as $19 on special) is almost unheard of. Grab a bottle soonist.
Every so often I get really excited by a winery - Supernatural Wine Co is just such a winery. This little winery with only 8 hectares planted in the Hawkes Bay are producing natural wines which are also organic and vegan. There is a massive movement towards Natural Wines and these guys are setting the standard where it belongs - high! Their wines are already starting to sell out yearly & I only expect to see the demand grow and grow. I tried two of their natural wines - Green Glow (the label for which glows in the dark BTW) and The Supernatural. I’m recommending the Supernatural 2015 here as I think of the two it is the most accessible for the general public. This is one of those wines you open to taste and end up drinking half a bottle (or was that just me?) This is Sauv Jim, but not as we know it - this Sauv is rich, full and delicious and I cannot wait to drink a whole bunch more of it. This does come at a higher price point at $30 but frankly for a wine this special that’s actually a steal. The most interested & exciting Sauv I have had in quite a while.
Click the link below to hear my chat with Wendyl Nissan on the RadioLIVE Long Lunch