The ghoulish costumes are perfected, pumpkins are carved and the goblins are roaming the land in search of souls to steal. Everything is done, but as you get ready to host your Halloween bash that hearty Shiraz seems out of place. 

Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re hosting a party at home or if you’re a restaurant or wine bar owner hosting a Halloween bash at your restaurant we’ve picked the right potions for you.

Take a look at our picks of the top 16 ghostly reds for Halloween which are sure to please even the most blood thirsty vampire in your group. 

1. Sidewood Shiraz 2017

Producer: Sidewood Estate
Country: Australia

This elegant and complex Shiraz has lifted aromatics of raspberry, blueberry, dark plum and hints of vanilla spice. The front palate has an abundance of blackberry, dark-red fruits and notes of dark chocolate. Spice and white pepper notes are evident on the back palate. Tannins are rich and silky, the length is long and luxurious. An outstanding accompaniment to braised beef cheek or truffle pasta as a vegetarian option.

2. Rodney Strong Vineyards 2015

Producer: Rodney Strong Wine Estates
country: United States

A powerful Cabernet from the hillsides of Alexander Valley, this wine is lush with blackberries, dark plum, and chocolate. The notes of dried herbs, black pepper and minerality reflect the terroir of the Alexander Valley. The soft, supple, and mature tannins give this wine a strong backbone, while the 18 months of barrel aging have softened the wine enough to enjoy now.

 

3. Alexander School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Producer: Alexander Valley Vineyards
Country: United States

Aromas of cassis, black cherry, oak, vanilla, chocolate, dark fruits and a hint of menthol fill the glass.  This is a smooth wine with flavors of dark fruit, cassis, vanilla and chocolate.  It is silky with well integrated tannins and flavors that linger for a long time, giving you the chance to reflect on the history and tradition of Alexander Valley Vineyards and Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

4. The Unexpected 2017

Producer: Prestige World Wines
Country: Australia

Through an uncompromising winemaking process, with ex-tended ageing on lees, oxidation  has been prevented naturally, as opposed to adding sulphur. This process has plumped the body of the wine giving it further complexity and has produced a wine with superb bright purple hue from the rim through to its core. The nose is ripe with bold blackcurrant fruit and is sweet and luscious on the palate, with a fabulously long finish.

5. Pata Negra Reserva 2014

Producer: J. GARCIA CARRION, S.A.
Country: Spain

This PataNegraReserva is a wine with a upper coat, burgundy tones with tile nuances. It is interesting on the nose; it appreciated intense notes to wood in a very good combination with spiced nuances. It has a powerful and velvety tasting in the mouth, giving way to a pleasant warm and a very long after tasting.

 

6. Jaraman Shiraz 2017

Producer: Wakefield/Taylors Wines
Country: Australia

The wine has a deep cerise red colour to the centre with a vibrant purple hue to the edges. There are lifted aromas of red plum and cherry fruit along with subtle black olive and spice. This is an elegant wine with enjoyable flavours of red berry fruit, violets and attractive oak characters of roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate. Overall, the wine is well balanced with well-integrated tannins providing the palate with an intense, persistent length.

7. Chateau de Marmorières, Les Armandiers 2016

Producer: Wine Menu Imports
Country: France

The attack is tasty, the tannins are fine and velvety. Mid-palate, aromas of plums, roasted coffee blend with notes of garrigue. It can be served very well with red meats, wildfowl and a Cassoulet.

8. Coelho Family Wines 2017

Producer: Coelho Winery
Country: United States

A voluptuous dark cherry nose leaps from the glass immediately with wisps of rose petal, spice, and caramel following. The attack starts with vibrant cherry morphing into cranberry and pomegranate in the mid-palate. Cranberry acidity and very fine tannins play into a lengthy spicy finish where you detect the well-integrated oak as hints of caramel riding on the cranberry fruit. An exceptional food wine.

 

9. Petite Syrah 2015

Producer: Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery
Country: United States

Expect  velvety finish from this full bodied wine with dark berries and cola flavour. 

 

 

10. L'ecole No 41 2016

Producer: L'ecole No 41
Country: United States

With an elegant, old world structure, this sophisticated Cabernet shows savory herbal aromas, lavender, and cocoa. A robust core of blueberry and plum with notes of black currant and cigar box are framed with polished tannins on a rich, harmonious finish.

 

11. A.D. Chelini 2014

Producer: Chelini Family Wines
Country: United States

With access to fruit from the beautiful Rosa Garcia Pinot Noir vineyard in Carneros, one of the premier Pinot Noir appellations, A.D. Chelini Pinot Noir was created. The goal was to make a food friendly wine that could be enjoyed for family gatherings and shared amongst friends. 

 

12. TalòPrimitivo di Manduria D.O.P. 2017

Producer: Cantine San Marzano
Country: Italy 

Ruby red colur enriched with violet hues; opulent bouquet, which hints at ripe cherries and plums, with pleasant notes of cocoa and vanilla; a wine with a remarkable structure, softened by the soothing warmth of the Primitivo grape; the finish offers notes of persistent sweetness.

 

13. Pablo Claro 2016

Producer: Terroir Wine Group
Country: Spain

This full-bodied and deep dark cherry color wine has aromas of spice, vanilla and ripe fruits. It has a well structured palate with sweet tannins and a long and harmonious finish.

 

14. Beaune du Château 2016

Producer: Bouchard Père&Fils
Country: France 

A nice  dark  garnet  colour  with  brown  to  mauve  shades.  It has complex bouquetassociating perfumes of jammy red fruit, fig, and peony with a hint of chocolate. The harmonious anddeep palate has a beautiful maturity and dense but fine tannins.

 

15. Pinot Noir "Les PierresDorees" 2016

Producer: Louis Latour
Country: France 

Bright and intense red colour with red-garnet lights. On the nose, we discover a gourmet blend of flowers, red berries and soft spices. On the palet, it is crunchy, round and ample. The Pinot Noir from the PierresDoréesterroir off ers a wine with a great freshness, underlined by concentrated black fruits aromas with a superb length.

 

16. San Simeon Stormwatch 2015

Producer: Riboli Family Wines
Country: United States
This artisan wine is hand-crafted in small lots and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum if 18 months. It is dark, rich and mouth-filling. Expect Ripeflavors of blackberry and raspberry with touches of spice and vanilla.