Which Wines Pair Nicely With Entrails?

As I was contemplating what kinds of cocktails to serve at my Halloween party this weekend, wine was of course a beverage at the top of my list. I wanted to kind of stick with the obvious theme here and was pleasantly surprised by the number of Halloween-friendly wines I was able to come up with. Food and wine pairing should be interesting, given the ghastly and less-than-gourmet nature of some of the foods I plan on serving. I am not so sure I will be able to perfectly complement my “decayed corpse chips with entrails salsa” or the delightful “Chuckie’s upchuck,” but it’s worth a shot.

As with any classy soirée, glassware is key, so I won’t be forgetting to invest in some of those cool gothic style wine glasses from the Halloween store although technically they are plastic.

I first got excited when I remembered a box wine called Killer Juice Cabernet. Although I am usually not a box wine drinker, for parties they are the best and this one is quite a few notches above a Franzia or Almaden. This California Cabernet comes in a 3 Liter box and is equivalent to four 750ML bottles. Not only is this a surprisingly decent Cabernet, but the packaging cuts down on some of the inevitable waste that goes along with having a party. The box retails for around $20.00 so for about $5 per bottle of some not too shabby juice this is a must have for any Halloween party. I will be pairing this Cabernet with my coagulated blood dip.

I’m not thinking of providing too many white wines this weekend because it is getting pretty chilly and I prefer to serve white wines in the summer. Also, for this gathering I like the whole idea of drinking something the color of blood. Due to the name mostly I will, however, be serving a Viognier called Incognito. A simple white mask adorns the front of this bottle which is fitting for a costume party. Even more importantly though, the wine is great.

Viognier (pronounced vee-ohn-YAY) is not the most common white wine varietal but has become much more popular over the last few years. The origin of this French varietal from the Rhone Valley is unknown, as is the time frame in which it appeared in California. One legend about the origin of the name suggests that it draws its name from the Roman word “via Gehennae” meaning “road to hell.” Even though this supposedly alludes to the difficulty of growing this elusive grape, on a more personal level, it may also pertain to the inevitable debauchery of this weekend’s festivities! This is generally a pretty perfumy, high alcohol wine and at around $16 will go great with my marinated mozzarella eyeballs and dried scabs (also known as dried cranberries!).

I will definitely be serving 7 Deadly Zins this weekend, not just because of the name but also because it is a delicious Zinfandel. Sadly I will not be partaking due to the fact that at one point in my life it was so delicious that I was sick for days after WAAAYYY overindulging. At a whopping 14.5% alcohol it is good to watch yourself with this one, advice I wish I had taken myself, long ago. It’s named for the seven different Lodi Zinfandels that are blended together to create this unique wine. The owners of this winery, being good (or bad?) Catholic school kids such as I, felt the name described the wine appropriately. This is a smooth fruit-driven wine with explosions of berries and pepper. Served with my worm burgers, this combination should be quite delectable. Expect to find this wine for around $12- $15 a bottle.

As a special treat I plan on having one or two bottles of Bogle Phantom on hand. This will be by far the yummiest wine of the night. Bogle Phantom only comes out once a year and when it is gone, you have to wait until next year again to get it. This red blend of 49% Petit Sirah, 49% Zinfandel, and 2% Mourvedre is so spicy and delicious, once you try this it’s all over for the other guys, especially the Killer Juice Cabernet in the box. A “bogle” is another name for a goblin, which is again so appropriate for my party!

My sister is attempting a dark chocolate bacon cupcake recipe she found, which may not have a Halloween theme but sounds so incredibly delicious, who even cares? The Phantom should be a heavenly complement to these, that is IF they ever make it to the table and not just into my belly. This wine retails for about $20-$24 a bottle, which is not exactly cheap especially for a party full of drunken people in costume who could probably care less. Maybe just the winner of the costume contest will get to indulge in this one, oh and of course the host and the hostess!

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