Throwing a Halloween Wine Party
It is almost Halloween again, but this year, it can look a little different than in recent years as more people are going back to normal (or paranormal) activities. The rigid Covid restrictions of the past two years are no longer in full force, so this is the right time to have one great Halloween wine party. Like with every great party, you need to plan and prepare for it. Here are some tips on how to enjoy the spooky season with a Halloween wine tasting!
Schedule the date. Halloween falls on a Monday this year and it may not be the best day to have a party for adults. You can schedule the Halloween wine party for the preceding or following weekend and spend Halloween night with the kids. Most adults will prefer to have a Halloween wine tasting party over a weekend.
Send out cute invitations. There are many online websites that allow you to send Halloween invitations and you should make use of that opportunity as it saves time and money. For someone special, you can even send an invitation by mail with a box of candies.
Select a theme for your party. Perhaps you want your guests to be dressed up as ghosts, witches, etc. Halloween is a great excuse for dressing up as your favorite character!
WINE, FOOD, AND DECORATIONS
A Halloween wine party without wine is obviously not a thing - so stock up on wines! First, decide what type of foods you will be serving so that you can pair them with the appropriate wines.
Food: To keep things light, keep the menu simple and go with snacks and desserts. Some food ideas that do not require a lot of work include sausage rolls, pizza, meatballs, potato skins, barbecued ribs, tacos and dip, varieties of cheese and crackers, fruit, chicken tenders and wings, and much more. Deviled eggs are fun to dress up for Halloween bites. Just take a black olive, cut it in half, put the cut side down to represent the body of a spider. Take another black olive and cut into six strips, arranging them around the deviled egg to represent the spider’s legs. Perhaps you can even ask each of your guests to bring a unique food item. Finally, have lots of candies and desserts.
Decorate your home with fall flowers, turn on the fireplace, and add Halloween decor around the entrance and the doorway. Try to put a little Halloween something special in every nook – have fun, make it festive! This is a Halloween wine party, after all!
GAMES
Remember the ever-popular bobbing for apples, or you can play Pin the Tail on the Goblin. You can also play a Halloween Murder Mystery game or Spin the Wheel for a Halloween Fate, making some fun “fates” when a player lands on a certain spot.
PAIRING WINE AND FOOD
One cannot have a Halloween wine tasting party without wine, of course! Once you have some idea about your menu, you can begin to assemble the pairings.
Light red wines, like Pinot Noir, pair best with light meat dishes, like sausages and meatballs.
If you decide to serve starchy foods, like pasta and cheese, or garlic bread, then select a medium red wine, like Shiraz or Merlot.
If the food dish involves juicy steak and/or kebabs, you need a heavy red wine to cut through the richness of the meat. These heavy wines also pair well with aged cheese. Heavy red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
White wines, like Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, pair best with white meat and fish, veggies, and starchy dishes.
Or you can select sparkling wines, like champagne, which universally go with most snacks and light foods.
If you are planning to serve desserts, then you will need wines with moderate to high alcohol content to pair with the sweet treats. A glass of sweet white wine, like Riesling, is perhaps the one wine that universally pairs with almost every food.
For some quality, affordable, red and white wines for your Halloween wine tasting party, follow the links:
2018 SILVER TOTEM CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 WALLULA VINEYARD RIESLING
Come all ye ghouls, ghosts, and goblins for a Halloween wine tasting to remember! Call Pacific Rim & Company at1-503-863-5454 for assistance with wine selection. This staff is passionate about all things wine!