Happy Belated Halloween! As you read this post, I realize you have already celebrated your Halloween. My post today is about how I celebrated my Halloween with my wife, Carol. We have never been into dressing up in costumes or Halloween parties. Instead we opted for our favorite way to celebrate: Good food, good wine, some sweet treats, and a scary (or to be more precise-suspenseful) movie. We have never been fans of the “slasher flicks” (though I admit to liking the very first Halloween movie with Jamie Lee Curtis). We’re both more old school in that genre. Think Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, The Exorcist, or more recently, Stranger Things. We also enjoy the occasional serial killer movie or series. I like the suspenseful, psychological movies that are more cerebral and less gore.
The Movie
We had a tough time deciding what movie to watch. Ultimately, we decided on a series on Netflix called Stay Close and we have been binge watching it since then. We saw that it was connected to a book by Harlan Coben and we have enjoyed a few of his books and movies based upon his books. Yes, there is a serial killer involved in the plot, but I won’t say more in case you wind up watching it.
The Food
We enjoyed a thick, juicy steak on the grill with baked potatoes, and grilled zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant. We were considering Fava beans with a fine Chianti…But the steak and sides were delicious and paired beautifully with our red wine, as described below, and pictured above in the featured photo. I will add that the beautiful handmade Halloween and wine-themed quilted runner with pumpkins and wine bottles, was a gift created by our friend, Renee. The glass pumpkins were purchased at Wheaton Village in Millville.
The Wine (NJ of course)
- Autumn Lake Winery Squankum-Blood red, of course. It is Chambourcin aged in Bourbon barrels; it is medium to full-bodied and full of flavor, including cherries and vanilla. It’s smooth, but hearty enough to stand up to our steak. I wrote about the previous vintage and the story behind its name here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-djd
- Balic Winery Pumpkin Wine-Made with 100% real pumpkin. It’s sweet, but not cloyingly so. So what do you do with the pumpkins after you carve them for Halloween? Make them into Pumpkin Wine…or pick up a bottle at Balic Winery in May’s Landing. It’s a lot easier and a lot better. Skip the Pumpkin Pie this year and give this a try. I’ve had pumpkin ales and pumpkin lattes, but I prefer this to both of those.
The Sweets
We’re not big on candy, but chocolate is one of the basic food groups in our house. Pairing wine with candy is a little silly, but pairing wine (or beer) with chocolate is something special. My suggestions for wine with chocolate:
A good Port-Style wine like the ones you can find here: Unionville Vineyards, Cape May Vineyards, Sharrott Winery, Old York Cellars, Bellview Winery, Turdo Vineyards, or Autumn Lake Winery.
My suggestion for beer with chocolate:A big chocolatey Stout like…
Bonesaw Brewing Company Call Me Chris. Barrel aged Imperial Stout made by Bonesaw Brewing (great name for Halloween, don’t you think)? See photo below. The brewery is located in Glassboro.
Of course you could also skip the chocolate candy and grab a bottle of Chocolate Therapy from Laurita Winery (made with their red wine and pictured below)…or perhaps you might want to save that one for Tuesday night!
NJ Wine Month
November is New Jersey Wine Month. So Halloween is over, but the fun is just beginning. It may not be too late to get tickets to the Inaugural NJ Wine Expo on November 9th. For more information about this event and other New Jersey wine news and events, check out the GSWGA website here: http://newjerseywines.com
Coming Attractions
- Working Dog Winery
- Laurita Winery
- Plagido’s Winery
Cheers!
Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Just scroll down, press the “Comment” button, and add your comment(s). Like what you read and see on these pages? It couldn’t be easier to scroll down, hit the “Subscribe” button, and get your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills. No mess. I promise not to share your email info with ANYONE and the subscription is FREE.
