Trick 'r Treat! What's in my bag?

Halloween and Thanksgiving are my two favorite holidays. I think it has to do with the weather. I love the turning of the leaves, the fall colors and the rich sweet and smoky smells around Walla Walla. It has to be the "big kid" in me, because I love decorating for Halloween. Unfortunately, this year decorating for Halloween totally escaped me. I typically put out a collection of black cats (besides my two fat real ones, Crosby and Nash) and a smattering of pumpkins here and there. Sometimes I even invite a few "witches" over for a cup o' tea and some "lady fingers" (Umm - okay. More like glasses of vino - blood red, of course). But between my latest project I finally looked at the calendar and realized that Halloween was in a few days. Oh HELL, there's always next year.

In the mean time, I did take the time to put together a collection of wines that are purr-fect for Halloween.

Fetish "The Watcher" Shiraz - 2008 from the Barossa Valley, Australia. The label reminds me of something from the Blair Witch Project. The little crafty twigs and feathers hanging from the trees in that movie were a bit eerie, but other than that, the movie was a snooze fest. However, "The Watcher" is far from a snooze. It's vibrant! A medium-weight shiraz that is juicy and shows off dark fruit of blackberries and plum. Bits of white pepper and white chocolate surprises you and then leads you to a long finish. It's a wine that you can cellar for awhile.

Moselland Zeller Schwarze Katz Riesling (aka "The Black Cat from Zell") - 100% Riesling from Germany. A typical and affordable riesling with a fruity nose. The flavors are crisp and fresh showing off the typical Riesling acidity. Hints of lemon and apple show off a bit. Hey, this is a no-brainer. It's an affordable German riesling, but it truely is about the bottle. A collector's item for cat lovers and the kitty comes in different colors.

Thirsty Pagans Communion Red - 2005 If you are a local wine enthusiast, then you know these three notorious thirsty pagans from Walla Walla - Jeanie, Rob and Crandall. Their red blend, from the Alder Ridge Vineyard, is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. The fruit is hand-picked and hand-sorted. They personally remove all bats, bugs, leaves and sticks. In other words, no MOG. No dear ones, MOG is not a Latin word or a fancy scientific viticulture word. It just means: Material Other than Grapes. How does it taste? Dark, spicy and smoky. What? You think the name is a little controversial? Of course it is! And yer point ...?

Razor’s Edge Cabernet Sauvignon - 2008 From McLaren Vale, one of Australia’s renowned wine regions, famous for producing some the best wines in the world. Razor's Edge wines are gaining a reputation from Parker and the WS as being a best buy and value for the quality. This dark bloody cabernet offers an array of harmonious flavors including black currant, beetroot, cloves and roasted chestnut. Integrated and finely grained tannin structure. It "cuts deep" into the palate.

Have a fun, but safe Halloween. BOO!