Halloween is one of the most amazing festivals ever: witch costumes, terror and treats… but what about the wine?
This is why we organized a Wineshow on the trail of terror!
Bizarre or monstrously good wines were accompanied by games during a blind tasting event with spooky lighting, terrifying stories, and producers in disguise ….all with a glass full of excellent grape potion!
Here’s what we drank:
We began the tasting with a #Playful sparkling wine, the Ortrugo by Azienda Montemartini. Although it’s a wine made using the Charmat method and has a mainly fruity and floral bouquet, we still classified it as #Playful because it is dry and fresh on the palate.
Champagne Cordon Rouge by G.H.Mumm, #Playful
If previously we had you taste a #Witty wine, with the second one we tricked you… well, it was Halloween after all!
We had you taste the Cordon Rouge Champagne by Mumm as part of the blind tasting session when we usually offer it as a welcome bubbly. The result? The regulars at our Wineshows recognized it immediately!
Cordon Rouge is the most emblematic Champagne of the famous Reims Maison: a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier sourced from over 77 crus, each with its own unique characteristics.
A silky, soft sparkling wine in which notes of white peach and apricot are tangible, alongside notes of vanilla, toasted bread, and dried fruit.
Malvasia di Candia, by Azienda Montemartini #Exotic
The charming and mysterious Malvasia di Candia is the best-known of all the types in the Malvasia family (just think that there are no less than 17 of them in total).
As we know, we’re talking about an aromatic varietal that produces particularly fragrant wines, but the Candia species is definitely the finest, and the hills around Piacenza are the land where it reaches its full potential.
Compared to other aromatic wines with an #Exotic character, this Malvasia amazed us for its excellent balance, courtesy of a not too full body and a refreshing acidity that creates just the right contrast with the sweet scent of the wine.
We chose it for the evening because it pairs to perfection with dishes containing pumpkin, the ultimate symbol of Halloween!
With its intriguing yet also rather unsettling color, this #Profound orange wine was the one that created the biggest divide among our participants in terms of preferences: they either loved it or they just didn’t get it at all.
Even if many changed their mind about the taste after learning about its history!
Made with Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sauvignon and other white grapes, the must is left to ferment naturally – just like in the old days, to make it clear – and it’s not filtered.
This is one of the wines of Manuel Pulcini, the young Roman whose approach we have already mentioned in this article: HOMO ENOLOGUS IN SOCIAL MEDIA TIMES: THE ROMAN WINE PRODUCER THAT MAKES NATURAL WINES IN LUCCA.
In Lucca, he has launched a Land Recovery project, that is, he has recovered old abandoned vineyards, coaxing them to yield again, and he uses their harvests to make natural wines in line with a wine-making philosophy that complements the biodynamics.
His project has not been a solo effort: he is helped by his friends, who study oenology, and he dedicated this wine to one of these companions: it’s called Lacrima di Gwelf.
He tells us: “this limited edition is dedicated to a core member of the team, my friend Gwelf, who rolled his sleeves up more than anyone else during the project. With tremendous strength and an iron will – despite shedding many bitter tears – he made the concept of Land Recovery and the return to the ancient natural values his own.
The wine-making method used is similar to that of a macerated white wine, but the modus operandi is less technical and more driven by passion; when tasting the wine, the prevailing sensation is a tremendous strength, then an almost dreamlike finesse, not to mention a good structure and an excellent freshness.
It’s a wine that capably accompanies all courses, as perfect for an apéritif with friends as it is for an elegant formal dinner.”
And ok, we admit it: we also chose it because its label is just sooo Halloween.
Rosso Igt, Zio Baffa, #Sensual
A Tuscan red wine made with Sangiovese and Syrah grapes, soft and fragrant with a distinctive #Sensual character.
It’s produced by Jason Baffa, a surfer producer that has made his passion – good wine – into a real job. In fact, after shooting the film “La bella vita” in the Marina di Piasa area, he fell in love with the setting and, thanks to his friendship with oenologist Piergiorgio Catellani, he was able to launch this project which has resulted in the production of three wines: a Prosecco from the Trieste area, a Sicilian white and this alluring red with its #Sensual character.
Since this is a producer’s wine, we decided to ask you to match it with a scene from a horror film. And the reasons for your choices were the best part of this exercise!
Gutturnio, by Azienda Montemartini, #Sensual
Apart from the (amazing) label, which bears a clear blood-red “slash” on the front, this Gutturnio has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween.
With a #Sensual character, it’s a soft, mellow blend of Croatina and Barbera, with a prevalent fruity nose but a slightly spicy note reminiscent of vanilla and licorice.
A full-bodied, with a soft, well-balanced taste, which we asked you to use as inspiration for telling us a horror story.
It has to be said that your replies were not so much scary as hilarious!
Follow us on the social networks and on our events page to stay up to date about the dates of the next Wineshows, and have fun drinking some delicious wines!
If you associate wine with happiness, amusement and sharing with friends, you should have to participate to one of our WINE SHOW.
A journey to discover the timings of making wine, hand in hand with producers to experience the magic of grape harvesting.
When a wine can give you so much warm, alcoholic and human that remembers you your best friend, you can be sure: it is a Classical Chianti.