Halloween Wine: Tricks And Treats

This Halloween, whether you're hosting a haunted get-together or venturing out with the kids, there's no reason your passion for wine can't come with you. Here are some creative ideas for bringing wine into this year's Halloween celebrations:

Create a Goblet of Fire
In a large red wine glass, mix together vodka, curacao, lemonade, and Bacardi 151 rum. Light the mixture on fire and toss in a pinch of cinnamon, which will cause the flames to spark. Enjoy the fireworks while they last and enjoy a delicious cocktail after the flames have gone out.

Dress Up Your Wine Glass
Uncork a bottle of inky red wine and dig out your vampire fangs for this classy Halloween trick. In a sauce pan, heat ½ cup corn syrup, ½ cup water, and 1 cup of sugar. When the concoction reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, stir in a few drops of red food coloring and rim wine glasses with the mixture. As the candy cools, it will drip down and harden to form what appears to be a blood-stained wine glass.

Give the Gift of Vampire Wines
In case you're heading out to an adult Halloween party, this line of spooky wines makes for an excellent hostess gift. Given that vampires have been recently dubbed this year's trendiest supernatural spook, everyone is sure to get a kick out of these uniquely designed wine labels. You can even find a limited production of True Blood wine bottles, in response to the vampire-centric hit TV series.

Turn a Pumpkin into a Wine Cooler
Select a large ovular pumpkin with a firm base that isn't likely to wobble around. Wash the outside and hollow it out. Fill the vessel with ice cubes and stick a bottle of wine inside to chill until the neighborhood ghosts stop in for your party!

Create a Wine-Themed Costume
When it comes to unleashing your inner wino in costume form, the only limit is your inspiration. Celebrate fermented fruit by dressing up as a bunch of grapes; just pin inflated purple balloons all over your body, or head out with your sweetheart dressed up as a sommelier and a box of wine. But if all else fails, grab your pointy hat and bottle of your favorite varietal, and voila: you're a wine witch!

Create a Wine and Candy Pairing
At the end of the night, it's okay to sneak a few pieces of candy and sips of wine, if you make sure you're pairing it properly. For milk chocolate, keep away from overly tannic reds and instead reach for a fruity full-bodied red with balanced acidity. Try candy corn with a brut sparkling wine and caramel apples with a dry sherry.

No matter what your plans are for this year's Halloween, there are plenty of ways to honor your inner wino, and keep it spooky at the same time!

Madeline Blasberg is a Certified Wine Consultant currently working as an Official Wine Commentator & Reviewer for Etching Expressions, a company specializing in personalized wine bottles. She has spent time living in Mendoza, Argentina where she was surrounded by wine, both personally and professionally.