Time for Hallowine
On a recent autumn afternoon, while relaxing on the deck of Weisinger Family Winery and tasting their deeply earthy and luscious reds, I was inspired to write this column.
I was searching for the perfect tastes to pair with some of my favorite thriller movies. Here are some suggestions for a deliciously suspenseful evening for Halloween and beyond. Not every wine can be found at Weisinger, but each wine can be found in Southern Oregon.
- “What Lies Beneath” (2000), Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer; Layered, nuanced, haunting — port, GSM (grenache/syrah/mourvèdre), mescolare
- “Only Lovers Left Alive” (2014), Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston; Edgy, aged, piquant, moody — mourvèdre, orange/amber, tempranillo.
- “Dracula” (1931), Bela Lugosi; Legendary, mysterious, juicy — cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, syrah.
- “Midnight Lace” (1960), Doris Day, Rex Harrison, Myrna Loy and John Gavin; Thriller, kitschy, ‘60s stylized — chianti/sangiovese accompanied with multicolor dripping candle.
- “The Shining” (1980), Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall; Inky, jammy, dark — malbec, petit verdot, carménère
- “Gaslight” (1944), Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman; Flickering, transitional, enticing — claret, cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc
- “Don’t Look Now” (1973), Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland; Impressionist, flow, bright red — sangiovese, barbera, grenache
- “The Tingler” (1959), Vincent Price; Chilling, surprising, elusive — red sparkling, tannat, malbec
- “Phantom of the Opera” (1925, silent), Lon Chaney, and (2004) Gerard Butler; Beauty, secretive, passion — pinot noir, viognier, white sparkling
- “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956) Kevin McCarthy, and (1978) Donald Sutherland; Creepy, surreal, literate — touriga nacional, charbono, barbera
- “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935), Elsa Lancaster and Boris Karloff; Alchemy, cross/hybrid, gothic, fire — petite sirah, baco noir, riesling
- “The Thin Man” and sequels (1934 through 1947), William Powell and Myrna Loy; Charming, classic, comedic — white sparkling and more white sparkling
I hope these pairings will keep you bewitchingly spellbound. Happy Hauntings!
Reach Paula Bandy at pbthegrapevine@gmail.com and connect with her on Instagram at @pbthroughthegrapevine.